OCAST newsletter, 09/2010

              Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science & Technology - newsletter1009
file:///Y|/News_Letters/Newsletters/OK%20Innovations/2010-09%20OCAST%20newsletter.htm[2/15/2012 11:57:52 AM]
Home Contact FAQs Request Notifications Site Index
Home > Public Information > Newsletter > newsletter1009
Email | Print
OCAST Newsletter
September 2010
NATIONAL SBIR CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN OKC
The Small Business Innovation Research program will host their national conference in
Oklahoma City November 8-10. This is an excellent opportunity for researchers and small
businesses to learn more about securing development capital from the $2 billion annual
program.
Bear Runyan ran a successful small business, manufacturing cattle feeders in Mill Creek, OK.
But when his company received more than $400,000 in federal grant money to research how
to improve one of their feeders, the future growth potential of 3C Cattle Feeders stretched beyond his expectations.
More than 500 people are expected to attend the conference where small businesses from across the state and country can
learn about the application process, hear from businesses that have been awarded SBIR funding, meet with agencies that
administer the funding and hear what they are looking for in an application.
The Small Business Administration coordinates the SBIR program which is funded by 2.5 percent of the total extramural
research budgets of federal agencies. Small businesses with fewer than 500 employees with a research project that has the
potential for commercialization can apply for funding through one of 11 federal agencies including: the Departments of
Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Transportation,
Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration or National Science Foundation.
With the assistance of Oklahoma State University New Product Development Center, 3C Cattle Feeders has been the recipient
of three SBIR grants that are allowing the company to modify one of its traditional cattle feeders to deter wild hogs and other
animals from stealing food and spreading diseases. Current cattle feeders do not have a way to keep out other animals.
“Ranchers often don’t realize the amount of feed that is lost to hogs and other wild animals,” said Runyan. “We didn’t know the
full extent of it until we started working with OSU monitoring cattle feeders in the field with 24-hour video equipment. The stolen
feed really adds up financially and is a problem seen all across the country.”
Through a connection with the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance, 3C Cattle Feeders was introduced to the OSU New Product
Development Center. The center has worked with them to improve their current product line, develop the idea, write the SBIR
grants, conduct the research after the company received the grant and create a business plan to market the new feeders once
they are developed.
“While the SBIR funding enables a company to do things a small business could never dream of doing on their own, the real
benefit comes from working through the process,” said Dr. Daniel Tilley with the OSU New Product Development Center. “The
process of applying for the grant makes a company start thinking differently about how they do business, how to improve their
products and how to fulfill a need in the market.”
In addition to winning two large federal SBIR grants, 3C Cattle Feeders also benefited from state funding through the Oklahoma
Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology. Because the SBIR application is time consuming, requiring staff time
to complete the grants, OCAST provides bridge funding to financially help a company through the application process.
The federal SBIR program is a highly specialized form of funding for small, advanced technology firms to perform cutting-edge
research and development that addresses the nation’s most critical scientific and engineering needs. The National SBIR
Conference will be held November 8-10 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City. To learn more about the conference
or to register, visit www.SBIROK.org.
ABOUT OCAST PROGRAMS PROGRAM SUPPORT CALENDAR OF EVENTS PUBLIC INFORMATION