The Illinois FAST Center team is offering an NSF SBIR/STTR Sprint Training series of proposal development workshops in early 2024. The training series includes 4 weekly, virtual workshops beginning on January 25, 2024. The program offers a full-program option (limited # of teams) and an audit-only program option. We may also recruit ecosystem partners to host in-person sites - a different location each week - that any participant could join. Chicago and downstate Illinois areas are currently under consideration.
As additional information and details become available, we will update this calendar entry and share via the Illinois FAST Center Newsletter. Not yet on the IL FAST Center email list? Reach out to csoliday@illinois.edu with your request to be added.
APPLYING TO PARTICIPATE: We anticipate going live with the online Sprint application in early December. All interested teams are required to apply and to be invited to participate. Illinois-based teams can apply for the full-program (read more below) or the audit-only option. Teams located in other states and teams that are not quite ready for the full program are encouraged to select the audit-only program on their application. Prior to submitting an application, please review these guidelines that can help Illinois teams to assess their readiness for the full program.
FULL PROGRAM SPRINT TRAINING: The NSF Sprint Training is a free program that provides qualified Illinois teams with training and 1:1 mentoring over four weeks provided by professional SBIR consultants. Teams invited to the full program will complete and submit development tasks and will receive expert feedback and guidance on their work-in-progress Phase I draft proposal. Teams applying to participate in the full program will have already submitted or prepared an NSF Project Pitch – with priority given to those teams that have been invited to submit an NSF Phase I proposal.
AUDIT-ONLY PROGRAM: There will also be an audit-only program option that does not include the 1:1 mentoring and review/feedback on development assignments. Audit participants will have virtual access to all of the sessions (via Zoom) and development task materials. If on-site locations are offered, audit participants will have an opportunity to register for limited seating offered by local hosts.
