“Making R&D Collaborations that Commercialize Innovations”.

CHALLENGES:

Converting innovative technology from academic research to a commercial product is a challenging undertaking. Researchers may face the difficult decision of creating a startup or partnering with an existing company, but which company? Experience indicates that the creation of a startup by the research team should not be the only solution to consider, pairing up with an existing company may be the best solution for the commercialization.On the other side, small businesses that want to introduce improvements to their product or create a new product line face capital and research resources challenges; pairing up with researchers may be the best solution to their business challenges.

OPPORTUNIES:

Small technology based businesses compete by introducing new products, technologies, and solutions, or by improving their existing capabilities to provide a clear competitive advantage. Few of these businesses have the resources to conduct the Internal Research & Development (IR&D) needed to further develop their technologies from concepts to commercial products. In addition, there are limited opportunities for the academic and small business communities to come together and explore collaborations that match needs with feasible solutions.

The Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust (PRSTRT) will address these challenges by delivering a Researcher-Small Business Matchmaking Program series of events and support for addressing IR&D needs through the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) application process.The PRSTRT will continue to provide training and support writing competitive proposals to SBIR/STTR participating agencies as it has done since Fall 2015. The Trust will also continue to match Phase I awards in the amount of $100,000.

THE EVENTS:

The PRSTRT will address the challenge of the need for effective interactions between the two communities by delivering a Researcher-Small Business Matchmaking Program series of events.

The program will include:

• Matchmaking Workshop, offered at two strategic locations: San Juan and Mayagüez, by a team of professionals who will provide concepts, practices, and experienced advice on small and medium enterprises (SME)-Researcher-Small Business collaborations.

• Matchmaking Event in San Juan to offer participants a full-day of learning different perspectives from experts and obtaining information about resources available to promote and support collaborations. This will be followed by a half-day of facilitated collaborations through one-on-one pre-arranged meetings complemented by researcher and businesses presentations.

Researcher-Small Business Matchmaking Program Schedule

WORKSHOPS

August 15, 2017- Researcher-Small Business Workshop: San Juan

PR Science Research & Technology Trust, Antigua Penitenciaria Estatal Carr. # 21

Bo. Monacillos, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00927

August 16 , 2017- Researcher-Small Business Workshop: Mayaguez

BDTC, Guanajibo Research and Innovation Park, 4005 Street B, Road 114 Km 1.3,Mayaguez, PR 00682

MATCHMAKING EVENTS:

September 18, 2017- Matchmaking Event (one-day)

Universidad Metropolitana, Sistema Ana G Mendez, 1399, Avenida Ana G. Mendez, San Juan, 00926, Puerto Rico

September 19, 2017- One-on-One Meetings and Presentations (half-day)

PR Science, Research & Technology Trust, Antigua Penitenciaria Estatal Carr. # 21,Bo. Monacillos

San Juan, 00927, Puerto Rico

For immediate questions, contact: sbir@prsciencetrust.org