Author: Editor

The rundown on AUTM Asia 2019

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Posted November 14, 2019 By: Konstantin Izvolsky

On November 5-7, 2019 Foresight Science & Technology attended AUTM Asia-2019 conference in Jerusalem, Israel. This conference provided a great platform for technology transfer professionals from Asia to share the best practices and address the challenges related to the transfer of technologies from the university laboratories to the marketplace. Israel, the location of this year’s conference, is known for its high quality of academic research and dynamic innovation ecosystem. The host nation was represented by the large number of attendees from local universities and technology transfer companies. China and Thailand were also represented by large delegations of technology transfer managers and researchers. Interesting discussions were focused on the analysis of best practices in establishing university-based innovation centers and incubators, improving the efficiency of faculty outreach, comparison of alternative business models for academic technology transfer, including Technology Transfer Offices vs. Technology Transfer Companies. As always, part of the AUTM Asia conference was dedicated to technology transfer career development. The conference also addressed the key international events which affect the global collaboration and technology commercialization, including US-China trade war.  The last day of the conference included very interesting pitch presentations from several Israeli venture funds and incubators, including aMoon- the largest Israeli life sciences venture fund, LabsO2, VLX and Nextar. The conference offered opportunities for networking as well as social events such as the tour of the Israel ecosystem.

2019-2020 NIH Niche Assessment Program

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For HHS SBIR/STTR Phase I Awardees

THE APPLICATION PERIOD FOR THE 2019-2020 NIH NICHE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM IS NOW CLOSED

Additional Technical Assistance information will be available prior to Fall 2020.

 

The Niche Assessment Program is designed to help small businesses jump start their commercialization efforts. All active HHS (NIH, CDC, FDA) SBIR/STTR Phase I awardees and Phase I Fast-Track awardees (by grant or contract) are eligible to apply. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis!

The Niche Assessment Program provided by Foresight Science & Technology provides awardees with market insight and data that can be used to help strategically position their technology in the marketplace, develop their commercialization plans for their Phase II application, and be exposed to potential partners.

Technology Niche Analyses® (TNA®) are provided by Foresight for two hundred (200) HHS SBIR/STTR Phase I awardees. These analyses assess potential applications for a technology and then for one viable application, it provides an assessment of the:

  1. Needs and concerns of end-users;
  2. Competing technologies and competing products;
  3. Competitive advantage of the SBIR/STTR-developed technology;
  4. Market size and potential market share (may include national and/or global markets);
  5. Barriers to market entry (may include but is not limited to pricing, competition, government regulations, manufacturing challenges, capital requirements, etc.);
  6. Market drivers;
  7. Status of market and industry trends;
  8. Potential customers, licensees, investors, or other commercialization partners; and,
  9. The price customers are likely to pay.

Each participant receives an in-depth report of Foresight’s findings. Oftentimes the small businesses can use this information in their commercialization plans which are part of their Phase II applications.

The analysis has three steps:

(1) In the first step, Foresight will gather the pertinent information needed from the SBIR/STTR awardee to identify feasible applications of the technology. Often times, several non-obvious uses are found, and such secondary applications may provide a path to market that is faster than the primary biomedical use.
(2) In the second step, Foresight will analyze the selected use of the technology to determine the end-user needs, current and emerging competing technologies, market dynamics, socio-economic trends and market drivers, and to quantify the market size and participant’s possible share. This second step determines the technology’s current competitive advantages and how to improve competitiveness.
(3) In the third step, Foresight will recommend a market entry strategy. This strategy includes how to market the technology to end-users, how to obtain outside partners, and also projects revenues for the technology. Likely lead customers, testing centers, suppliers, manufacturers, and/or other relevant organizations interested in participating in the downstream research as beta testers or concurrent engineering advisors will be identified.

 

For assistance regarding the online set-up form, please contact:
Ms. Paula Williams
Project Coordinator
Foresight Science & Technology
Telephone: (401) 273-4844, ext. 4001
Email:  Paula.Williams@foresightst.com

Specific questions about TNA’s may be directed to:
Konstantin Izvolsky, PhD.
Director of Consulting and Training
Foresight Science & Technology
Telephone: (401) 273-4844, ext. 4003
Email:  konstantin.izvolsky@foresightst.com

General questions about Niche Assessment Program may be directed to:
Robert Vinson 
Program Manager
NIH SBIR/STTR Program
Office of Extramural Programs
Phone: (301) 435-2713
Email:  sbir@od.nih.gov

PDMA Conference 2019

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On November 3-5, Foresight Science & Technology attended and participated in the Product Development and Management Association’s (PDMA) annual conference in Orlando, Florida.

Dr. Leah Speser, Foresight’s Chairwoman of the Board and Senior Advisor to the President of King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), presented the breakout session “Using NPD in Government: Developing Programs for Thailand 4.0” which informed attendees about Thailand’s efforts to develop a new economy called Thailand 4.0 and how New Product Development tools and processes are used to help in those efforts.

Foresight Analyst, Reda El Alami, also attended the conference and spoke with attendees about their product development pain points and how Foresight can help them. He also met with PDMA organizers to learn how Foresight can help the organization in their efforts to reach audiences far and wide and educate product professionals in the PDMA methodology.

Look for Foresight Science & Technology staff within the PDMA organization as we become more involved in driving growth and awareness for current and future product developers!

TEDCO Entrepreneur Expo 2019

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Foresight was a proud exhibitor at TEDCO’s Entrepreneur Expo on October 29th, 2019 at The Hotel at the University of Maryland. As a longtime consulting services provider to TEDCO, this event was an excellent opportunity for face time with current and future clients. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth to learn more about our SBIR TABA and Consulting services. Feel free to Contact Us to learn more!

Defense TechConnect & SBIR Fall Innovation Summit

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Foresight Science & Technology attended the SBIR/STTR Fall Innovation Summit co-located with Defense TechConnect in National Harbor, MD on October 9th, 2019. Foresight’s Director of Consulting, Dr. Konstantin Izvolsky, met with many companies interested in SBIR to answer questions about our Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) services. Looking for additional information on TABA? Visit: https://foresightst.com/sbir-taba/

Foresight on the 2019 SBIR Road Tour

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Foresight Science & Technology participated in two stops of this year’s SBIR Road Tour. On September 16th Foresight’s President, Norton Kaplan, sat on the panel “Top 10 Do’s and Don’ts for your SBIR/STTR Proposal” in Burlington, VT. On September 17th Foresight’s Director of Consulting and Training, Dr. Konstantin Izvolsky, spoke on the panel “Commercialization Boot Camp: Selling Your Technology” in Albany, NY.

Interested in learning more about our SBIR/STTR services? Contact Us!

Our competitive edge = Your success!

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Developers who utilize a formal product development process increase their potential for successful market entry, and better manage their R&D costs. Which is why, as of July 2019, three Foresight Science & Technology staff members have successfully obtained their New Product Development Professional (NPDP) certificate from the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA). The formal knowledge gained and officially recognized by the PDMA goes a long way to help our clients succeed in product development from concept to launch.

Let Foresight Science & Technology help you in your next product development project.

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Hammer and Silicon – The Soviet Diaspora in the U.S. Innovation Economy

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Foresight’s VP of Business Development, Daniel Satinsky, co-authored a new book. Hammer and Silicon – The Soviet Diaspora in the U.S. Innovation Economy, published by Cambridge University Press discusses the impact of immigration policy on the US tech sector. The book is based upon in-depth interviews of more than 150 professionals who emigrated from 11 of the 15 former Soviet republics between the 1970s and 2015 and who currently work in Silicon Valley and Boston/Cambridge. The book places the immigration of these skilled Russian-speaking professionals within the context of the broader movement of the “best and brightest” from around the world to the US over the past 50 years.

For more information or to purchase the book, visit: https://www.amazon.com/Hammer-Silicon-Innovation-Immigration-Institutions/dp/1316641260.

Foresight Session at America’s SBDC Conference

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Foresight Science & Technology is excited to announce that we will be presenting at America’s SBDC Conference in Long Beach, CA held on September 3-6, 2019. Foresight’s Director of Consulting and Training, Dr. Konstantin Izvolsky, will be conducting the session “Understanding SBIR/STTR Programs and Writing a Winning SBIR/STTR Commercialization Plan” on September 4th from 1:45 – 3:15 PM in hall 103A. If you will be in attendance be sure to attend this session for information on the SBIR/STTR Programs and an insider’s look at preparing winning Commercialization Plans!

If you would like to schedule a one-on-one meeting with Dr. Izvolsky while at the conference, please email: kelli.cardoso@foresightst.com