ENTREPRENEUR'S ACCESS PROGRAM
Proposal Information
300 Fluke Hall Box 352140 Seattle, WA 98195-2140 Phone: (206) 685-1920 Fax: (206) 543-3059 http://www.watechcenter.org/
Project Contact
Project Manager Russell Paez rpaez@watechcenter.org (206) 616-3102
Recent changes to EA Program
1. WTC will consider funding research conducted by nonprofit research institutions and private universities in Washington State. 2. A $250 application fee (payable to Washington Technology Center) is required no later than at the time of proposal submission. Eligible research institutions WTC funds projects conducted by nonprofit research institutions and universities in Washington State. WTC must reach agreement with the university or nonprofit research institutions about issues including indirect costs and licensing and management of intellectual property before proposal submission if you would like to work with a university or nonprofit not listed as a previous WTC grantee. Eligible research partners must have a formalized internal process for ensuring compliance with federal requirements for treatment of animals and human subjects in research, an accounting system that tracks time and effort, and a process for handling conflict of interest.* Previous grantees are: Central Washington University Eastern Washington University Gonzaga University Heritage University Swedish Medical Center Washington State University Western Washington University University of Washington.
* Public Health Service Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals by Recipient Institutions, June 1985 and its subsequent amendment in 1986, http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/phspol.htm. Code of Federal Regulations Title 45, Part 46 Protection of Human Subjects, http://ohrp.osophs.dhhs.gov/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.htm
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Overview The Washington Technology Center (WTC) focuses state, private and federal resources for the development and commercialization of new products and technologies. WTC provides support each year to research projects partnered between university or nonprofit research institution researchers and companies. The WTC offers two programs for project funding, as summarized in the chart on next page. Projects that are funded by WTC will show clear potential for economic impact, a well defined research plan, and a company commitment to commercialization. Proposals to WTC must be submitted by a principal investigator, who is a faculty member at any of the state's research universities or eligible non-profit research institutions, in partnership with a Washington-based company. The company partner must have research, engineering, or manufacturing facilities within the state. Additional companies and other institutions may also be team members. Technical Topics & Areas of Interest – WTC will accept proposals for research projects in any technical area or industry if it complies with WTC’s requirements. Clinical Trials – WTC goes not generally fund clinical trials, but will consider a project with a small (e.g. <30%) trial component if the trial is needed to prove commercialization. Consulting – WTC does not generally fund consulting or R&D companies because typically they don’t commercialize a project or create jobs. WTC funding is awarded solely to the university or non-profit research institution team, for projects addressing a specific company's needs. All WTC projects should utilize unique university or non-profit research institution capabilities that are not commercially available. Contact with WTC early in the process of deciding to and developing a proposal increases a prospective project’s chances of receiving funding.
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Entrepreneur's Access (EA)
Research and Technology Development (RTD) Phase I
Research and Development (RTD) Phase II and Phase III
Maximum Award
$5,000
$100,000
$100,000 / year
Company size (employees) Application Fee Application Deadline
15
any *
any *
$250
$250
$250
Open
Mid-April & Mid-October
Mid-April & Mid-October 20%: 10 or fewer 35%: 11–100 50%: 101–250 100%: 251+ (based on # of employees) 1 year 10
Company Cash Matching
Not Required
Minimum 20% of WTC funds requested
Typical Duration Approximate awards / year
1–6 months 4
9 Months 15
* WTC prefers to work with small companies (250 employees or fewer); however, any size company may apply.
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Enrepreneur’s access (EA) Projects Funding Range: $5,000 maximum. Application Fee: $250, payable to the Washington Technology Center, and delivered to WTC with the proposal. Cash Match: None required. In-Kind Match: Should reflect the value of the company’s time and interest in the project. Eligible Company Size: 15 employees or fewer. Typical Project Duration: 1-6 months. Proposals: EA proposals can be sent to WTC at any time; there is no fixed deadline. Instructions for preparing and submitting an EA proposal are on pages 6-7. Eligible Projects: EA projects focus on a limited type of technical need. Specifically, the EA program is designed to fulfill needs for testing, characterization, evaluation, or analysis, in support of a company's product development. EA projects might, for example, produce test data for meeting regulatory requirements, perform physical tests, or conduct a chemical analysis. Partners: Companies interested in applying for EA funds must have a qualified university faculty partner or non-profit institution partner who will perform or oversee the technical work. WTC staff can help companies locate an appropriate Washington state research expert. Evaluation: EA proposals are reviewed by the WTC staff and selected advisory committee members under a nondisclosure agreement. The review process may require 2-4 weeks to complete. Proposals will be evaluated on commercial potential, technical merit, and the need for unique university or non-profit research institution capabilities. Commercial potential includes business factors that will support the company’s growth, success, and ability to create technology jobs in Washington. This includes assessment of the management team, market opportunity, competition, and sales & distribution channels. Technical merit includes an assessment of the clarity and completeness of the technical plan, the technical challenge involved in the project and the expertise of the project team. Intellectual Property: A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), available on WTC’s website, must be signed to allow funding to be released. http://www.watechcenter.org/rts/ea.ht ml Final Report: The results of the project will be summarized by the research institution’s project manager in a final report to the company, with a copy to WTC within 30 days of completion of the project.
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Entrepreneur's Access Proposal Preparation Instructions • EA proposals should be jointly developed by the project partners. • Proposals are usually 4-6 pages total, and should cover each of the following areas, in order. A sample proposal follows, as an illustration of the format and content of a typical proposal. • Examples of how to complete forms for the project schedule, budget, and company commitment letter are included in the sample proposal. Proposal Cover Page • Include the project title, a onesentence description of the project, the date submitted to WTC, and contact information for the university faculty member and for the company. Company Background • Briefly summarize the company: profile and history, products, target markets or customers, business strategy including financial model, and the technical need. Market Opportunity and Technology Challenge • Describe the product, process, or service that this project will address. • Describe the market opportunity, including the size of the total market, competition, and an estimate of the company's current and potential (post-project) marketshare. • Describe the technical need that the project will address, the need for university expertise, and how the solution will benefit the company's business opportunities.
Project Description & Schedule • Provide a one- or two-sentence description of the project's technical objectives. • Describe each specific task needed to complete the project, and by whom and when it will be completed. Also, list any preliminary work that has led up to the project. Commercial Impact • Show how solving the technical problem will impact the company, e.g., increase sales revenue, marketshare, increase number of employees, or provide other benefits. • Explain how the company plans to implement the project’s results. Key Personnel • List all personnel who will be involved in the project, from both the university or non-profit research institution and the company. • Describe the technical and management backgrounds and qualifications of participants. Team Technical Interaction • Frequent interaction, even in short projects, has proven to be a key factor in quality and usefulness of the project results to the company. Consequently, WTC encourages teams to talk frequently and design into the schedule frequent meetings. Briefly discuss how team members will interact to achieve the project objectives.
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Budget • Show how requested WTC funds will be used during the project. • Only WTC allowable costs should be included in the budget request. These include university or non-profit research institution personnel, equipment permanent to the university, travel directly related to the project, and other direct costs such as services, materials, supplies, etc. Company Commitment Letter and In-Kind Support Form • All proposals should include a letter from the company partner, representing company commitment to the project. A separate In-Kind Support form should show the level of inkind and other support to be provided. (See sample proposal.)
Entrepreneur's Access Proposal Submittal Instructions • EA proposals should be submitted to the WTC by the university or nonprofit research institution researcher. Proposals must be approved by both company and the appropriate university or nonprofit research institution grant/contract office (e.g., Grant and Contract Services at UW, or Office of Grant and Research Development at WSU).
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*** SAMPLE ENTREPRENEUR’S ACCESS PROPOSAL ***
Project Title: Test of Reflectivity of Crosswalk Safety System
Description: Modify standard retroreflection testing methods to measure a wider area of reflectance to assist in the marketing of a new crosswalk illumination system to municipalities. August 12, 2004
Dr. Suzanne Hurst Washington State University Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering Pullman, WA 99164-0000 Phone: (509) 555-5555 Fax: (509) 555-5556 hurst@wsu.edu
Richard Whitman Safe Street Products, Inc. 3611 NE 112th Avenue, Spokane WA 98662 Phone: (509) 777-7777 Fax: (509) 777-7776 www.sspi.com whitman@sspi.com WTC Funds Requested: $4,850 Company In-Kind Commitment: $2,850 8
Executive Summary
Safe Street Products, Inc. and Dr. Suzanne Hurst request an Entrepreneur‟s Access grant to test the reflectivity of a crosswalk illumination system. The system increases driver awareness of crosswalks and people in them. 6,000 pedestrians are killed every year. 90,000 pedestrians are injured every year. Pedestrian injuries and fatalities result in $20 billion in societal costs.
Although unacceptable, these statistics from the Federal Highway Administration do not encompass the entire impact of traffic safety on the community. Quality of life issues, such as a parent‟s willingness to allow a child to walk to a nearby park, or a disabled person‟s level of comfort in crossing streets, are becoming increasingly important to communities. This issue affects everyone; 58% of the pedestrian fatalities are working adults. As urban areas in the US continue to grow and roads fill to capacity, urban planners, citizens, and legislators are looking for ways to make streets safer. One strategy is to encourage and support use of bicycles and walking. Safe Street Products, Inc. is developing a crosswalk illumination system that provides an additional visual indication when a person is in or entering a crosswalk. Reflectors and reflective surfaces increase visibility and allow drivers time to stop while they are far enough away to brake safely. Dr. Hurst‟s expertise in optics and retroreflection is sought to assist the company in modifying the standard retroreflection tests to an alternate reflection angle. These data will be used to pass the federal and state departments of transportations‟ new product testing requirements.
Company and Commercialization Information
Safe Street Products, Inc., founded in 1998 by Richard Whitman, is developing reflective products for increased visibility and safety for pedestrians and bicycles on city streets. The company‟s first product is the Crosswalk Illuminator, a pedestrian activated system which turns on a light source and reflects the light toward oncoming traffic to indicate a pedestrian is in the crosswalk. The lights are installed using the same equipment that is used to install raised pavement markers with standard bituminous adhesives. In addition there is a small RF proximity switch which fits on the most common types of electrical poles. The transmitter circuit can be used stand-alone or wired in parallel to existing crosswalk buttons. There are approximately 550,000,000 crosswalks in major metropolitan areas in the US. Most major cities are interested in increasing the safety of crosswalks in the core downtown area and in neighborhoods. A study sponsored by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) has shown that pedestrians walking along a road in dark clothing at night are first seen approximately 55 feet away giving the driver less than one second reaction time. A driver traveling at 30 MPH needs approximately 200 feet to stop. Even wearing white clothes, which increases visibility to approximately 180
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feet, is not enough visibility for a driver to safely stop in time. Reflectors increase the visibility to 500 feet. The initial target market cities, those with budgets for traffic safety programs that specifically address pedestrian safety, are Portland, Seattle, Washington DC, Minneapolis, and New York City. Cities use a hazard index which rates intersections and crosswalks for safety. For instance, the City of Seattle has identified 2,000 crosswalks with a hazard index of 5 (most dangerous) and 3,000 with a hazard index of 4. Ten crosswalk markers are recommended for a typical 25 foot wide street. Ten crosswalk markers and one transmitter will sell for approximately $150. As a point of reference, raised pavement markers sell for approximately $2.00 each. The estimated annual market is $10 million in five years. Safe Street Products is estimating a first year revenue of $500,000 and a second year revenue of $1 million based on the indications from the target cities. Safe Street Products expects to hire two marketing and sales people in the first year, and ramp up to a total employment of up to 10 by the end of the second year of sales. The company‟s sales strategy is to sell directly to highway, road and transportation departments in the targeted metropolitan areas and to also have our products available through distributors. The Crosswalk Illuminator has been designed to exceed ASTM-D4280, which is used by USDOT for new products evaluation for raised pavement markers and adhesives. There is no comparable product or test for the crosswalk illumination system. Local governments typically adopt the federal or state guidelines. Raised pavement markers are designed to reflect light back toward the source of the light (retroreflective). The Crosswalk Illuminator is designed to reflect light from a mirror beneath the reflective surface in the crosswalk reflector toward the oncoming driver. The ability of the Crosswalk Illuminator to reflect light from the light source at the appropriate angle out to the driver is a key to passing the federal and state departments of transportation tests. A wider angle of reflectance is necessary for the crosswalk reflectors, since a driver should see the reflection as he begins a turn into a crosswalk as well as when driving straight toward it. Safe Street Products has developed a prototype system and needs the assistance of Dr. Hurst in establishing the test methodology for determining reflection characteristics.
Project Description
The project will consist of a modification of ASTM D4280-96 section 9.2 and ASTM E809 tests for measurement of the coefficient of luminous intensity and photometric characteristics of retroreflectors. A test apparatus already in place in Dr. Hurst‟s lab will be modified to measure the other illumination and observation angles. Figure 1 shows the standard test geometry for retroreflection. This system will be modified to examine angles that are relevant to the Crosswalk Illuminator.
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illumination distance = 1.5 cm
= 110
The test will measure reflection based on the amount of reflected illuminance at the observation to the incident illuminance measured perpendicular to the illumination axis at the reflector. From these measurements, along with the geometry of the test, the coefficient of luminous intensity, „retroreflected‟ luminance, and „retroreflection‟ can be determined.
Scope of Work
1. Set up the test apparatus 2. Record measurements for observation angles 0, +30/-30, and +60/-60 3. Calculate the coefficients of luminous intensity, „retroreflected‟ luminance, and „retroreflection‟ using the following formulae: Coefficient of Luminous Intensity RI = m1 d2/m2 Coefficient of „Retroreflected‟ Luminance RL = m1d2/m2A cos v Coefficient of „Retroreflection‟ RA = m1 d2/m2A where: d A v m1 m2 = = = = = observation distance, in meters area of test specimen in square meters viewing angle meter reading (minus stray light) used to mesure reflected illuminance at observation position, relative units, and meter reading used to measure normal illuminance, relative units
4. Write final report Safe Street Products will provide 10 samples of the crosswalk markers to Dr. Hurst and participate in the modification of the test fixture and the testing of the samples. 11
Milestone Chart
Project Tasks 1. Set up test apparatus 2. Record measurements for observation angles 3. Calculate coefficients 4. Write final report Who Hurst, Green & Whitman Green Green Hurst & Green 1 Months 2 3
Key Personnel
Richard Whitman, President, Safe Street Products, Inc. Mr. Whitman will be the key company contact. Mr. Whitman received his B.S. in civil engineering from the University of Washington in 1985. Mr. Whitman was the consulting engineer at Big Cheeses Engineering firm for 8 years before founding Safe Street Products. Suzanne Hurst, Assistant Professor, WSU Dr. Hurst received her Ph.D. in Physics from the University of California, San Diego, in 1996 and joined WSU in August, 1996. Her dissertation work, supported by the Department of Naval Research, was on the design of retroreflectors coated to reflect infrared wavelengths. Katherine Green, Research Assistant, WSU Ms. Green will set-up the test fixture and perform laboratory tests. She is in her senior year as an undergraduate in electrical engineering at WSU.
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I. Project Budget Request
Salaries: Katherine Green, Research Assistant 2.5 months @ $10.00/hour, 20hrs/week Suzanne Hurst: 0.5 month summer Benefits Services: Phone, postage, copies, etc. Equipment: TOTAL AMOUNT REQUESTED: Amount $ 2,000 $ 2,000 $ 750
$ 100 $ 4,850
II. Company In-Kind Commitments
A. Company Personnel Costs Associated with the Project Name Richard Whitman Subtotal Direct Labor & Benefits Commitments B. Other In-Kind Project Commitments Overhead Services Performed by Company Equipment Donation: test reflectors Equipment Loan or Rental Travel (several trips to Pullman) Other expenses (describe) Subtotal Other Project In-Kind Commitments C. Grand Total Company In-Kind Commitments $1,450 $2,850 $150 $ 1,000 $300 $1,400 Title President Hours 40 Dollars $ 1,400
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(This is a sample commitment letter.)
Safe Street Products, Inc.
August 12, 2004
Dr. R. Lee Cheatham Executive Director Washington Technology Center Box 352140 Seattle, WA 98195-2140 Dear Dr. Cheatham, This letter represents a commitment by Safe Street Products, Inc. to provide $2,850 in-kind support for an Entrepreneur‟s Access project entitled “Test of Reflectivity of Crosswalk Safety System”. This project is the result of a joint discussion and understanding between Dr. Suzanne Hurst, Washington State University and Safe Street Products, Inc. We are committed to the project time frame specified in the proposal. Safe Street Products has three full-time equivalent employees in Washington State. As President of Safe Streets Products, I will serve as the company‟s primary contact person. Safe Street Products has received a sample copy of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and understands that it must be signed in order for awarded funds to be released. Sincerely,
Richard Whitman President
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