1. COMMUNICATING
INNOVATION
MIT XPrize Workshop: Energy Innovation Challenges In
the Developing World
7 November 2011
G. Nagesh Rao
2. GNR’S PROFESSIONAL
BACKGROUND
Starbucks “Coffee Jockey” (’01-’03)
RPI Office of Technology
Commercialization (’02-’04)
Mirzayan S&T Fellow at The National
Academies (‘04)
US Department of Commerce-
USPTO/CLDP/EDA (’04-’11)
Startup America
NACIE
i6 Green Challenge
Professional Science Humanitarian IP Program
PT-Student
OnGreen- Director of Biz-Dev &
Govt Policy (’11)
Law Business Publicbeat- Board of Advisors (‘11)
3. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S
PERSPECTIVE
High Tech Growth Entrepreneurship
Priority of the Obama Administration
Public/Private Models (Policy Push)
Startup America (PR Umbrella Federal Interagency Push)
Prize Incentivization Mechanism (Programmatic
Endeavors)
Challenge.gov
i6 Grant Program
ERIC
Jobs & Accelerator Program
DOE National University Clean Energy Business Plan
Competition
Humanitarian IP
4. USG’s Interest in Prizes
Validated policy mechanism
Tool in the “toolkit”- Seeds to enable
innovative-creative clusters across the US
Safe low cost bets
(McKinsey Report “And the Winner Is…”: Capturing the Promise of Philanthropic Prizes-2009)
6. THE CHALLENGE
Federal Agencies balance of priorities
White House Policy
Congressional Mandated statutory authorities
Appropriate key stakeholders?
Communication in a level-handed manner
FFO (comprehensive yet pithy)
Webinars
FAQs
Ensuring long-term continuity
Avoiding political pitfalls and spats
7. THE FRAMEWORK
What is the problem?
Why are you seeking a solution?
Who is the targeted audience and beneficiary?
How do you plan to implement this challenge?
What obstacles should you keep in mind?
What is the end goal?
11. i6 and i6 Green
Apply the framework
Next set of slides showcase
an example of USG’s format
and style of communicating
this innovative endeavor
12. Office of Innovation and
Entrepreneurship
i6 Green Challenge Webinar
March 21, 2011
13. THE PRESIDENT
“…unleashing innovation is an essential component
of a comprehensive economic strategy.”
-President Barack Obama
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14. THE PARTNERS
A new $12M Innovation Competition
The i6 Green is designed to promote collaboration by requiring team
formation around existing regional infrastructure, technologies and human
capital, while allowing the creation of new support networks that showcase the
region’s competitive advantages. Proposals should:
• Incorporate ideas that address the varying needs of local regions
• Outline plans that can be fully implemented within a 2-year
timeframe
• Be project-ready and fully leverage regional competitive advantages
• Demonstrate widespread commitment from impacted communities
• Have a significant, positive economic impact on their region
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15. THE PARTNERS
i6 Green Challenge
• Economic Development Administration will lead the effort by awarding
up to $1 million to each 6 six regional teams with the most innovative
ideas to drive green technology commercialization and entrepreneurship
• Department of Energy: Up to $2 million for energy related investments
• Environment Protection Agency: Up to $700k to support technology
focusing on public health and environmental protection
• National Science Foundation: Conduct external peer review of proposals
from each EDA region, with winners eligible for additional NSF funds
• U.S. Department of Agriculture: Up to $600k in funding technological
research activities to foster green and sustainable technologies 15
16. THE CHALLENGE
About the Challenge
• EDA is funding through Global Climate Change Mitigation
Incentive Fund
• Created to reward the most innovative ideas that drive green
technology commercialization and entrepreneurship
• Broad participation encouraged by different stakeholders
including universities, entrepreneurs, Small Business Innovation
Research grantees, private development organizations, for-profit
organizations, state and local governments, etc
• Awards made in each of the six EDA regional offices: Atlanta,
Austin, Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia, Seattle
• Awards will be made on merit, feasibility and impact
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17. PROOF OF CONCEPT CENTERS
Proof of Concept Centers
Bridging the Innovation Gap
Commercial
Research
Enterprise/
Industry Catalysts Marketplace
Idea exchange Public Outreach
Seed Funding Mentoring Educational
Programs
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18. WHO CAN APPLY?
Applicants Project Partners
Any individual or entity*
Universities
(Including for-profits) committing
Entrepreneurs resources including: Financial
Capital; Human Capital;
Private Infrastructure; etc.
Organizations
SBIR Grantees
Project partnerships will be valued
as a significant part of the overall
value of the application.
Economic Other
Development Organizations
Organizations *EDA is not authorized to provide grants
directly to individuals or for-profit entities.
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19. INNOVATION AREAS
Eligible Projects
• Renewable Energy: projects that support the development, production, or use
of energy derived from renewable resources
• Energy Efficiency: projects that support a large-scale reduction in energy
production or consumption
• Manufacturing: projects that support process innovations that utilize green
technology and improve efficiency while reducing pollution
• Reuse/Recycling: projects that support the reuse of given products, or
produce a new or innovative product from recyclable materials
• Green Building: projects that facilitate technological advances, processes, and
materials that minimize environmental and public health impacts of buildings
over their lifecycles
• Restoration: projects that support ecosystem restoration and other activities
that protect and revitalize natural and cultural systems
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20. CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS
EDA’s i6 Green projects will be evaluated on:
• Personnel Qualifications and Resources: Qualified personnel; Education
and accomplishment; Previous performance; Quality of partners;
Appropriateness of facilities; Access to VC/Angel investors
• Impact: Wide regional quantifiable benefits; Enhance infrastructure;
Replicability
• Long-term: Financial resources to sustain; Self-sustaining
• Feasibility: Coherent plan; Sound strategy; Adequate financial resources;
Multi-stakeholder commitment; Strong human capital
• Concepts: ID Problems/needs; Creative & new models; Understanding
regional challenges; Develop a roadmap; Utilize Proof of Concept Center
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21. REVIEW PROCESS
1) Regional Review 2) Interagency Review Panel
• Initial screening for •Panel of Federal employees from
completeness and eligibility partner agencies
• Initial Merit review •Judging on evaluation criteria listed in
• Identify 10 apps per region FFO
•Identify top 5 applications per region
3) Merit Review by NSF Peer
•NSF external peer review panel 4) Joint Selection Committee Review
•Judging on evaluation criteria •Seniorofficials from DOC, EPA, USDA
listed in FFO DOE and NSF
•Summary and recs to Selection •Review apps & prior recs
Committee •Make recs to Selecting Official
Selecting Official: Regional Director EDA i6 Challenge Winners
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22. REQUIREMENTS & ADDENDA
1) All Applications Must Submit a Letter of Intent
Due May 02, 2011 to i6@eda.doc.gov
Such a letter is NOT binding, but IS required, and must contain:
• Applicant’s names & affiliations
• How funding will be used
• Potential team members and/or partners.
• Description of budget and scope of work
• Outline of plan for increasing commercialization
• Description of current funding through EDA, EPA,
DOE, USDA/NIFA, and NSF (applicants and co-applicants)
2) Final Application Deadline:
May 26, 2011
3) Complete Package downloadable at: www.grants.gov
(Funding Opportunity Number: I6GREENEDA031011)
4) Electronic Submission @ Grants.gov only
Also See section IV. C. of the FFO
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23. CONTACTS
EDA Contacts
Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Applicants)
Nagesh Rao || nrao@eda.doc.gov || 202.482.1737
Alexander Nicholas|| anicholas@eda.doc.gov || 202.482.6252
Office of Public Affairs (Press)
Lindsey Pangretic|| lpangretic@eda.doc.gov || 202.482.2477
Office of External Affairs (State/Local Governments)
Ian Martinez|| imartinez@eda.doc.gov || 202.482.3845
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24. CONCLUSION
Focus…focus…focus…define your “end goal”
Address all issues
Know your audience
No question is dumb
Keep it pithy
Embrace controversy but stay above nonsensical fray
Never give up
What is the problem: Dearth of truly innovative Clean Energy Business Models Why are you seeking a solution: Help seed innovative and creative solutions towards developing sustainable global energy resources Who is the targeted audience: Students Who is the beneficiary: America and the world How do you plan to implement: Issue an FFO and let the universities compete by putting the best ideas out there What obstacles should you keep in mind: Balancing act between students, faculty, government, and industry interests End Goal: University Lab to Marketplace Commercialization End Goal: Getting students off the benches and into the startup game
Study this program’s purpose and map out the framework and it’s applicable answers. www.launch.org
Grant program to be launched by the USPTO soon New, innovative, and unchartered territory Premised on rewarding inventors and organizations that utilize their patented technology towards humanitarian causes What is the problem: Lack of accessibility for IP to be readily utilized in the developing world Why are you seeking a solution: Help the developing world get access to groundbreaking IP protected technologies in an affordable manner Who is the targeted audience: Inventors and MNCs Who is the beneficiary: Developing world How do you plan to implement: Issue an FFO and let people and orgs submit their stories via a simple and short essay describing how your IP protected technology is being utilized to help the developing world. What obstacles should you keep in mind: 1) Strong pushback and institutional barriers from the Old Guard and 2) Facilitating goal alignment between various parties (Industry and NGO’s) End Goal: Encouraging the accessibility of high end technologies into the developing world in a reasonable manner
Grant challenge from EDA (Started in ’10) i6 $12M (EDA, NSF, & NIH) i6 Green $12M (EDA, NSF, DOE, EPA, USDA, USPTO, & NIST) TNR affined it as USG’s version of the XPrize Public-Private Model Cost-sharing EDA mandate on Prime-Applicant being a Non-profit “ Pin a Rose on your Nose” exclusivity
i6 Green is designed to accelerate commercialization through the use of proof of Concept centers Remove “the” in front of i6 Green to be consistent. Either i6 Green or i6 green challenge to be consistent
We need to include the NIST and PTO in-kind services. NSF is putting up 3 million must be included Remove 6 before six
Awards will be made on concept, feasibility, impact, personnel and resources, long-term growth plan
Basic research inventions. Innovation is after the product is in the marketplace. Lets go with just research
