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The South Dakota Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program office is partnering with innovative companies in South Dakota to provide Graduate Fellowships to MBA and Finance students.
Objective: To grow innovation management and technology commercialization capabilities of small technology businesses in South Dakota and the next generation of technology entrepreneurs through training and experiential learning.
SBIR/Innovation Fellowship: One-year (50%-time) remote employment contract with sponsoring small business. The contract would provide a stipend of $16,000, plus $2,000 tuition assistance.
Responsibilities: Selected SBIR/Innovation Fellows will work closely with senior staff at the employing small business and the South Dakota SBIR program director to assist development and implementation of commercialization strategies addressing; product and service usage, market and client research, competitive landscape, financial analysis required to commercialize products and services (capital fund allocation and cost / benefit reports), identify commercialization pathways and strategic partners, and support the creation of commercialization sections of SBIR funding proposals.
Program: A program of study has been created to prepare and aid SBIR/Innovation Fellows to work with their employing small business by exposing them to the SBIR program, product development models, the intellectual property environment, marketing and strategic planning, networking, and budgeting and finance development. Activities include:
- 3-day Innovation Commercialization Boot Camp, including an SBIR Proposal Writing Workshop.
- A series of five NCET2 SBIR webinars, “Understanding SBIRs for Researchers & Entrepreneurs” (No cost to student).
- Access to small business service providers to acquire knowledge and skills associated with commercializing their company’s technology.
Process: MBA and Finance graduate students interested in becoming SBIR/Innovation Fellows should review job descriptions from participating small businesses listed below and email a cover letter and resume to the listed point-of-contact for the small business. Participating small businesses will review submitted materials and arrange to interview SBIR/Innovation Fellow candidates. Participating small businesses will select a candidate and initiate an employment contract.
Participating Companies:
- Secure Banking Solutions, LLC
- Vision Video Interactive, LLC
- Dakota Power, LLC
- South Dakota Innovation Partners, LLC
Program Coordination: Dr. Gary Archamboult, South Dakota SBIR program director will organize the boot camp, provide one-on-one assistance specific to the SBIR/Innovation Fellows employer and conduct monthly cohort meeting to discuss projects and mange problems.
If you have questions related to this opportunity, please contact gary.archamboult@usd.edu or call the SBDC Sioux Falls Regional Office at 605-367-5757 and ask for Gary.