Tech Showcase Full Details

Click here to review the list of awards scheduled for inclusion in the Showcase. At this year’s event, each grantee is required to hang their poster by 12:00 pm on Monday, June 1 and leave it hanging until the end of the conference on Wednesday, June 3. NSF has invited a number of technology scouts from industry and potential investors/strategic partners to attend the Phase II Conference this year to learn more about our active Phase II portfolio companies. These attendees will be encouraged to visit the exhibit hall and tour the posters throughout the afternoon on Monday while our grantees are attending sessions. Industry/investor participants may request one-on-one meetings with select grantees. Our contractor will schedule any meeting requests and you will be contacted directly if an industry/investor has indicated an interest in speaking with you. Although presenting a poster is a requirement, you are encouraged to bring a prototype or demonstration to display during the Showcases. Being able to showcase your prototype will depend on the constraints of the space available and other environmental, health and safety considerations. Complimentary WiFi and electrical power will be available throughout the exhibit hall. One power strip will be shared between 4 posters, if your demonstration requires more than one outlet drawing an unusual amount of power, please contact [email protected] to inquire about renting additional power service to your poster board. Space Available for Your Poster & Demonstration/Prototype The provided poster board for the Technology Showcase at this year’s event is a vertical metal frame with a foam core insert, on which posters can be hung using double-sided tape or thumb tacks. The exact dimensions of the vertical boards (inside the metal frame) are 37 ½ in x 86 ¼ in. The bottom 1/3 of the poster board will be obscured by the table provided in front for your materials or prototype. Thus, we recommend that your poster be sized not to exceed 36 in. wide and 54 in. tall. A picture of a sample board with the provided 42 inch high, 36 inches across and 24 inches deep draped table in front is shown here. There will only be 2 ft. of space on either side between the assigned Showcase spots, so please be sure your demonstration or equipment does not exceed the allotted table space in front of your poster board. Confidential and Proprietary Information: The Technology Showcase is an open session attended by the general public. Information presented during the Technology Showcase is considered public disclosure. We caution you against disclosing proprietary information on the posters or by showing a prototype prior to filing the necessary patent applications. Please note: Grantees must bring or ship their poster and prototype to the conference hotel directly. Grantees are responsible for all costs and liability associated with shipping and receiving posters and equipment. Hotel shipping information is below.

Content & Format of the Poster

Posters should follow the format and content guidelines described below. Header: Phase II Award Number Project Title Company Name Lineage: If the original technology originated at a university AND was funded by NSF, please indicate that clearly. Section #1: Commercial and Societal Impact (describe the market opportunity and societal need you are addressing, the intended application(s) and your target customer). Section #2: Your Product and Value Proposition. Section #3: Describe the competitive advantages of your technology compared to existing technologies, products or the status quo. Section #4: The Company and Team (including technical team, business team, board and advisory board). We encourage you to take creative license in presenting the information recommended above in a way that best showcases your NSF-funded project and company. The poster should give a lay-person a clear understanding of your company and the market opportunity that you are targeting. Each section should not take more than 60 seconds for an observer to digest, meaning no more than two short paragraphs or perhaps no more than 5 short bullet points. We encourage you to include relevant images and graphics to better convey what your product and market opportunity, without distracting from the key message. The lineage section should tell the story of how the company came into being and your vision. In summary, the poster should represent a slightly lengthened “elevator pitch” reflecting the key aspects of the Phase II NSF SBIR/STTR award. Shipping Information to Hotel The Atlanta Marriott Marquis requires that all guests shipping packages to the hotel use their in-house FedEx office. If you choose to ship your poster and/or any equipment to the hotel, note that a handling fee ($5-15) will be charged to your guest room. Packages shipped to the hotel can only be retrieved by the individual guest from the FedEx office during their open hours. Therefore, we recommend that you carry your poster and poster tube with you on your flight to avoid the new hotel shipping fees. If you do elect to ship anything to the hotel, plan to send at least five (5) days prior to the conference, label as follows: 2015 NSF SBIR/STTR Phase II Conference Hold for: Guest Name /Arrival Date 265 Peachtree Center Avenue Atlanta, GA 30303 Cell Phone Number