The deadline for submitting pre-applications to the U.S. Department of Energy's Inventions & Innovation (I&I) grant program is October 11, 2005. Depending on a technology's stage of development, applicants may elect to apply for either an early-stage Category I award of up to $50,000 or a later-stage Category II award of up to $250,000. Pre-applications of no more than 10 pages must address specific criteria, including the technology's innovation, energy savings/generation potential, and commercial potential. Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide matching funds. Only those pre-applicants whose technologies are judged to have the greatest chance of success will be invited to submit full proposals.

When people talk about "market research," they generally mean the gathering and presenting of factual information about the market. A "market assessment" takes this process a step further by incorporating an analysis of the information on which to then draw conclusions and make recommendations for how to proceed.

While some may argue otherwise, there are really just two major types of research — secondary and primary — and a good assessment will use both. Secondary research relies on data and information that has already been compiled or presented by others. As such, secondary research typically involves exploring a broad array of literature resources. Generally, secondary research requires more time than money, but much of the most useful market data and analysis must be purchased from fee-based resources.

In contrast, primary research involves gathering new data. The most typical examples of primary research include original surveys, focus groups, or expert interviews.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a Funding Opportunity Notice for FY 2006 for its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs. Small businesses with strong research capabilities in science or engineering in any of the research areas sought are encouraged to apply. Phase I grants resulting from this competition will be made during fiscal year 2006 to small businesses, in amounts up to $100,000. The duration of Phase I will be nine months. Phase I is to evaluate, insofar as possible, the scientific or technical merit and feasibility of ideas that appear to have commercial potential. The grant application should concentrate on research that will contribute to proving the scientific and technical feasibility of the approach or concept. Success in DOE Phase I is a prerequisite to further DOE support in Phase II. Applications are due December 2, 2005.

DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) has launched a new Web site that lists opportunities for financial assistance. The site lists current and past solicitations from EERE and provides specific funding information for business, industry, and universities, as well as consumers, federal energy managers, inventors, states, and tribes. In fiscal year 2004 alone, EERE awarded approximately $506 million in financial assistance.

Sponsored by the Investors' Circle, this event will be held in Boston, Massachusetts, from November 1-3, 2005. It will gather angel investors, professional venture capitalists, philanthropic investors, and entrepreneurs who are using private capital to promote the transition to a sustainable future. It includes a national venture fair and speakers and workshops on double bottom line investing and enterprise creation.

At this conference in Albany, New York, from November 14-17, new and aspiring small businesses can learn about the SBIR/STTR Program, how to apply for funding and what it takes to win some of the more than two billion dollars in federal government R&D investments. The program funds high-risk projects at the earliest stages of technology development - before companies can attract venture capital - and works with companies through the development phase and on into the actual technology commercialization.