Glossary

i2E – A 501(c) (3) private not-for-profit Oklahoma corporation that operates under contract with OCAST to administer the Oklahoma Seed Capital Fund, Oklahoma Technology Commercialization Center and the Technology Business Finance Program.

Inventors Assistance Service – helps Oklahoma inventors navigate the invention process from idea to the marketplace through education, information and referrals.

Nanotechnology – Technology development at the molecular range (1 nm to 100 nm) to create and use structures, devices, and systems that have novel properties because of their small size.

Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance – Helps small and medium-sized manufacturers modernize in order to compete successfully. Assistance is provided through a network of manufacturing extension agents.

Oklahoma Applied Research Support (OARS) Program – Funds one to three year research and development projects with significant potential for commercialization.

Oklahoma Health Research (Health) Program – Awards seed funds for one to three year research projects related to human health.

Oklahoma Nanotechnology Applications Project (ONAP) – Assists qualified Oklahoma companies with the process of applying nanotechnology through development and manufacturing to improve current products or processes or create new, cutting-edge products or processes.

Oklahoma Plant Sciences Research (OPSR) – Supports basic and applied research in the field of plant sciences by allocating resources according to merit, promoting collaborations and leveraging federal and private resources.

Oklahoma Seed Capital Fund (OSCF) – Has been crafted to be an economic development tool with a goal of making equity investment in early stage companies that are engaged in the commercialization of promising new technologies in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Technology Commercialization Center (OTCC) – Assists start-up advanced technology-related companies by providing business development services such as feasibility studies, marketing plans, business plans, and access to early stage risk capital.

Peer Review – The nationally recognized process OCAST uses to review all research proposals before approval for funding. Out-of state experts who are highly respected in their fields are brought to Oklahoma to evaluate and rank the proposals according to their scientific merit and commercial potential. Using out-of-state scientists and researchers helps OCAST ensure the selection process is objective and merit-based.

Plant Science Research – Means those research activities occurring at institutions of higher education, nonprofit research institutions and in private enterprises, which have potential commercial application and concern plant productivity, renewable biomass, plant-based environmental applications and chemical platforms, plant-based solutions to improve nutrition, human and/or animal health or performance, process applications, and seed management and the development of new products and services that shall form the basis of new, high-technology plant science/agriculture industry.

Principal Investigator (PI) – The researcher who “leads” the research or development project. He or she prepares the application and is responsible for the execution of the project.

Intern Partnerships Program – Supports student and faculty research internships between local industries and two and four year colleges and universities.

Seed Capital – Financing that is provided for the development, refinement and commercialization of a product, process or innovation, whether for the startup of a new firm or the expansion or the restructuring of a small firm.

Small Business Research Assistance (SBRA) Program – Helps qualified small businesses apply for federal SBIR and STTR grants toward possible commercialization of new technologies. OCAST’s SBIR/STTR programs also sustain qualified small businesses through the funding gap between phases of federal grants.

Technology-based Economic Development (TBED) – The approach used to help create a climate where firms that constantly innovate and maximize the use of technology in the workplace can thrive.

Technology Business Finance Program (TBFP) – Managed by i2E under contract with OCAST to provide proof-of-concept funding that specifically addresses early stage capital needs for Oklahoma advanced technology companies.