The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and the Center for Technology Commercialization are now accepting applications for an SBIR Advance grant that will accelerate area business development.

According to its website, the program is a matching grant that was created to fill funding gaps in market research, customer validation, patent development and regulatory assessment. These activities cannot be funded with federal awards.

Milestones are put in place, which recipients of the grant must meet to receive cash awards.

The Pre-Submission deadline is August 17. Preference is given to early stage companies that have never been awarded an SBIR/STTR grant.