Drivers: The strategies that we employ are driven by the technology, the team, customers, competition and the investment community.

SBIR/STTR: Small Business Innovative Research and Small Business Technology Transfer. These Federal Government provides more than $3 billion for these programs. These programs are particularly useful for technology that can form the basis of a new business. Further, the involvement of a research institution such a university is encouraged by the government. Competition for these awards are intense. Phase I funding is typically $100,000 and Phase II is $750,000. Blue Shift believes this approach is most useful when the Government is likely to be the major customer for the business. The Government has an extensive SBIR program that is linked directly to the research dollars of major departments.

Private Financing: This approach is most appropriate for the seed stage of a business. Typically, this funding is appropriate when the technology is well identified, but the team and reference customers have not yet been established.

Venture Capital: Blue Shift has found that venture capital is more receptive to an experience team that has already formulated a business and technology strategy, and has demonstrated an ability to attract customers. Most venture capital firms have fixed investment criteria. Often, these firms have minimum investment levels as well. We have found that it is best to understand the criteria, objectives and portfolio interests of individual venture firms so that a specific presentation can be prepared. Shot gun approaches will not work.