§ 143B-437.81.  North Carolina SBIR/STTR Matching Funds Program.

(a) Program. - There is established the North Carolina SBIR/STTR Matching Funds Program to be administered by the North Carolina Board of Science, Technology, and Innovation. In order to foster job creation and economic development in the State, the Board may provide grants to eligible businesses to match funds received by a business as a SBIR or STTR Phase I award and to encourage businesses to apply for Phase II awards.

(b) Eligibility. - In order to be eligible for a grant under this section, a business must satisfy all of the following conditions:

(1) The business must be a for-profit, North Carolina-based business. For the purposes of this section, a North Carolina-based business is one that has its principal place of business in this State.

(2) The business must have received a SBIR/STTR Phase I award from a participating federal agency in response to a specific federal solicitation. To receive the full match, the business must also have submitted a final Phase I report, demonstrated that the sponsoring agency has interest in the Phase II proposal, and submitted a Phase II proposal to the agency.

(3) The business must satisfy all federal SBIR/STTR requirements.

(4) The business shall not receive concurrent funding support from other sources that duplicates the purpose of this section.

(5) The business must certify that at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the research described in the federal SBIR/STTR Phase II proposal will be conducted in this State and that the business will remain a North Carolina-based business for the duration of the SBIR/STTR Phase II project.

(6) The business must demonstrate its ability to conduct research in its SBIR/STTR Phase II proposal.

(c) Grant. - The North Carolina Board of Science, Technology, and Innovation may award grants to match the funds received by a business through a SBIR/STTR Phase I proposal up to a maximum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000). Seventy-five percent (75%) of the total grant shall be remitted to the business upon receipt of the SBIR/STTR Phase I award and application for funds under this section. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the total grant shall be remitted to the business upon submission by the business of the Phase II application to the funding agency and acceptance of the Phase I report by the funding agency. A business may receive only one grant under this section with respect to each federal proposal award. Over its lifetime, a business may receive a maximum of 10 awards under this section. An award to a business partnered with a public institution of higher education in this State does not count toward the maximum award limitation provided in this section.

(d) Application. - A business shall apply, under oath, to the North Carolina Board of Science, Technology, and Innovation for a grant under this section on a form prescribed by the Board that includes at least all of the following:

(1) The name of the business, the form of business organization under which it is operated, and the names and addresses of the principals or management of the business.

(2) An acknowledgement of receipt of the Phase I report and Phase II proposal by the relevant federal agency.

(3) Any other information necessary for the Board to evaluate the application. (2005-276, s. 13.14(b); 2014-18, s. 2.3; 2021-180, s. 11.7(b).)