Gap Program Structure
Background and Overview
ONAMI has invested significant staff and Board of Directors effort to arrive at a strategy intended to maximize the success rate of commercializing technology to create high-wage jobs in Oregon. There are two main elements:
Gap Grants :
"Proof of Concept" grants will be made to research institution PIs and/or facilities to take research results to the next level, e.g. a more product-like prototype and/or demonstration of cost-effective fabrication methods. Ideally, this will be in collaboration with an already-formed and already-licensed (or optioned) for-profit company, and in some cases may be to fund ONAMI facility work in support of an Oregon company bringing its own IP.Follow-on Funding Sources :
ONAMI’s commercialization program coordinates activities with other funding sources, including venture capital organizations, various government agencies, and the newly established Oregon University Venture Fund, to support funding of gap fund projects following project completion. In addition, efforts are underway to raise a nanoscience and microtechnologies-focused early stage fund (nMAX) following a model similar to the Seattle biotech Accelerator, which looks to the nearby Institute for Systems Biology for both deal flow and technical assistance. Such a fund would make equity investments - like any other venture fund - in nano/micro startups andseek limited partners from among venture capital firms who invest in this region.
The ONAMI Gap Fund and follow-on funding sources are formally independent, but mutually informed to the extent that confidentiality and conflict of interest avoidance will permit. ONAMI works to coordinate these elements through inclusion of interested venture capital organizations in the Commercialization Advisory Council, this web site, and other marketing related activities.
ONAMI’s Commercialization Advisory Councill
ONAMI has secured the help of a distinguished Commercialization Advisory Council (CAC) of external advisors to assist with proposal evaluation and funding recommendations. The CAC is composed of the following individuals:
- Gerry Langeler, OVP Venture Partners
- Maurice Gunderson, CMEA Ventures
- Michael Janse, Harris and Harris Corporation
- Bill Neuman and Gordon Hoffman, NW Technology Ventures
- Brock Metcalf, Reference Capital Management
- John Hull, Nike Ventures
- Brandon Barnett, Intel Corporation
- Cheryl Cejka, Pacific Northwest National Labs
- Zach Jonasson and John Chen, Phoenix Venture Partners
- Brad Zenger, Pivotal Ventures
- Adrian Roberts, ONAMI Chairman
- Skip Rung, ONAMI Executive Director
- Jay Lindquist, ONAMI Commercialization Manager
