2020 Tibbetts Award Winner

BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consulting, LLC

Over the past 18 years the program has assisted over 400 companies, trained more than 1,200 attendees, and $302 million has been awarded to Michigan companies directly served by the program. In 2018 alone, BBCetc worked with SBIR/STTR applicants and support organizations in 32 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Impact & Achievements

BBCetc is a woman-owned small business, originally formed in 1990 as Biotechnology Business Consultants to assist early-stage life science companies with technology commercialization strategy and implementation. 

BBCetc is a woman-owned small business, originally formed in 1990 as Biotechnology Business Consultants to assist early-stage life science companies with technology commercialization strategy and implementation. The company’s expertise expanded to include all 11 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding agencies, resulting in a name change to BBC Entrepreneurial Training and Consulting (BBCetc). Acting as the designated all-agency Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) support organization for the state of Michigan since 2002, BBCetc’s passion is to see technology-based small businesses reach their milestones – the company’s mission is to provide high-value information, training, and guidance to help move them along that path.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, as part of an expanded entrepreneur support initiative in 2002, awarded a grant to BBCetc to conduct the Michigan SBIR/ STTR Assistance Program. The program has evolved to meet changes in the SBIR programs as well as the needs of the researchers in the years since its inception. Over the past 18 years the program has assisted more than 400 companies, trained more than 1,200 attendees, and $302 million has been awarded to Michigan companies directly served by the program.

The company has evolved and grown, now training and consulting with a wide range of clients ranging from individual companies and entrepreneurs to universities, small business development centers (SBDCs), procurement technical assistance centers (PTACs), incubators, and tech-based economic development organizations across the U.S. In 2018 alone, BBCetc worked with SBIR/STTR applicants and support organizations in 32 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and was awarded an NIH STTR Fast Track grant to advance commercialization of NIH-funded technologies in the Central U.S.

Using the lessons learned and a team of experienced SBIR/STTR applicants and reviewers, BBCetc, in collaboration with economic development and university partners, has played a large role in improving or establishing SBIR/STTR awareness, participation and ultimately moving technology into Phase III. From individuals to companies and institutions, and from pre-SBIR/STTR assessment to post-award administration, BBCetc is committed to achieving measurable results for clients – and has designed a process and programs to provide entrepreneurs with the tools to compete.