Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to what small business leaders ask.
How this works, where my lane begins and ends, and how I protect what you share.
Why you, and not an APEX Accelerator?
APEX Accelerators are a good free resource for getting contract-ready — registrations, certifications, finding solicitations — and I'll tell you to use one. But they're chartered for procedural assistance, not for writing your proposal or positioning your technology against an agency's mission. That's the part I do. Use APEX to get ready; bring me when readiness has to become an award.
What do you bring that other grant developers don't?
I was writing federal research proposals — military, medical, energy, aerospace — long before AI existed. I know the requirements and the tone that gets an application funded, not just one that complies. And I'll give you an honest go/no-go: I'll talk you out of a poor fit before you spend the money, which a shop paid to write anything won't.
How is our confidential information protected if you use AI?
Client work runs only on commercial-tier AI under business terms that don't train on your inputs — never the consumer apps most people picture. You decide what's shared; the novel core of an invention rarely needs to enter a tool at all. And a mutual NDA sits under the engagement before any material changes hands.
How do you filter opportunities?
Three questions. First, has the company defined the boundaries of its technical risk — the specific unknown that Phase I funding would resolve? That's what SBIR/STTR exists to fund; it's the test almost everything turns on, unless the work is tied to a specific bid or requirement. Second, is there a real connection to the agency's mission? Reviewers fund work that answers a need they already have. Third, the mechanics — eligibility, registrations, timeline — actually work. Clears all three, it's worth the work. Doesn't, I'll tell you that, and what would have to change.
What if our project isn't a fit for federal funding?
A federal no-go doesn't mean no funding. University institute partnerships, state agency programs, and other non-federal paths are sometimes the better fit for where a technology actually is — and I'll help you identify the ones worth pursuing. The point is funding that fits, not forcing the application.
Are you a lawyer or an accountant?
No — and I'm clear about where my work ends. I build the proposal and the IP and commercialization strategy; licensed professionals finalize claims, confirm structure, and sign anything requiring a license. I work alongside them and cut their billable hours — I don't replace them.
Can you guarantee we'll be funded?
No one honestly can, and anyone who promises otherwise is selling something. What I control is whether your application is competitive, compliant, and built the way reviewers score — and whether it's worth submitting at all. That's why I work on fixed fees, not contingency: you pay for the build and the judgment, not a bet on the outcome.
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