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Technology Bridge Grants

The Wisconsin Department of Commerce's Technology Bridge Grant program aids small Wisconsin businesses experiencing severe financial hardship while awaiting a decision on Phase II or other follow-on funding applications.

What are the eligibility criteria?

Underwriting Criteria

Commerce anticipates that demand for these funds will exceed the availability.  Therefore, a competitive application process using the following underwriting criteria will determine the actual level of Commerce's participation, if any.  Commerce will consider all of the following items, in addition to any other information the Department considers relevant:

  1. The amount of economic impact the applicant, if successful, will have in Wisconsin.

  2. The quality of any busineses assisting the applicant.

  3. The level of need demonstrated by the applicant.

  4. The applicant's past record of obtaining early stage financing, including federal funds.

  5. The viability of the applicant's business.

  6. The likelihood that the applicant will successfully commercialize technology.

  7. The applicant's management plan and management team.

  8. If the application relates to a product, that the product will be manufactured substantially in Wisconsin.

  9. If the application relates to a service, that the principal place of business from which the service will be sold will be located in Wisconsin.
Application Materials

The Department of Commerce is developing online application materials for the Technology Bridge Grant program.  These forms should be available on this website in the near future.  In the meantime, applications may be obtained by contacting Kathy Collins.

  • Eligible applicants must have fewer than 100 full-time equivalent employees.  Applicants must have received early-stage financing from the federal government or from some other source.  They must have also submitted an application for follow-on funding from that same source, or be able to provide Commerce with a completed application form that they intend to submit for follow-on funding.

  • Eligible businesses may receive funding up to 75% (maximum of $100,000) of the eligible project costs.  Applicants must provide a cash match of at least 25% of eligible project costs.

  • Funds granted under the Technology Bridge program may only be applied to reasonable and necessary costs directly attributable to maintaining the research and funding basic operations until the applicant's follow-on funding or federal grant application is approved or denied.

  • Expenses associated with preparation of the Commerce application and expenses incurred prior to the date the application is submitted to Commerce are not considered eligible project costs .

For more information about Technology Bridge Grants, contact:
Kathy Collins
 608/267-0769
 Kathy.Collins@Wisconsin.gov