Non-Dilutive Startup Fundraising 💰 SBIR Grants for Innovation
Get cash for your startup without giving up ownership.
Government grants can fund your development from idea to MVP and beyond.

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In this interview, Caroline Arzoo, Director of Partnerships at OmniSync, and I discusses the different options for funding a startup. She emphasizes that federal grants and contracts can be a great alternative to conventional angel and VC investment. However, she notes that the application process can be difficult, with over 80% of people who apply for federal funding on their own getting rejected for non-compliance. To help founders access non-dilutive funding, OmniSync has created an AI-powered platform that simplifies the process of finding and applying for federal funding.

In addition to federal grants and contracts, Caroline also suggests considering crowdfunding and pitch competitions as creative funding avenues.

She highlights the importance of community, transparency, and being open to change in order to navigate the complexities of growing a startup.

We also also touch on the emotional toll of the founder journey and the importance of building a support system.

Caroline Arzoo Bio:
Caroline Arzoo is a passionate advocate of innovation, supporting early-stage founders through her community-building work at OmniSync Inc and as a mentor for Founder Institute. A graduate of UC Santa Barbara’s Technology Management program, Caroline has supported hundreds of early-stage startups in accessing non-dilutive capital from the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.


In addition to her work supporting founders, Caroline also works to empower and build innovation ecosystems, partnering with universities, small business development centers, accelerators, and more to support their entrepreneurial initiatives.

Find her on LinkedIn at   / carolinearzoo  

Check out OmniSync’s grant application tools at https://www.turbosbir.com/

Chapters:
00:00 Non-Diluting Funding Alternatives
03:57 Non-dilutive Funding Sources
11:26 The Use of AI in Grant Applications
13:48 Finding Inspiration and Community
19:17 Navigating Growth and Change
23:36 The Emotional Journey of a Founder
32:00 Understanding SBIR Funding
38:01 Commitments & Expectations with SBIR Funding
41:16 Government Contracts for Startups
42:40 OmniSync's Journey in Government Contracting
45:41 Resources for Entrepreneurship Success


Lance Cottrell has been an active startup advisor and startup mentor for over a decade.
He has helped countless startups navigate the key decisions of their journey, like when to take venture capital investment and negotiating term sheets.
He works with many companies in accelerators like Y Combinator and Founder Institute.
He provides help with startup funding including raising venture capital and angel investment.
He can help you achieve liquidity for your company at a high valuation.
Feel the Boot is a startup vlog of tips and advice for early-stage founders.