THE FUND-ZONE: Two funding opportunities coming up from Uncle Sam. First, the U.S. Department of Education announced it will begin soliciting for its 2017 Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR), which offers grant funding for edtech products and research, around November 21, 2016. The program seeks to stimulate private tech innovation while leveraging the role of small businesses to better meet Department research and development needs. Businesses focusing on research and development in the Department’s priority edtech areas are encouraged to participate. Awards amount up to $150,000 for periods up to six months.
The Department is also calling upon all virtual reality, video game and edtech developers to submit their ideas and innovations to the EdSim Challenge. The $680,000 competition is sniffing out today’s top education simulations with the hope of strengthening employability and technical skills in order to “stimulate the marketplace for computer-generated virtual and augmented reality educational experiences.”