Fred Patterson has been involved with guiding companies through technology development into commercialization for over forty years, including having worked with the SBIR Program and all of its aspects virtually since its inception.
As a co-founder and executive officer of two of Texas’ most successful SBIR award winning companies (SPEC and Radiant Photonics), he has been involved in the execution of over 150 SBIR and STTR contracts and grants, one third of those Phase II programs, totaling nearly $50 million, and led efforts which secured Phase III commercialization funding in excess of $25 million.
Currently enjoying a well-recognized nationwide consulting practice as “The SBIR Coach”, Fred teaches his dozens of client companies the SBIR “ropes” and guides them in the process of producing clearly articulated and reviewer-focused proposals, effectively doubling their chances of obtaining funding. He then guides his clients through successful execution of the resulting contract or grant, and coaches them in the process of ensuring follow-on funding from Phases II and III.
In addition to SBIR and other Federal government sponsored funding programs, Fred also works with several State sponsored technology accelerator initiatives, including the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (as “The ETF Coach”), Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology (CIT), and international groups such as The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE). Fred’s company also works with many Angel, Venture Capital, and other private sector investment sources to continually refine its trademarked “Funding Readiness Level (FRL)®” index (a combination of Technology Readiness, Business Readiness, and DealsmanshipTM) that the company uses to help its clients prepare for the challenges of seeking, securing, and managing funding for commercialization and growth.
Fred holds the position of “Business Coach” for the Center for Innovation at Arlington, which includes the Arlington Technology Incubator and the University of Texas at Arlington’s Venture Innovation Partnership in the UTA Office of Technology Management. He is a regular Technology Applications Review panelist for the National Technology Transfer Center. And, he serves on the Executive Board for the Fort Worth Chapter of SCORE, Inc.
Fred holds a BS in Mathematics from Clarkson University, and an MS in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin. He has been Director of Planning for a Fortune 500 Aerospace company, and held just about every “CXO” position there is at several technology start-up companies. He has also been Adjunct Faculty at four universities, including having taught in the MBA Program at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. Fred currently resides in the DFW area, in North Richland Hills, Texas.
