These FAQ’s are designed to help participants submitting technologies into of the “Cell-to-Sell”™ Soy Program using Form 1 and should provide guidance on who should participate, the benefits of participation, and what stage of technologies should be submitted.

    This project is aimed at researchers, industry organizations, government institutions, producers and developers working with soy-based bioproducts. Those looking to accelerate commercialization of their technology or increase growth rate in the marketplace can benefit from participating in this initiative.

Will my submission be dismissed if I am not located/connected to Ohio?
No. OBIC welcomes and encourages submissions from as many sources as possible, no matter their location or current connection with the state of Ohio. Under no circumstance will your company’s locality to Ohio be the only metric under evaluation. Relevance to Ohio’s economy is only one of many factors of our evaluation process. Relevance is measured on:

1. your company’s location to Ohio.

2. production factors (collaborators, suppliers, or sellers for your product) residing in Ohio.

3. future opportunities for your company in Ohio.

Ultimately, the strongest technology with the most impact on the bio-based products market will be selected. OBIC will encourage that the winning candidate consider expanding production to or collaborate with companies in Ohio.

If my technology is chosen, what kind of return can I expect?
OBIC will assist the selected candidate by finding financial support for the development of their technology. We will put our proven grant proposal writing to task as well as find potential partners for the commercialization of your technology.

Also, OBIC collaborates with research institutions, entrepreneurs, and corporations from every stage of the value chain for bio-based products and will match companies with like-minded needs and projects for further development.

Should I submit projects that are in concept development, in process development or already in production?
Yes, this is the first year of potentially an annual project. By submitting your technology, we become aware of it. We may be able to help move it along by connecting networks, so it works to your advantage in the long run.

What if I have other bio-related technologies other than soy – should I submit those as well?
At this time we are only focused on soy. If there is a technology that can be used on soy, please submit it to the program. We are hoping to build upon the success of this program in other areas but are currently limited on funding and personnel.

I am already working with the United Soybean Board/Ohio Soybean Council on a project, should I still participate in your program?
Yes, our program does not replace what the USB and OSC are doing, but further complement them.

Is there any cost to my company to participate in the program?
There is no cost to work with us on this program. It is being funded by the Ohio Soybean Council.

My company is always looking for new, innovative ideas for our product line-up. Is there any way to network with other companies in your database to collaborate on projects in the future?
We are working to develop ways to coordinate the effort, but there is no current structure to support this.