In this episode, Jeremy Whittington shares his journey of building a startup without relying on traditional venture capital. Instead, he leveraged alternative funding paths, including government grants and accelerators. We dive deep into the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, the I-Corps program, and how startups can secure non-dilutive funding to kickstart their business. If you're an entrepreneur looking for funding beyond VC, this episode is for you!

Key Takeaways:

🔹 SBIR Grants Can Fund Your MVP – The SBIR program provided Jeremy’s startup with $1.9M in non-dilutive funding, allowing them to build a prototype before taking on traditional investment.

🔹 Government Funding Has Strings Attached – While the money is great, it comes with paperwork, strict reporting, and compliance requirements—be prepared for documentation!

🔹 Accelerators Expand Your Network – Programs like Capital Factory and Deutsche Telekom’s hubraum helped Jeremy's team connect with investors and industry partners.

🔹 Customer Discovery is Critical – Through the I-Corps program, Jeremy discovered that their original idea wouldn’t work commercially and pivoted to a more lucrative market segment.

🔹 Alternative Funding Works Best for Certain Startups – If your company aligns with government priorities (e.g., cybersecurity, defense, healthcare, finance), alternative funding can be a game-changer.

Timestamped Highlights:

⏳ [00:02:00] – Jeremy introduces Illuma and how they developed voice biometrics for fraud prevention.

⏳ [00:03:40] – How Jeremy’s co-founder discovered the SBIR program while researching funding options.

⏳ [00:06:30] – The SBIR application process and how the phase-based funding structure works.

⏳ [00:08:55] – Why alternative funding isn’t well known and how startups can find relevant grants.

⏳ [00:11:20] – The challenges of working with government funding—compliance, reporting, and restrictions.

⏳ [00:14:00] – How I-Corps helped them pivot from securing government cell phones to working with financial institutions.

⏳ [00:18:00] – Jeremy’s experience with accelerators like Capital Factory & hubraum and how they helped with industry connections.

⏳ [00:21:06] – Would Jeremy take alternative funding again? His take on SBIR vs. VC for early-stage startups.

⏳ [00:24:38] – Final thoughts: Advice for entrepreneurs exploring alternative funding paths.

Quote of the Episode:

"If you want to start a company but don’t have a financial cushion, alternative funding—like SBIR grants—can help you quit your job and focus without giving up equity." – Jeremy Whittington

Resources & Links:

🔗 SBIR Program – https://www.sbir.gov

🔗 I-Corps Program – https://www.nsf.gov/i-corps

🔗 Connect with Jeremy on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremywhittington/

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