Case Study: How Quillify helped Creative 3D Technologies get multiple millions from the Texas Semiconductor Fund
Grant writing requires a thoughtful approach that produces measurable results, as shown by Creative 3D Technologies' recent achievement. The Austin-based manufacturer obtained a seven-figure award from the Texas Semiconductor Fund leveraging professional support services, proving that well-crafted proposals can yield impressive ROI.
Their story demonstrates how small businesses can overcome the challenge of time-intensive applications - turning a 200-hour process into a manageable project even with tight deadlines. For companies seeking funding for innovative projects, this case study offers clear evidence that strategic grant applications, properly executed, can open doors to new financial resources while maintaining focus on core business objectives. You'll learn practical steps to streamline your grant application process and increase your chances of funding success.
Strategic Grant Writing Success Metrics
Creative 3D Technologies, a 3D printer manufacturer based in Austin, Texas, is engaged in a wide range of innovative projects. Their large-volume, high-precision industrial printers can handle various materials and are being used by dozens of well known organizations including Disney, DoD, and more. But C3DT sees a grander vision: to develop a single-cell factory-in-a-box 3D printing module for automated manufacturing.
Focusing on Research and Development
Creative 3D Technologies envisions a future where only a single self-contained unit is involved in the automated manufacturing of industrial equipment, semiconductors, robotic parts, PCBs, and more. With a strong emphasis on research and development, they view grants as a primary source of fundraising for their pioneering work.
In 2024, Creative 3D Technologies approached Quillify, having already identified several SBIR grants from the Department of Energy, Department of Defense, and Defense Logistics Agency. However, they needed assistance as each SBIR grant required 200-250 hours to write, and the deadlines were just four weeks away.
Discovering New Funding Opportunities
Quillify assists businesses in finding and writing grants at both the government and private foundation levels. Upon onboarding with Quillify, Creative 3D Technologies quickly found several foundations they could approach for potential grant opportunities, including the Texas Semiconductor Fund.
Quillify's AI helped write a comprehensive proposal that effectively explained their innovative 3D printing technology in terms the funders could understand. The proposal highlighted the business potential, impact, and the company's track record.
Demonstrating Financial Planning
A crucial aspect of the proposal was the inclusion of statistics on matching funds, showing that the foundation would not be solely responsible for the entire $15 million effort. The proposal also clearly outlined the expected outcomes of the R&D, its potential, and the significant impact it could have on the local economy.
With Quillify's help, Creative 3D Technologies submitted three out of the four grant proposals within the four-week timeframe, despite having only one person dedicated to grant finding and writing.
Achieving Substantial Grant Awards
Months later, Creative 3D Technologies secured a substantial grant from the Texas Semiconductor Fund and one of the other agencies it applied to. This represented a major win for Quillify and an impressive return on investment for the company. By investing a four-figure sum in Quillify's services, they obtained a seven-figure grant award.
Without Quillify, Creative 3D Technologies might not have been able to:
Manage all the grant proposals effectively
Prioritize the proposals strategically
Discover the local Texas Semiconductor Fund
The Importance of Strategic Grant Writing
This success story underscores the importance of strategic grant writing for small businesses seeking funding for their innovative projects. Partnering with a service like Quillify can help companies:
Streamline the grant writing process
Identify relevant funding opportunities
Craft compelling proposals that showcase their technology, potential impact, and financial planning
Effective grant writing can lead to substantial awards, providing the necessary resources to advance research and development efforts and contribute to local economic growth.
Texas Small Business Grants Impact
This grant award from the Texas Semiconductor Fund was a game-changer, enabling them to finalize a $15 million raise, with $10 million subsidized by grants and the remainder coming from equity investment.
Investor Benefits
The investors loved the matched funds provided by the grants. It allowed the company to grow further with less commitment on their part. The company is actively closing the round and developing their semiconductor tech and single-cell manufacturing technology.
Expected Growth and Industry Access
The R&D should be completed by 2027, resulting in a sellable prototype or MVP. With all the R&D paid for, the company will have access to a trillion-dollar industry currently monopolized by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Center (TSMC).
Grants Available Nationwide
Small business grants like this are available throughout the US, but the grant process can often be too confusing for small businesses to navigate. Grants may feel like a handout, but they serve a crucial purpose:
Enabling the R&D that you're funding yourself
Helping you reach a point where you can sell an innovative product
Assisting you in getting through the valley of death while you're conducting R&D
Future Grant Opportunities
C3DT has acquired these grants, and assuming they execute well on them, they'll be well-positioned for more grant opportunities in the future as they expand and conduct further R&D on manufacturing technology.
For instance, they'll be able to access grants to expand the industry use cases of their single-cell technology, improve upon the cutting edge tech, or even use grants strategically to get their equipment into the hands of various entities like:
Businesses
Tribes
Cities
Municipalities
Governments
This is an interesting avenue that small businesses can explore anywhere, enabled only by grants.
Grant Awards Selection Process
When applying for small business grants, it's essential to understand the key factors that contribute to a successful grant acquisition. C3DT, a local Texas company, recently secured a grant due to several critical elements in their application.
Demonstrating Eligibility and Innovation
C3DT demonstrated their eligibility by being local to Texas and showcasing their innovative approach and traction. They provided a history of their achievements and investor support alongside the grant application. This assured the grant committee that C3DT was part of a larger initiative and not just using the grant as a springboard.
Crafting the Right Language
C3DT utilized Quillify's AI to help them craft the right language that resonated with the funders. They effectively communicated the broader impact of their effort on the local and global economy, as well as the advancement of science, manufacturing, and semiconductors.
Here's how they presented their story with data:
Made it easy for funders to understand the potential of new accessible technology in the semiconductor space
Showcased their work on single-cell manufacturing technology through the lens of semiconductors
Demonstrated how the grant would help fund the commercialization and R&D of their single-cell technology
Many small businesses miss out on opportunities because they focus solely on building the exact product or conducting R&D for the specific product the grant aims to fund. However, grants often support activities that align with your goals, provided you're willing to publish research on the specific application of the technology they're interested in.
Presenting a Sustainability Plan
C3DT presented a five-year sustainability plan with clear revenue streams for selling, distributing, and making the technology accessible. The review panel likely noticed the exceptional clarity in connecting the technical innovation to market needs, the realistic timeline, and the strong team composition in the proposal.
Mitigating Risk and Demonstrating Execution
C3DT mitigated risk by securing a two-to-one investment ratio, and the team demonstrated a history of successful execution. These factors played a significant role in the grant committee's decision to award the grant to C3DT.
To increase your chances of securing a grant, focus on showcasing your eligibility, innovation, and traction. Use Quillify.AI to help craft a compelling narrative that resonates with the funders and demonstrates the broader impact of your work. Be open to aligning your activities with the grant's objectives while still pursuing your core goals. Present a clear sustainability plan, mitigate risks, and highlight your team's execution history to make your grant application stand out.
Strategic Grant Writing Platform Features
Quillify's most valuable feature, besides finding grants that you may not have found otherwise, is the ability to write the grant in a timely manner.
Meeting Tight Deadlines
When the deadline is fast approaching, Quillify can generate a fully written grant proposal with the right language and all the different sections you need. It incorporates your organization's history, impact, and goals. Because Quillify generates the proposal for you, it can turn a 200-hour process into a 10-hour process, allowing you to submit a high-quality grant proposal on time.
Ensuring Completeness and Compliance
When AI writes the grant for you, it ensures that every necessary section is included. It writes in a way that tells a story about your history, impact, progress, and market fit. The AI brings up real data points to prove your qualifications and aligns each section of the grant to the evaluation criteria in the funders' grading rubric.
This makes it very clear that you are a good fit for the specific opportunity and that you will execute the initiative you've outlined. Formatting and compliance become a breeze with Quillify.
Expert Guidance
Working with Quillify is like having an expert grant writer looking over your shoulder, giving you a first draft that has everything you really need. You can then go through and polish it up, making sure you agree with everything that was said, which you would have to do anyway.
Long-Term Benefits
C3DT, one of Quillify's long-term clients, has found that the grant awards they've received have more than paid for the lifetime use of the platform. Here are some of the ongoing benefits they experience:
Every other week, they receive alerts of new grant opportunities that are directly relevant to them and their initiatives.
With every relevant opportunity, they can apply to it efficiently by leveraging Quillify's AI proposal writer.
Small business grants can be a game-changer for organizations like C3DT, and Quillify streamlines the process of finding and applying for these funding opportunities.
Maximize Your Growth Potential with AI-Powered Grant Support
You can start your grant funding journey with proven tools and expert guidance. Quillify's AI-powered platform reduces grant writing time from 200 hours to just 10 hours while meeting all quality requirements.
The platform matches you with targeted opportunities, creates complete proposals, and helps present your organization's story in ways that connect with funders. Companies like Creative 3D Technologies have used Quillify to secure millions in grant funding, showing how AI-assisted grant writing produces real results. Ready to boost your grant success rate? Our team is here to guide you through your next winning proposal. Go to https://Quillify.ai/pricing to get started
