Louisville, KY-based Wicked Technologies, formerly Wicked Sheets, LLC–organized in 2008–began with a simple idea: to address founder Alli Truttmann’s problem of night sweats. Today the company has three brands; Wicked Sheets, Wicked Little Sleepers, and the Wicked Smart Pad.
The Wicked Smart Pad is a smart incontinence pad that notifies caregivers in real time of moisture events, improving the lives of the 200 million seniors with incontinence.
“My grandmother passed away from incontinence-related bedsores in 2017, then COVID happened, and my sheet business suffered significant supply chain disruption,” said Alli. “Soon after, and with my grandmother in mind, I began developing a smart bed pad.”
Wicked Sheets used National Institute on Aging [NIA] funding to help develop the Wicked Smart Pad. The NIA provides nearly $150 million in non-dilutive R&D grants to small businesses annually through the Small Business Innovation Research [SBIR] and Small Business Technology Transfer [STTR] programs.
In 2022, Wicked Sheets was awarded a Phase I SBIR grant from NIA totaling $342,745.
“I paused Sheets completely and went full-bore into the Wicked Smart Pad.”
The Phase I SBIR enabled feasibility testing, customer feedback and satisfaction ratings, and overall pad durability and lifespan testing. Wicked Sheets received additional funding from the Kentucky SBIR/STTR Matching Funds Award Program.
NIA encourages applicants to request Technical and Business Assistance [TABA] funds at the time of application. TABA supports companies in areas critical to success in the competitive healthcare marketplace, such as access to technologies or support on product sales, intellectual property protections, market research and planning.
Phase I has a cap of $6,500 per year. “We did not request TABA funds with our Phase I award.” “In hindsight, I wish we had taken advantage of those dollars,” said Alli.
By late February 2024, utilizing funds from the Phase I award, Wicked Sheets was able to launch pilots with three Atria Senior Living, Inc. brands. Atria Senior Living, Inc. is headquartered in Louisville. Wicked Sheets has also closed on a $1.5 million funding round.
Wicked Sheets submitted an NIA SBIR Phase II grant application in 2024, as well.
Phase II awards can also include up to $50,000 in TABA funds.
“Due to our application timing, we were again unable to check the Phase II TABA funds box. But we hope to request those via an administrative supplement,” Alli said. “The TABA supplement would allow us to seek the insight of consultants specializing in IP and go-to-market strategy for the aging care space and save us some trial and error.”
Despite its aging-care cluster, thirteen NIA SBIR/STTR awards have been awarded to Louisville-based small businesses, including Wicked Sheets, since 2007. Of those awards, ten went to two companies (seven to one, from 2010 to 2015).
“The SBIR award we received–and the exposure from NIA–has been extremely beneficial for Wicked Sheets. More companies in Louisville should take advantage of this opportunity, including requesting TABA funds.”
Learn about Render's role in helping to unlock the potential of TABA funding supplemental to your SBIR/STTR grant–Navigating TABA Funding.
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