America’s Largest Seed Fund Selects New Haven as a Stop on SBIR Road Tour
ROCKY HILL, Conn. (PRWEB) June 25, 2018 -- The U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) National SBIR Road Tour today announced it will stop in New Haven, Connecticut, on Tuesday, August 21, 2018, giving small businesses the coveted opportunity to learn firsthand about America’s largest seed fund. SBA leads the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, through which the federal government awards more than $2.5 billion annually to small businesses developing groundbreaking, high-risk technologies while taking no equity.
The day-long program will be hosted by Connecticut Innovations and CTNext, Connecticut’s go-to resource for entrepreneurial support and growth. Program managers from more than 11 federal agencies will conduct one-on-one meetings with attendees, participate in targeted panels, and share insights into how their agencies make funding decisions. The SBIR/STTR programs fund a wide variety of technology areas, including unmanned systems, advanced materials, health, cybersecurity, defense and more.
“We are dedicated to supporting America’s entrepreneurs wherever they are. American innovation is not restricted by geographic or cultural boundaries,” said SBA Administrator Linda McMahon. “This tour reflects our commitment to ensuring that these innovators are aware of the resources that can help them turn a big idea into another great American innovation story.”
The SBIR Road Tour plays an important role in increasing engagement with entrepreneurial ecosystems across the country and building out a greater network to support the creation of small businesses focusing on high-impact research. The SBIR Road Tour also advances several goals of the SBIR/STTR programs, including outreach to increase participation by women, individuals who are socially and economically disadvantaged, and small business owners residing in underrepresented states.
Connecticut-based TheBeamer is a recent SBIR award winner for its creation of The Stardust Mystery games, which are revolutionizing the way children ages 8 to 13 learn and retain scientific knowledge. TheBeamer won Phase I and II grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 2016–17 totaling $750,000 and subsequent matching grants from Connecticut Innovations.
“The SBIR grants from the NSF and additional grants from Connecticut Innovations allowed us to grow The Stardust Mystery games substantially,” said Peter Soloman, founder of TheBeamer LLC and creator of The Stardust Mystery games and book. “SBIR’s support and resources have enabled our team to generate immeasurable growth and continued innovation for years to come.”
The SBIR/STTR programs execute more than 4,000 new awards per year. These awards have helped U.S. innovators advance new technologies and have contributed to the creation of thousands of jobs.
Small technology firms, innovators, scientists or researchers seeking more information on the SBIR Road Tour, including a schedule of stops and participating agencies, should visit: http://www.sbirroadtour.com. For more information about SBIR/STTR programs, please visit http://www.sbir.gov.
To register to attend, visit http://www.etouches.com/sbir2018.
About CTNext
CTNext is Connecticut’s go-to resource for entrepreneurial support. The goal of the program is to build a more robust community of entrepreneurs and to accelerate startup growth by providing access to talent, space, industry expertise, services, skill development and capital to foster innovation and create jobs for people in Connecticut. CTNext launched in 2012 and has more than 2,200 members in its network.
About Connecticut Innovations
Connecticut Innovations (CI) is Connecticut’s strategic venture capital arm and is the leading source of financing and ongoing support for innovative, growing companies. CI provides venture capital and strategic guidance for early-stage technology companies, and connections to its well-established network of partners and professionals. For more information, please visit http://www.ctinnovations.com.
Lauren Carmody, Connecticut Innovations, http://ctinnovations.com/, (860) 258-7829, [email protected]
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