The National SBIR/STTR Conference and Small Business Tech Expo (SBTE)

Technology Connections: Funding, Strategies, and Partnerships
April 26-29, 2004
Hilton Atlanta Hotel * Atlanta, GA
www.SBIRworld.com/GA

This year, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs will provide $2 billion to small businesses through federal programs to help entrepreneurs take their ideas from conception to reality. The main goal of this SBIR/STTR Conference is to help you Learn How to Tap into this 2 Billion Dollar Business Resource!

At this National Conference in Atlanta, new and aspiring small businesses can learn about the SBIR/STTR Program - how to apply for, and what it takes to win. The SBIR Program funds high-risk projects at the earliest stages of technology development - before companies can attract venture capital - and works with you through that development and on into the actual commercialization of your technology!

Whether you are new to the program, have a grant under your belt or are a multiple award winner, the sessions offered in Atlanta this spring will help you enhance your participation in the SBIR/STTR Program.

The What: Sessions will be offered to help you learn about the basics of the programs so that you can determine if this is the right program for you and your business. The first day of the Conference is structured to give everyone an overview of the program, how it works, and what is proposed for the future. Attendees will hear from all participating Agencies and have the opportunity to speak directly with representatives to help you determine where you can fit into the program. You will also have the chance to hear how, and by whom, submissions are evaluated by the various Agencies and how to deal with the world of government grants and contracts.

The How: Sessions will focus on the full spectrum, from basic guidance on how to write winning proposals to managing your project. Tips from successful companies on how to increase your chances of winning and how to leverage and protect your intellectual properties will be presented. Alternate and supplemental financing opportunities will be addressed.

The Who: It has been said, "You can't do it alone," and that truly applies if you want to succeed! Partnerships with universities, the corporate world, other small businesses and utilization of various support services, like incubators and consultants, can mean the difference between success and failure. Do you know what is out there and available? You will be introduced to some of the options and find out how to search them out.

Remember: Successful SBIR/STTR ventures not only create successful companies, they create JOBS. Jobs in your area, jobs in your state, jobs in your country! More and more large corporations are outsourcing and looking for the innovative help provided by smaller companies. How do you tap into this network? How do you move from idea to product? This Conference Program has been developed with the total journey in mind!

Federal Agencies Participating in the SBIR Program:
Department of Agriculture
Department of Commerce: NOAA/NIST
Department of Defense: Air Force, Army, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Defense Special Weapons Agency, Missile Defense Agency, National Geospatial
Intelligence Agency, Navy, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Special Operations Command
Department of Education (A representative will not be present at the conference.)
Department of Energy
Department of Health & Human Services: NIH, CDC, FDA, AHCPR, HCFA, ACF, AOA
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Transportation
Environmental Protection Agency
National Aeronautics & Space Administration
National Science Foundation

Federal Agencies Participating in the STTR Program:
Department of Defense: Air Force, Army, Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency, Missile Defense Agency, Navy
Department of Energy
Department of Health & Human Services: NIH
National Aeronautics & Space Administration
National Science Foundation
Managing SBIR/STTR Projects--The Basics
A Special Feature of this Conference is the continuation of a focused Small Business Tech Expo (SBTE). The Expo will showcase new technologies and the support services needed to bring them to market. Between the One-on-One Networking Area and the SBTE you will not find a better place to identify and get to know the strategic partners necessary for success.

For registration detail and program, visit the conference website www.SBIRworld.com/GA.

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