Dept. of Commerce: Conference Helps Businesses Secure Small Business Innovation Research Grants

Contact:
Tony Hozeny, 608/267-9661

MADISON—Technology businesses interested in earning Federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants for their research and development activities can schedule one-on-one meetings with SBIR program managers at the SBIR Conference and Awards Banquet, which will be held in conjunction with the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference on June 1-2, 2004 at the Downtown Milwaukee Hyatt.

“Meeting with a federal expert savvy about agency priorities can increase a company’s success rate in the SBIR program,” said Department of Commerce Secretary Cory L. Nettles. “With over $1.5 billion available, SBIR remains the single largest funding source for R&D activities conducted by U.S. small businesses.”

SBIR experts from the Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health, and National Science Foundation—agencies with three of the largest SBIR budgets—are featured speakers and will conduct private meetings with select companies on June 2. On June 1, the conference will offer an SBIR orientation session; workshops covering key intellectual property and grant management topics; and success stories from SBIR award-winning companies advancing a commercialization strategy. The annual Technology Awards Banquet, which honors Wisconsin companies that have most recently won federal R&D grants, will also be held June 1.

To attend the SBIR sessions, register for the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs Conference at www.wisconsintechnologycouncil.com (click on ). Those interested only in attending the SBIR Awards Banquet can register accordingly at the registration site. Those interested in pre-scheduling a one-on-one meeting with a federal expert must apply during online registration, using the special pop-down menu. These applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information about the SBIR program track, contact Kevin Kelbel at 608/836-7500.

The joint SBIR and Wisconsin Entrepreneurs Conference are sponsored by the Wisconsin Technology Council, Wisconsin Small Business Innovation Consortium, and Wisconsin Business Incubators Association, in partnership with the Department of Commerce.