Friday, August 16, 2019
7:30 am-3:00 pm
UCAR Center Green Campus
3080 Center Green Dr.
Boulder, CO 80301
$69/attendee
[Scholarships Available]
Calling All Small Technology Firms & Innovators!

America’s largest seed fund is coming to Colorado!
The 2019 SBIR Road Tour is a national outreach effort connecting entrepreneurs working on advanced technologies to the country’s largest source of early stage funding—the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Also known as America’s Seed Fund, the SBIR/STTR programs provide over $3 billion in funding to small businesses each year in a wide variety of technology areas.
The 2019 SBIR Road Tour Southwest stop will be hosted by the Boulder Small Business Development Center at the UCAR Conference Center (in Boulder) on August 16. The event will provide attendees with an opportunity to hear directly from the participating federal agency program managers that administer over 5,000 new awards annually and to meet one-on-one with program decision makers.
Innovators, entrepreneurs, research and small technology firms—don’t miss this opportunity! Gain an in-depth understanding of agency technology funding priorities, plus one-on-one meetings with high level decision makers as well as connecting with local assistance.
Meet One-on-One with SBIR/STTR Program Managers, including:
- Navy
- Department of Defense
- DHS – Department of Homeland Security
- FLC – Federal Laboratory Consortium
- NASA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- NSF – National Science Foundation
- USPTO
- DOE – Department of Energy
- USAF – U.S. Air Force
- NAVSEA – Naval Sea Systems Command
- DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Agency
- USDA – Department of Agriculture
- SOCOM
- NIST – National Institute of Standards and Technology
- NOAA – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Agenda:
7:30-8:00 am | Registration & Networking | ||
8:00 am-12:00 pm | SBIR/STTR Federal Agency Presentations, Panel Sessions and *One-on-One Meetings | ||
8:00-8:15 am |
Welcome Bob Yates | Boulder City Council Joey Jenkins | Colorado Small Business Development Center Network |
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8:15-8:45 am |
America's Seed Fund - SBIR/STTR Overview U.S. Small Business Administration |
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8:45-9:00 am |
Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) Jeff Walenta | S&T Transfer Coordinator (Plains Area Director's Office), USDA Agricultural Research Service |
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9:00-10:10 am |
Reverse Pitches - 5 Minute Agency Elevator Pitch
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10:10-10:40 am |
Flexible Funding Opportunities: The Granting Agencies Panel discussion with Program Managers highlighting the unique aspects guiding the SBIR granting agencies. Topics include agency interest points, investigator-initiated projects, proposal evaluation, agency contacts, and commercialization strategies.
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10:40-10:55 am |
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office David Le | Primary Patent Examiner/Acting Regional Outreach Office, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office |
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10:55-11:25 am |
Surprising Opportunities with DoD and NASA Panel discussion with Program Managers highlighting the varied nature of NASA and the Department of Defense (DoD) Agencies, which together account for almost half of the SBIR/STTR award dollars each year. Focus areas include topic selection, evaluation rigidity, proposal assistance, DoD/NASA as an investor and a customer, data rights, and transitioning to Phase III.
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11:25 am-12:00 pm |
Inside the Head of an Evaluator: Common Mistakes Panel discussion with Agency Program Managers on the most common and avoidable mistakes made by applicants, as well as candid insights for preparing more competitive proposals. |
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12:00-1:15 pm |
Lunch & Entrepreneur Panel Small business founders share their experiences with the SBIR/STTR program
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1:15-2:00 pm | Break & Visit Exhibitors |
Roundtable Conversations Choose topics that are relevant to your business for discussion with a subject matter expert or share stories with other entrepreneurs about your own experiences with the SBIR/STTR program. Some discussion topics include writing a technology commercialization plan, doing the research for a technology commercialization plan and marketing for technology companies. |
Workshop: "Legal Matters -- Topics that Arise As You Grow Your Innovative Business -- Bring Your Questions" Carrie Schiff | Co-Founder, Sage Law Group LLC |
2:00-2:45 pm | Break & Visit Exhibitors |
Roundtable Conversations Choose topics that are relevant to your business for discussion with a subject matter expert or share stories with other entrepreneurs about your own experiences with the SBIR/STTR program. Some discussion topics include writing a technology commercialization plan, doing the research for a technology commercialization plan and marketing for technology companies. |
Workshop: "How to Calculate Indirect Rates and other Accounting Topics - Bring Your Questions" Brian L. Ormsby | Founder & CEO, Pantheon Solutions, LLC |
2:45-3:00 pm | Closing Remarks |
The event will also consist of:
- Resource partner exhibit tables
- Table topics with subject matter experts(e.g. how to do the research to fuel a technology commercialization plan, how to write a technology commercialization plan, R&D tax credits, legal matters)
- Help with registrations and certifications from PTAC, SBA and MBO
*One-on-One sessions run concurrently with agency presentations and panels. Agenda subject to change.
Scholarships are available!
Women- and minority-owned technology companies/entrepreneurs (prestartup) throughout Colorado and any tech company/entrepreneur based in rural Colorado may be eligible for a scholarship to cover the cost of the event.
APPLY NOW
Anne Neumann
SBPO | Program Manager
Christina "Tina" Barnhill
Acting SBIR/STTR Operations Manager
Mary Clague
NIST SBIR Program Manager
Linda K. Molnar, PhD
Program Director, Industrial Innovation and Partnerships, Engineering Directorate
Mario Rios
Air Force SBIR/STTR Portfolio Manager
Elden Hawkes
Program Specialist
Richard McNamara
RRM & Associates, LLC.
David Le
Primary Patent Examiner/Acting Regional Outreach Officer
Jeff Walenta
Scientific Technology Transfer Coordinator for the Plains Area Director’s Office at the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
Dr. Quenton Bonds
SBIR/STTR Center Co-Lead
Patricia A. Weber, DrPH
Program Director – National Cancer Institute
Murali Nair
Program Director for Electronic Hardware, Robotics, and Wireless Technologies with the SBIR/STTR Program
John D. Eisemann
Technology Transfer Program Manager
Dusty Lang
SBIR Management and Program Analyst
Brittany Sickler
Outreach and Partnership Strategist, Office of Innovation
Derek Bramble
Lead SBIR Support
Robert Renner, Jr.
Deputy Program Manager for the Small Business Innovation Research Program Office
Dr. Peter B. Roohr
Meteorologist
Dave Pope
Program Outreach AFRL/SB - Peerless Technologies Corp.
Christopher O'Gwin
Outreach and Assistance Program Manager
Joshua Arnold
General Engineer
Star Wilbraham
Senior Advisor, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
Anthony Aldrich
SBIR Program Manager for Special Operations Forces, Acquisition, Technology & Logistics (SOF AT&L)
