SBIR Week in the South is a rare opportunity for Arkansas innovators to engage face-to-face with program decision makers and learn more about the $3.7 billion in SBIR/STTR funding that flows to small companies annually for state-of-the-art research and product development.
Who should participate?
- Entrepreneurs
- Researchers
- University offices of research and sponsored programs
- Small technology-based companies
See below to sign up for the week’s virtual events, a collaboration of the Small Business Administration, federal agencies, and the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center.
Organized by SBA, this is a virtual version of the national SBIR Road Tour. Between 2015 and 2019, the SBIR Road Tour visited every state and Puerto Rico, mostly traveling by bus between stops. To protect the safety and health of the participating federal employees, support staff, and entrepreneurial communities, this year the cross-country push is 100% virtual.
Monday, Nov. 2
SBIR Week in the South Overview
9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Federal agencies will lead live, virtual panels and sessions for the five-state Southern region. Hear directly from the participating federal agencies that administer over 5,500 new awards annually.
View tentative agenda
Register for Monday
IMPORTANT! You must register for Monday’s event before you can schedule one-on-one meetings with program managers for Friday.
Wednesday, Nov. 4
Lab2Launch Accelerator 2021 Kickoff
Applications will officially open for our 2021 Lab2Launch Accelerator for early-stage Arkansas companies seeking a first SBIR/STTR grant or contract. Apply for spring cohorts for NIH or USDA.
Thursday, Nov. 5
Arkansas Resources for Innovative Companies
10-11:30 a.m.
Join us on Zoom for an interactive discussion about Arkansas-based funding opportunities for tech-based companies. Representatives from the following organizations will discuss their respective programs and engage in Q&A.
- Central Arkansas Angel Network
- AEDC Division of Science and Technology
- Innovate Arkansas
- Arkansas Development and Finance Authority
Friday, Nov. 6
Virtual One-on-One Meetings with SBIR Program Managers
9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Directly engage SBIR/STTR program managers, who will share insights into how their agencies make funding decisions and give feedback on your quad chart, a summary of the market potential of your company’s innovative technology.
IMPORTANT! After you register for the Monday session, you will receive an email from judy@sbirroadtour.com with instructions for requesting your one-on-one appointment(s) with program managers. You must register for Monday’s event before you can schedule one-on-one meetings with program managers for Friday.
Participating Agencies
- Department of Health and Human Services – National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Department of Defense
- Army
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
- Defense Health Agency (DHA)
- Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
- Department of the Navy (DON)
- Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)
- Joint Science and Technology Office for Chemical and Biological Defense (JSTO-CBD)
- Missile Defense Agency (MDA)
- Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD SBIR)
- U.S. Air Force (USAF)
- Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC)
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- U.S. Department of Education (DoED)
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Learn more about the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program.
Questions? Contact ASBTDC’s innovation specialist, Rebecca Todd, at rctodd@ualr.edu or 501.831.2584. She can help you prepare for one-on-one meetings, complete your quad chart, and answer questions about SBIR Week in the South: Arkansas.