HTDC to Host Statewide SBIR Federal Funding Conference for Small Businesses

HONOLULU, HI -- The High Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) will host a state-wide conference to teach small businesses how to successfully apply for more than $2 billion in grants given out each year through the federally funded Small Business Innovation Research program. The ninth biennial Hawaii Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Conference will take place on Oahu, December 5 at Rennaissance Ilikai Waikiki Hotel; December 7 on Maui at the Renaissance Wailea Beach Resort; December 8 on Kauai at the Kauai Beach Hotel & Resort (formerly Radisson Kauai) ; and December 9 on the Big Island at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort. The full-day conference is scheduled to run from 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. on each island.

In 1982, U.S. Congress created the SBIR program to provide small businesses with federal funding opportunities for innovative ideas, leading to commercialization. By law, the eleven largest federal agencies provide a small percentage of their extramural funds for SBIR grants and contracts, currently totalling $2 billion annually. These grants are used to fund research and development performed by small businesses. The technologies and innovations are initially created for federal use and emphasize broad-base applications that lead to commercialization.

The SBIR program consists of three stages. In general, Phase I funds up to $100,000 for six months to explore the technical merit or feasibility of an idea. Phase II typically funds up to $750,000 for two years to expand upon Phase I efforts, and may include developing a working prototype. Phase III is the commercialization of a project, a key SBIR component strongly emphasized by the federal agencies. The eleven federal agencies participating in the SBIR program include: US Departments of Agriculture; Commerce; Defense; Education; Energy; Health and Human Services; Homeland Security; Transportation; Environmental Protection Agency; NASA; and the National Science Foundation.

As a complementary program, the STTR program stimulates technology sharing through cooperative research between these small businesses and nonprofit research institutions such as University of Hawaii. UH researchers are encouraged to partner with small businesses to compete under the STTR program.

The Hawaii SBIR/STTR Conference will feature more than a dozen speakers from Washington DC representing the federal agencies that fund the SBIR grant program. In addition, the conference features panel discussions on commercialization and advice from successful SBIR companies. In the afternoon, there will be workshops on basic and advanced SBIR/STTR proposal writing, intellectual property management for SBIR companies; and networking opportunities and one-on-one meetings with federal managers and SBIR speakers.

“The federal SBIR program has become a crucial source of funding for many of Hawaii’s small businesses, including some of our most successful technology companies such as Oceanit, Hawaii Biotech, NovaSol and Black Pearls, all of whom have won multiple SBIR awards,” said Dr. Philip Bossert, Executive Director and CEO of HTDC. “So far, close to 60 Hawaii companies have received more than $56 million from the federal program plus another $56 million in commercialization investment and sales. Our conference will not only teach companies how to win Phase I SBIR awards, but will provide further guidance to other experienced SBIR companies who are competing for the more lucrative Phase II awards and preparing for commercialization. Companies attending this conference will have the rare opportunity to sit down with these federal managers who help decide which company will be awarded an SBIR grant. They’ll hear first hand what these agencies are looking for. We have managers flying in from the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, NASA, National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and the Department of Transportation to participate as speakers and mentors. After our last conference in 2003, several companies who attended ended up receiving SBIR awards based on what they learned by attending our all-day workshop.”

The conference will also highlight HTDC’s Hawaii SBIR Matching Grant Program that provides financial and technical assistance to help Hawaii’s companies succeed in the SBIR program. “In 1989, Hawaii legislators created the Hawaii SBIR Matching Grant Program to encourage technological innovation and stimulate participation by Hawaii companies in the federal SBIR program,” added Bossert. “Administered by HTDC, this matching grant program awards up to $25,000 to Hawaii companies that receive federal SBIR Phase I awards to help them win the more lucrative Phase II awards. To date, HTDC has awarded $3.7 million in matching grants, which in turn, has helped local companies successfully develop their federal Phase I projects and attract an additional $97 million in SBIR Phase II grants, investments and sales. One of the best aspects of this program is that there is no limit to the number of times a company can win an SBIR grant.”

In addition to HTDC, other conference sponsors include the Hawaii Strategic Development Corporation, Enterprise Honolulu, Hawaii Technology Development Venture, and the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Technology. The conference is supported by the University of Hawaii Office of Technology Transfer & Economic Development, and Hawaii SBDC Network.

Registration is $60 and includes the workshops, speaker presentations and handouts, one-on-one meetings with SBIR managers, panel discussions, lunch and networking session with pupus. Registration deadline is November 25. For more information or to register online, visit www.htdc.org/SBIR/Conference_2005 or call 539-3841.

HTDC was established by the Hawaii State Legislature in 1983 to facilitate the development and growth of Hawaii’s commercial high technology industry and to increase revenue generation and job creation within the technology-based sector of Hawaii’s economy. HTDC provides business incubation services statewide, operates and manages three incubation facilities , provides technical assistance for small businesses participating in federal research and development funding programs, and administers the federally funded Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. For more information on HTDC, visit its website at www.htdc.org.