For Immediate Release
April 24, 2015
Seven federal agencies to be featured during day long workshop for Maine companies interested in federal SBIR/STTR grant opportunities
(Brunswick, Maine) – The Maine Technology Institute (MTI) today announced it will hold a Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Summer Session conference at the Clarion Hotel in Portland, Maine on Thursday, July 16, 2015. The MTI Summer Session is the opportunity for federal agencies to meet with small businesses and research organizations in Maine to provide information and answer questions about their respective SBIR/STTR grant programs.
Representatives of seven federal agencies and departments will be present during Summer Session 2015, including the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, Department of Homeland Security, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and, additionally, invitations have been extended to the Missile Defense Agency and NASA. A general SBIR/STTR program overview will be provided at the outset and each agency will then discuss the nuances of their respective programs and also their specific research topics of interest. Attendees will be able to schedule one-on-one meetings with each of the agency representatives.
Helping Maine companies win SBIR/STTR grants is a strategic goal of the Maine Technology Institute. To this end, MTI hosts the annual SBIR Summer Session, conducts SBIR/STTR seminars and webinars throughout the year, offers the Phase 0 KickStarter grant, and provides guidance from experts with a deep base of knowledge of all federal agency SBIR/STTR programs. More than 90 Maine companies working with MTI have won SBIR/STTR grants totaling more than $88 million since MTI began this program in 2000. According to Brian Whitney, President of MTI, “the SBIR/STTR program is a critical funding opportunity for Maine’s technology-related businesses. The Summer Session gives Maine and regional businesses a chance to get first-hand information about technology initiatives from each of these federal agencies.”
Karen West, MTI’s lead SBIR/STTR consultant and Coordinator of MTI’s Technical Assistance Program (TAP) team said, “We are committed to helping Maine companies succeed in applying for and winning SBIR/STTR awards. Our data shows that companies who receive Technical Assistance are more likely to secure an award and we encourage anyone who is interested in pursing early stage, high risk funding for their new and innovative technology to attend.”
The Maine Technology Institute is a publicly funded non-profit, state-chartered organization whose mission is to promote innovation in Maine through the funding of new technologies, and connecting entrepreneurs and start-up companies with the resources they need to help them commercialize their products and grow. Visit www.mainetechnology.org for more information.