September

FEBRUARY 11-13, 2025

NO TRAVEL NEEDED

VIRTUAL EVENT

GUEST EXPERTS

PANEL SESSIONS

LEARN & NETWORK

OPPORTUNITIES TO NETWORK

About the Event

America’s Seed Fund Week – Virtual Road Tour is the official 2025 Road Tour Kickoff.

America’s Seed Fund Week is a free online event to connect entrepreneurs across the nation working on advanced technologies and the organizations that support them to America’s Seed Fund, the country’s largest source of early-stage funding.


Register today and stay updated for more details on America’s Seed Fund Week 2025, taking place February 11-13, 2025.

About America's Seed Fund

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, also known as America’s Seed Fund, provides $4 billion each year in funding to early-stage startups and small businesses as innovators take their technology from R&D through to commercialization.

Why attend?

  • Learn the basics about America’s Seed Fund.
  • Gain an understanding of the evaluation processes.
  • Engage with federal agency representatives.
  • Leave with specific ideas on how to start your America’s Seed Fund (SBIR/STTR) journey.

How to Prepare

Visit the Agency Resources page to access 1-Pagers that list topic areas; Reverse Pitch Slide Decks that provide details, stats, and contact information; and Reverse Pitch Videos where Program Managers pitch their programs to innovators.

Check out 2024 America’s Seed Fund Week recaps.

Hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration

Created in 1953, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) continues to help small business owners and entrepreneurs pursue the American dream. SBA is the only cabinet-level federal agency fully dedicated to small business and provides counseling, capital, and contracting expertise as the nation’s go-to resource and voice for small businesses.

Accessibility and Inclusion: All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance of this event. Contact Sharon.Hoffmeyer@sba.gov.

Have questions about America's Seed Fund Week - Virtual Road Tour? Contact technology@sba.gov.

Speakers

Genevieve Lind

Program Manager, Office of Investment and Innovation (OII), Small Business Administration (SBA)

Elden Hawkes Jr.

Partnership and Innovation Specialist, SBIR/STTR programs, Small Business Administration (SBA)

Erick Page-Littleford

Director, Office of Investment and Innovation (OII), Small Business Administration (SBA)

Gina Sims

Director, SBIR/STTR Program, DoD

Denise Price

Program Director, SBIR/STTR Program, DLA

Dave McCarthy

Tech to Market Advisor, SBIR/STTR Program, DOE

Carol Rabke

Tech to Market Advisor - Partnering, SBIR/STTR Programs, DOE

Brandon White

Center Liaison (CL) and SBIR Infusion Manager, NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC)

Rachael Sack

Chief, Innovative Research Division, DOT

Jacki Gray

Program Director, SBIR/STTR Program, NIST

Daniel Eliot

Lead for Small Business Engagement, Applied Cybersecurity Division, NIST

Nicole Berry

Program Administrator, SBIR Program, NIST

Paul Reid

SBIR Portfolio Manager, U.S. Army, DEVCOM

José Colucci-Ríos

General Business Specialist, NIST

Colleen Gibney

SBIR Deputy Program Manager, DHA

JR Myers

Project Manager, SBIR/STTR Program, DHA

Nicole Fox

Program Manager, SBIR/STTR Program, Army

Jennifer Thabet

Program Director, Small Business Programs Office, DARPA

NaThanya Ferguson

Director, Innovation Outreach Division, USPTO

Carlos Gutierrez

Innovation Outreach Specialist, Office of Innovation Outreach, USPTO

Paul Staszak

Defense, Space and Security (BDS) SBIR Focal, Boeing

Alf Carroll

Technology Transition Lead, RTX-Raytheon

Craig Owens

Program Manager, SBIR Program, Lockheed Martin

Bahareh Haji-saeed

Technology Scouting Director, BAE Systems Inc.

Quiana Royster

Support Specialist, SBIR Program, NOAA

Bryan Roden-Reynolds

Blaise Zandoli

Contract Analyst, SBIR Program, Army

Ruth Shuman

Program Director, I-Corps, NSF

April Richards

Program Manager, SBIR Program, EPA

Kate Kvaternik

Program Manager, SBIR Program, DOT

Peter Atherton

Program Director, SBIR/STTR Program, NSF

Clarissa Ford

Due Diligence Specialist, SBIR/STTR Program, NOAA

Henry Ahn

Program Director, SBIR/STTR Program, NSF

Christina Calloway

Attorney Advisor, Trademarks Customer Outreach, USPTO

Lindsay Portnoy

Program Director, SBIR/STTR Program, NSF

Parvathi Chundi

Program Director, SBIR/STTR Program, NSF

David Kistin

Manager, Technology and Economic Development at Sandia National Laboratories

Lisa Mays

CEO, The Catalyst

Sandy Edwards

COO, The Catalyst

Dan Geller

Interim Director of Startups, University of Georgia Innovation Gateway

Kelly Wylam

Executive Director, Pennsylvania’s Innovation Partnership (IPart)

Garvan Donegan

Director of Planning, Innovation, & Economic Development, Central Maine Growth Council

Emalee Hall

Assistant Director of Innovation Programming & Partnerships, Central Maine Growth Council

Kimberly Mozingo

Vice President, Federal Programs, TEDCO

Julia Deng

Director, SBIR Programs, TEDCO

Jack Henkel

Senior Cluster Manager & FL FAST Program Manager, Florida High Tech Corridor

Marc Eichenberger

Associate Vice President and Chief Business Development and Innovation Officer, University of New Hampshire Innovation

Cira Cardaci

Executive Manager of NYC Innovation Hot Spot, CUNY Industrial and Applied Research, Empire Corps

Ariella Trotsenko

Director of NYC Innovation Hot Spot, CUNY Industrial and Applied Research, Empire Corps

Krista Covey

CEO & President, First Flight Venture Center

Evelyn Jacome

Program Director, Alaska Center ICE

Cindy Matsuki

HSBIR Program Manager, Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC)

Richard Giersch

ARC WA Program Director, Life Science Washington Institute

Kelly Haigler Cornish

Program Manager, Wyoming SBIR/STTR Initiative, Wyoming SBDC Network

Roland Garton

Garton Consulting Services; Consultant Illinois FAST Center, EnterpriseWorks at the University of Illinois

Pat Dillon

Founder, President and CEO, MNSBIR, Inc.

Jaime Hough

Statewide Outreach Manager, OK Catalyst

Charles Layne

Sr. Technology Advancement Manager, Launch Tennessee

Allyn Abadie

Technology Advancement Coordinator, Launch Tennessee

Margaret Ramey  

Director, Wisconsin Center for Technology Commercialization (CTC)

Karen Bergh

Innovation Specialist, Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center

Jerry Hollister

Executive Consultant & Co-Owner, BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consulting

Chad Hardaway

Deputy Director, University of South Carolina Office of Economic Engagement

Bijo Mathew 

Director, SWTXB SBDC Technology Commercialization Center

Sherry Whitson

Strategic Initiatives Program Director, Wichita State University-Kansas FAST

Jeremy Gibbs

IDP Project Manager, Wichita State University-Kansas FAST

Hutch McClendon

Director, LTTO at LED

Ann Peterson

Program Director, Montana State University TechLink Center

Josh Nichol-Caddy

Director of Innovation and Technology, Nebraska Business Development Center

Anthony Gilespie

Director, Technology-Based Economic Development, Ohio Aerospace Institute

Ron Stubblefield

Senior Program Manager, Ohio Aerospace Institute

Wiley Larson

Director of SBIR/STTR Programs and University Partnerships, Arizona Commerce Authority

Neil Tocher

Chair, Dept. of Marketing & Management, Idaho State University

Dana DeRego Catron

Interim Director and CEO, Arrowhead Center, Arrowhead Center at NMSU

Gian Ortiz Perales

Strategic Development Specialist, Puerto Rico Science Technology and Research Trust | Colmena66

Linda Cabrales

Director, Utah Innovation Center

Tony Jeff

President & CEO, Innovate Mississippi

Joseph Graben

Innovation Ecosystem Manager, Innovate Mississippi/University of Southern Mississippi – Office of Innovation Management

Maria Labreveux

Executive Director, Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation (KSTC)

Rachel Notter

Senior Manager of Entrepreneurship Development, Indiana Economic Development Corporation

Matt Burkett

Director of Innovation Pathways, Indiana Economic Development Corporation/Applied Research Institute

Amanda Voigt

Assistant Director, Center for Innovation, University of North Dakota

Zachary Miles

Senior Associate Vice President for Economic Development, The University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Ed Lahue

Innovation & Technology Counselor, Missouri SBDC (Small Business Development Center)

Olessia Smotrova

President and CEO, OST Global Solutions, Inc.- Govcon Incubator

Jessica Dodge

Managing Consultant, Connecticut’s Office of Innovation, Small Business Innovation and Research

Shadi Azoum

Program Manager, SBIR/STTR/RIF Programs, NAVWAR

Daniel Carroll

Director, AFVentures

Robert Brooke

Director, Federal Funding Programs, Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority

Elizabeth Dougherty

Northeast Regional Outreach Director, USPTO

Candace Wright

Program Lead, SBIR/STTR Program, MDA

Maggie Saling

Chief of Operations, StartUpNV

Matt Harbaugh

Executive Director, USRIA

Mary Hott

In-Tech Program Manager, USRIA

Shobahana Gupta

External Research and Development Lead, NASA

Jennifer Shieh, PhD

Chief Scientist & Program Manager, Ecosystem Development Division, Office of Investment and Innovation, SBA

Agenda


11:00 AM ET | Meet the FAST Awardee: State Based Support for Innovators

The 30-minute sessions are state-based and provide an overview of state-based support through FAST to help entrepreneurs.  Morning programming will feature Northeast and South regions including:

11:00 AM ET – 11:30 AM ET: Connecticut, Montana, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Mississippi

11:30 AM ET – 12:00 PM ET: Maine, New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky

12:00 PM ET – 12:30 PM ET: New Hampshire, New York, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Alabama


12:30 PM ET | Welcome and Program Overview (SBIR) 101
Hear about the incredible programming and events taking place Tuesday through Thursday including live Q&A with Program Directors during sessions organized by technology area, state-based support sessions hosted by Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program Awardees, illuminating panels with opportunities to ask our experts questions live, and virtual networking spaces to connect with other participants and panelists.

1:00 PM ET | Panel: Matching Your R&D Project to a Federal Agency
We understand that America's Seed Fund can seem a bit overwhelming and intimidating.  In this panel, we hope you will gain an understanding of what SBIR/STTR agencies are looking for as program experts share information about the types of projects that are eligible for funding, differences between agency prerequisites, required registrations for companies, nuances between granting and contracting agencies, and more important information to help you understand how to navigate America’s Seed Fund.

2:00 PM ET | Meet the Program Directors: Insights into SBIR/STTR Opportunities
Engage with SBIR/STTR federal agency representatives to gain valuable insights, ask questions, and explore funding opportunities within technology areas to advance your innovation.

2:00 PM ET – 3:25 PM ET: Sustaining Critical Supply Chains: (Semiconductors, manufacturing and materials), Space/Transport/Flight, Cybersecurity

3:30 PM ET – 4:55 PM ET: Communications and Sensors,

Navigating HHS (Component Differences) - Panel Discussion

5:00 PM ET | Meet the FAST Awardee: State Based Support for Innovators

The 30-minute sessions are state-based and provide an overview of state-based support through FAST to help entrepreneurs.  Afternoon programming will feature Pacific and Western regions including:

5:00 PM ET – 5:30 PM ET: Nevada, Wyoming, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington

11:30 AM ET | Meet the FAST Awardee: State Based Support for Innovators

The 30-minute sessions are state-based and provide an overview of state-based support through FAST to help entrepreneurs.  Morning programming will feature South and Midwest regions including:

11:30 AM ET – 12:00 PM ET: Tennessee, Oklahoma, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota

12:00 PM ET – 12:30 PM ET: Arkansas, Texas, Michigan, Iowa, Missouri, South Dakota

12:30 PM ET – 1:00 PM ET: Louisiana, Ohio, Kansas, Nebraska

1:00 PM ET | Welcome to Day Two
Welcome to Day 2 of America's Seed Fund Week – Virtual Road Tour.

1:05 PM ET | Panel:  Inside the Head of an Evaluator

Curious about what evaluators are looking for when reviewing SBIR and STTR submissions? Don't miss this session where Agency Program Managers will share common and avoidable mistakes made during the application process. Get tips directly from agencies on how to prepare more competitive proposals. The panel will also touch on items required by the SBIR Policy Directive that apply to all SBIR and STTR programs.

2:00 PM ET | Meet the Program Directors: Insights into SBIR/STTR Opportunities
Engage with SBIR/STTR federal agency representatives to gain valuable insights, ask questions, and explore funding opportunities within technology areas to advance your innovation.

2:00 PM ET – 3:25 PM ET: Health, Energy

Breaking Down Barriers to DOD SBIR and STTR Programs

In this session you will learn about what DoD components are doing within their SBIR and STTR programs to break down barriers and facilitate increased participation in the Defense Industrial Base by the small business community.

3:30 PM ET – 4:55 PM ET: Entrepeneur Resources

Spotlight NIH

NSF – The Project Pitch Process

Startups or entrepreneurs applying for the National Science Foundation (NSF) SBIR or STTR programs can submit a Project Pitch to learn if their technological innovation meets program requirements. In this session, you will learn about the Project Pitch process and other key NSF SBIR/STTR requirements directly from an NSF Program Director.

 

11:30 AM - 12:25 PM ET | Getting Ready for an In-Person Road Tour

Join us for the Innovator's Guide to Preparing for 1:1 Meetings with Federal SBIR/STTR Program Representatives where you will learn more about what you can do to get ready for a 1:1 meeting with federal agency staff during an in-person America’s Seed Fund Road Tour stop.

12:30 PM ET | Meet the FAST Awardee: State Based Support for Innovators

The 30-minute sessions are state-based and provide an overview of state-based support through FAST to help entrepreneurs.  Afternoon programming will feature Puerto Rico and Western regions including Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico and Utah.

1:00 PM ET | Panel: Next Steps, Getting Started
Please join us for this important session to gain insights on the resources available to you from the SBA at sbir.gov, organizations within your state or region that can guide you along your journey, and additional opportunities from across the innovation ecosystem. Leave with next steps on how to get started. 

1:55 PM ET | Closing – Panel Program
Thank you for joining us for America’s Seed Fund Week 2025.  While this closes the SBA Panel portion, please join us for additional programming including Meet the Program Directors in the Earth/Climate/Weather, AI/ML, and Education/Workforce/Learning Development topics as well as a panel on Working with Defense Primes.

2:00 PM ET | Meet the Program Directors: Insights into SBIR/STTR Opportunities
Engage with SBIR/STTR federal agency representatives to gain valuable insights, ask questions, and explore funding opportunities within technology areas to advance your innovation.

2:00 PM ET – 3:25 PM ET: Earth/Climate/Weather

Working with Defense Primes

Gain insight into the role major primes play in acquisition programs and how R&D     from other businesses transitions into those programs.

3:30 PM ET – 4:55 PM ET: AI/ML, Education/Workforce/Learning Development