SBIR PRE CONFERENCE and CONFERENCE  EVENTS
”GOT NETWORKING?”
March 21 – 22, 2006
Holiday Inn Missoula - Parkside

                                                                     
                    

AGENDA

 

MARCH 21, 2006      PRE CONFERENCE ACTIVITIES

 

10:30am to 12:00   Ballroom A

“STTR Grant Funding Resources & IP Strategy”

Marti Elder, SBIR Counselor & Licensing Specialist.  Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) research projects couple the special talents of small businesses with the strengths of Research Institutes and the University System.  STTR is often overlooked by small businesses.  This results in a reduced field of applicants and increased odds for success—but only if  you are well acquainted with the unique nature of the program. This mini-workshop will help you understand the distinct characteristics of the STTR funding program and teach you about important University intellectual property and relationship issues.

 

12:00 to 1:00pm  Lunch on your own

 

12:30pm to 1:00pm  Registration for Pre Conference

 

1:00pm to 2:30pm  Monte Dolack Room

“Is the SBIR Program a Good Fit for My Company?”

John Balsam, SBIR Counselor.  This workshop is devoted to individuals who are less familiar with the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, or who can benefit from a review of how to participate successfully. Attendees will learn about the array of SBIR and STTR funding opportunities and what differentiates the two programs.  You should expect to leave with a much better sense of whether your business should pursue these programs and if so, specifically what you need to do next.

 

3:00pm to 4:30pm  Ballroom A

“Intellectual Property Awareness:  Building and Protecting IP Value”

Marti Elder, SBIR Counselor & Licensing Specialist.  In today’s competitive climate, managing a company without considering intellectual property (IP) issues will put you at a disadvantage.  The objective of this workshop is to deliver an understandable baseline of information for making decisions about whether and how you can register and protect your IP.  You will be guided through patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets, providing a basic review of the motivation behind various filings, cost estimates, and IP responsibilities under a federal contract.  The workshop starts off at a basic level, building rapidly to enable discussion of common strategic questions.

 

3:00pm to 4:30pm 

Tour of Bee Alert Technologies

Jerry Bromenshenk, Founder.  Bee Alert’s innovative use of trained bees to locate IED and other explosive devices is attracting strong attention from the U.S. Army.  Join the tour and get acquainted with this bee-centric company that has experienced success with both the SBIR and STTR programs.  Located at 1620 Rodgers Street, Suite 1; Missoula, MT  59802  (On the north side of town between Scott Street and Reserve Street.)

 

5:30pm to 7:30pm   Atrium 

Conference Registration, Tradeshow and Networking Reception

Networking with peers is the single best way to learn more about SBIR/STTR and how to succeed as a tech-based company. The evening reception offers a high-value opportunity to visit tradeshow booths, and interface with federal prime contractors, SBIR managers, award-winning companies, and others.

 

  • Sign up to win one night’s lodging at the Holiday Inn Missoula – Parkside.  Drawing will be held at 7:00pm.  Must be present to win!

 

 

MARCH 22, 2006  “GOT NETWORKING?” CONFERENCE

 

Registration opens at 7:00am

 

7:00am to 7:30am Atrium

Breakfast

 

7:30am to 7:45am  Ballroom CD

Opening

Linda Brander, Program Manager, SBIR Outreach Program, MT Department of Commerce.  Welcome to “Got Networking?” our Fifth Annual Montana State SBIR Conference.

The dairy industry’s “Got Milk?” campaign raised awareness of the natural goodness of their product. “Got Networking?” emphasizes the importance of networking to nourish successful technology-based enterprise.

 

7:45am to 9:45am  Ballroom CD

Hear from the SBIR Program Managers

William Goldner, SBIR Program Manager for USDA and Connie Jacobs of DoD will be present.   A NASA representative has been invited.  SBIR programs can vary widely (or wildly!) from one federal agency to the next. This session provides an opportunity to hear from individuals who administer agency SBIR programs.  Get an understanding of the cultures for grant submissions from SBIR program managers in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Defense, and NASA.  Bring your questions to this session for the benefit of us all.  You can also arrange an individual meeting with one of these experts throughout the day.

 

9:45am to 10:15am  Atrium

Break

 

10:15am to 12:00pm  Ballroom CD

Hear from the Federal Prime Contractors

Loren House of Boeing and Mario Ramirez of Lockheed Martin will be present as well as Rochelle Lowe from SAIC.  This session featuring representatives of three of the top ten federal prime contractors is a rare opportunity for Montana’s small businesses! Learn who these companies are, why they’re interested in building relationships with small businesses, and what they expect from their small business partners. These insights will be invaluable to any small companies seeking commercial collaborations.

 

12:15pm to 1:15pm  Ballroom AB

Lunch

Luncheon Speaker:  Tony Preite, Executive Director, Montana Department of Commerce

 

*** BREAKOUT SESSONS ***

 

1:30pm to 3:15pm  Dana Boussard Room

Research Track I:  Partnering with MT Research Institutes to Advance your Project Goals

International Heart Institute—Tim  Descamps; McLaughlin Research Institute—George Carlson; Montana Neuroscience Institute—Dave Poulsen; Inland Northwest Space Alliance—Kandy Raup.  Facilitator:  Robert Bargatze.  Montana’s colleges, universities, and other area Research Institutes offer vast knowledge, expertise, and facility access in a wide range of technologies. Furthermore, they are motivated to work with small companies to pursue research and commercialization goals.  Whether serving as a co-researcher for the STTR program, or as a consultant or subcontractor on an SBIR project, a Research Institute can add significant credibility to your funding proposal.

 

1:30pm to 3:15pm   Hook/Autio Room

Commercial Track I:  More Options for Securing Seed funding in Montana

Montana Board of Research & Commercialization—Dave Desch; Montana Fund—Steve Grover; Growth Through Ag—Justin Hager; Montana Growth Capital—Jeff Batton,   Facilitator:  Dave Stoltenberg.   Loans, grants and matching assistance programs—let your SBIR skills and successes pave the way for accessing these complementary programs. Join this breakout session for an eye-opening presentation on seed-money opportunities available right here in Montana. 

 

3:15pm to 3:30pm  Atrium

Break

 

*** BREAKOUT SESSONS ***

3:30pm to 5:15pm  Dana Boussard Room

Research Track II:  Accessing and Using University System Labs and Resource Centers

Montana Tech Rocky Mountain Agile Virtual Enterprises (RAVE) Creativity Forge—Rick Donovan; MSU Image & Chemical Analysis Lab (ICAL) – Recep Avci; Montana Microfabrication Facility (MMF)- Phil Himmer; University of Montana—Tony Rudbach;  MilTech—Al Diebert;.   Facilitator:  Nick Zelver.  The RAVE Center at Montana Tech is one of many valuable resources that advance partnerships between the Montana University System and in-state small businesses. This panel of program representatives will present details on some of these special resources and discuss how your business can use them to support your research and commercialization efforts.

 

3:30pm to 5:15pm  Hook/Autio Room

Commercial Track II:  An Inside Look at Federal Procurement and the Rules of Engagement

Procurement Technical Assistance Center—Terri Wellings, Missoula; MSU TechLink—Ray Friesenhahn; Visual Learning Systems, Inc—Kevin Opitz. Facilitator:  John Balsam.  Federal agencies can represent a significant sales opportunity for your company’s product or service.  However, the learning curve for taking advantage of this opportunity can be daunting. This panel of specialists will provide insight into how you can identify federal sales opportunities and what assistance is available for a boost toward your goals. 

 

5:15pm  Ballroom CD

“Got Networking?”  Closing and Final Q & A

Linda Brander and John Balsam.  This closing session will tie together all the different networking resources and opportunities presented at the conference and ensure that you know how to access the assistance available to you. You can then use these opportunities to create or update your business’s pathway to market.