SBIR Outreach: MassChallenge & NSF Symposium Event

Masschallenge, Inc., Boston MA

Investigators

Abstract

This award will support a symposium on the National Science Foundation (NSF) small business programs, to be held at the MassChallenge facilities in Boston, Massachusetts in November 2013. The workshop will feature presentations from NSF program staff, current and former NSF awardees from the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, and invited thought leaders in the entrepreneurial and investment communities, and will involve a large number of entrepreneurs, students, and researchers interested in innovation. One primary goal of this symposium is to bring together the research and business communities and make entrepreneurs aware of the resources available to them via these programs. The workshop will be bolstered by MassChallenge's existing network of early-stage companies, and will leverage existing social and traditional media channels to ensure maximum visibility. This event has the potential to promote awareness and deepen knowledge of NSF?s innovation programs within the extensive startup ecosystem to which MassChallenge has access Additionally, this event offers the possibility for future collaboration among these participants by providing a networking environment for entrepreneurs and innovators from different communities. This outreach across a broad and diverse range of industries and backgrounds will also extend to groups who are typically underrepresented in science: 30% of the participating companies were founded by women, and 31% of the participants are from underrepresented groups. By educating entrepreneurs about the resources available to them via the NSF, these entrepreneurs will be empowered to increasingly apply their science and technology insights to solve some of society's greatest challenges.