WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)announced it will launch a live road tour connecting entrepreneurs developing advanced technologies toAmerica’s Seed Fund, the country’s largest source of early-stage federal funding through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. America’s Seed Fund finances cutting-edge research & development (R&D), providing over $4 billion each year in non-dilutive funding from across 11 participating federal agencies.
America’s Seed Fund Road Tour is a national outreach effort to connect innovators and entrepreneurs directly with federal agencies that fund non-dilutive SBIR/STTR grants and contracts. The Road Tour plays an important role in increasing the engagement of our nation’s entrepreneurs with organizations supporting and financing next-generation innovations. The Road Tour will kick off with America’s Seed Fund Week, a Virtual Road Tour ahead of four in-person road tours scheduled to visit 16 states and territories in 2024.
“The Biden Administration’s Investing in America agenda is about connecting innovators with the resources and capital to support next-generation research and technology, from concept to commercialization. The SBA is coordinating this federal engagement to ensure innovative startups and small businesses from underserved states and communities can equitably access this critical source of early-stage funding,” said SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman.
Each Road Tour stop is hosted in collaboration with SBA’s Federal And State Technology (FAST) Partners, who serve as navigators connecting entrepreneurs to America’s Seed Fund opportunities in their regions. At each stop, technology entrepreneurs and small business owners will meet one-on-one with federal agency representatives and attend programming designed to help participants navigate applications for SBIR/STTR funding.
