America’s Seed Fund Road Tour

April 5, 2024 – Houston, Texas

Each year, the Small Business Association (SBA) goes on a trip around the country with efforts to connect entrepreneurs to funding opportunities. Flash Networks Group, Inc. sent Stacia Clayton, Director of Proposal Research and Development, to attend this year’s America’s Seed Fund Road Tour in Houston, Texas. America’s Seed Fund, which encompasses the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program, provides up to $3 million in annual funding to early-stage startups and small businesses with innovative ideas. This April, Stacia travelled to Houston to network with other innovative companies and learn from the coordinators themselves.

The SBA’s STTR Program works in tandem with 11 federal agencies such as the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Energy (DoE), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Representatives from each of these sectors spoke to the attendees to provide tips and relevant information to get their ideas into the marketplace.

Many of these agencies have target specific research areas for funding. Vincent Lee, the presenter for the National Science Foundation (NSF), is also the researcher for our topic areas. Specifically, he oversees the proposals relating to Advanced Manufacturing and Wireless Technologies. He spoke to attendees with specific tips on creating the best proposal, how the submission and evaluation processes work, and encouraged entrepreneurs to strive for cutting-edge technology.

When asked what the most valuable information from the conference was, Stacia stated knowing the review processes and success rates will help our expectations as Flash develops proposals. Every representative emphasized the importance of meticulously crafting proposals. When proposing an innovation, small businesses should be well-aligned with the funding opportunities and tailored to meet the specific criteria of the agencies.