Join our team of SBIR experts and the FAST (Federal and State Technology) Center of Illinois for a SBIR 101 event from 12:00-1:00pm on Thursday, August 25.
This webinar will include a brief overview of the USDA SBIR program followed by high-level strategies for crafting competitive SBIR/STTR proposals that meet unique USDA requirements and offers tips for navigating their submission process.
Our presenter will be Heidi C. Platt of Platinum Grants & Proposals, LLC, a member of the FAST Center of Illinois consultant team. Heidi has been providing consulting services since 2007 to businesses and inventors seeking SBIR/STTR grant funding, having helped clients develop over $75M in grant applications. Heidi's expertise includes proposal development for the following federal agencies: USDA, DOD, DOE, HHS, NASA, and NSF. Prior to forming Platinum, Heidi served as PI for NASA Phase I and II SBIR projects.
We are also pleased that USDA SBIR Program Specialist, Dr. Nurun Nahar, will be joining our webinar to provide insight and guidance in response to your questions. Dr. Nahar has been with NIFA as a Program Specialist since December 2021. Prior to joining NIFA, Dr. Nahar was an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at North Dakota State University. Her research focused on the sustainable use of agricultural resources for food, chemicals, fuel, biomaterials, and biochemical production. She holds a B.S. in Biology, M.S. in Soil Science, and Ph.D. in Environmental and Conservation Science. Her academic backgrounds and skillsets are relevant to biological sciences that combine physical, chemical, and biological interactions of plants, microbes, and soils to ensure economic development while maintaining a sustainable environment. Dr. Nahar is passionate about identifying and addressing hurdles in growing tech and agribusinesses. Within the USDA Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, she can combine her passion for supporting the agricultural industry.
This is a free, virtual event, but registration is required. The link to the webinar will be emailed to you upon completion of the registration form.
After the presentation, teams will have the opportunity to ask questions from the FAST team.
Office Hours are also available weekly.
For more information and how to access more resources, visit the FAST Center at Illinois website. This program is open to all entrepreneurs in the State of Illinois seeking to access SBIR/STTR grant funding.
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are highly competitive programs that encourage domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) with the potential for commercialization. Through a competitive awards-based program, SBIR and STTR enable small businesses to explore their technological potential and provide the incentive to profit from its commercialization. By including qualified small businesses in the nation's R&D arena, high-tech innovation is stimulated, and the United States gains entrepreneurial spirit as it meets its specific research and development needs.
