America’s Seed Fund Road Tour Coming to MSU Campus on July 15 to Engage Entrepreneurs Creating Cutting-Edge Technologies

MSU Research Foundation to co-host national outreach program on July 15, connecting innovators to over $4 billion in Federal SBIR/STTR grant and contract opportunities.

EAST LANSING, MI — The MSU Research Foundation and MSU Innovation Center, in collaboration with BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consulting, are co-hosting the America’s Seed Fund Road Tour at Michigan State University on Monday, July 15. This event is part of a nationwide initiative of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to connect entrepreneurs developing advanced technologies with America’s Seed Fund, the nation’s largest source of early-stage federal funding through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.

“The SBIR and STTR funding programs have carried thousands of new technologies across the chasm that exists between late-stage research projects and early-stage product development,” said David Washburn, Executive Director at the MSU Research Foundation. “We’re excited to bring together innovators from our ecosystem to further understand how these important programs can help nurture new business growth.”

America’s Seed Fund provides over $4 billion annually in non-dilutive funding from 11 participating federal agencies, fostering cutting-edge research and development (R&D) across the country. The Road Tour is a crucial outreach effort designed to increase engagement between innovators and federal agencies offering SBIR/STTR grants and contracts, playing a pivotal role in supporting next-generation innovations.

“Program directors from all 11 SBIR/STTR agencies will be on-site for the morning sessions, which include a unique opportunity for companies to meet one-on-one with federal SBIR/STTR officers,” said Jeff Smith, Director of Research Parks. “The afternoon program will feature resources from across Michigan that support innovation companies.”

Federal agencies expected to participate at the Kellogg Center include the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Several cutting-edge technology companies within the MSU ecosystem have successfully leveraged SBIR/STTR funding, including Iaso Therapeutics. “SBIR grants have fueled our transformation from a university technology into a preclinical development company," said Robert Forgey, President and CEO of Iaso Therapeutics. "To date, we've raised over $2.75 million in non-dilutive financing that went directly into developing our products.”

The SBIR/STTR federal business development grants are crucial for any university startup ecosystem. Other examples of Michigan State University startups that have leveraged these programs include Tarn Biosciences, Great Lakes Crystal Technologies, Karax LLC, and Motion Grazer AI.

The America’s Seed Fund Road Tour event is open to the public and is especially relevant for tech startups, entrepreneurs seeking R&D funding, investors interested in high-potential tech companies, and MSU faculty from disciplines such as Engineering, Natural Sciences, and Life Sciences.

For more information about the America’s Seed Fund Road Tours and registration, visit bbcetc.com/special-programs/sba-road-tour

This story was originally posted on the MSU Research Foundation Website

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About the MSU Innovation Center:?

The MSU Innovation Center is dedicated to fostering innovation, research commercialization, and entrepreneurial activities from the research and discovery happening across our campus every day. We act as the primary interface for researchers aiming to see their research applied to solving real-world problems and making the world a better place to live. We aim to empower faculty, researchers, and students within our community of scholars by providing them with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities to bring their discoveries to the forefront.

Through strategic collaborations with the private sector, we aim to amplify the impact of faculty research and drive economic growth while positively impacting society. We foster mutually beneficial, long-term relationships with the private sector through corporate-sponsored research collaborations, technology licensing discussions, and support for faculty entrepreneurs to support the establishment of startup companies.???About the Michigan State University Research Foundation

The MSU Research Foundation supports the Michigan State University ecosystem with resources that increase the impact of research and innovation. The Foundation achieves its mission through grant programs that contribute over $10 million annually to the University, entrepreneurial programming and early-stage investments that accelerate technology transfer and startup growth throughout Michigan, and environments where startup businesses and collaborators can thrive. The Foundation's work is made possible through its stewardship of a flexible and sustainable endowment, nourished by over 50 years of licensing revenues and investment returns. Learn more about the MSU Research Foundation and its impact at msufoundation.org.

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. Learn more at sba.gov.