Tech Companies to Watch

NIST Creates Office for the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership

This week, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) established a new office to coordinate the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP), an initiative created by the White House in June 2011 to facilitate advanced manufacturing collaborations among industry, academia and government partners. The National Program Office for AMP involves all federal agencies related to manufacturing, including the new Office of Manufacturing Policy of the National Economic Council. Read the details...

Atrributed to: State Science and Technology Institute

Congress Approves Six-Year SBIR Reauthorization

After 14 short-term continuing resolutions and years of negotiations, the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Tranfer (STTR) programs have been reauthorized through 2017. The legislation changes a number of features of SBIR/STTR, including making it possible for companies that are majority-owned by venture capital firms to receive awards. President Obama is expected to sign the bill in the near future.

Last week, the House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization (HR 1540) conference report, which had incorporated the SBIR reauthorization. The six-year term of the conference agreement was a compromise between the three-year reauthorization approved by the House in April and the eight-year term passed by the Senate earlier this month. Funding for awards will increase gradually over the six-year period. Federal science agency set-asides for SBIR will increase from 2.5 percent of their budget in the first year to 3.2 percent by 2017. STTR set-asides will grow from 0.3 percent to 0.45 percent.

The increase in agency set-asides will contribute to a significant boost in the size of awards. Phase I SBIR and STTR awards will increase from $100,000 to $150,000. Phase II will increase from $750,000 to $1 million. Up to 25 percent of the awards made by the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation can be invested in companies that are majority-owned by venture capital firms, including hedge funds or other private equity firms. Other agencies can make up to 15 percent of their awards in venture firm-controlled companies.

A new pilot program will allow agencies to use three percent of SBIR funds for administration, oversight and outreach. This program helps carry out required data collection on awards and investigate abuses. It also will be used to encourage participation of companies in states that receive few awards.

Once signed by the President, the Small Business Administration will have 180 days to implement the revised rules, during which time the public will have a change to offer comments and recommendations.

Read HR 1540 and check its status at: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:h.r.01540:

Attributed to: State Science and Technology Instiute

 

Innovation & Entrepreneurship Summit - Sept. 30, 2010 in New Haven, CT

 

The Connecticut Technology Council is interested in attracting investors and technology companies from the Northeast to participate in the Cantor Colburn LLP / CCAT 2010 Innovation & Entrepreneurship Summit.

General Info
Register to attend the event on September 30, 2010, click here ($25/$45/$55 fee)

Nominate:
Click here to nominate a Tech Startup for the Tech Companies to Watch,

Date & Time:
Thursday, September 30, 2010, 10:00 - 7:30 PM

Location:
New Haven - Ballrooms at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale, 155 Temple Street, New Haven, CT 06510
Park for a fee - We suggest you park either in the parking garage below the Omni Hotel or just across the street in the Temple St. Garage (which is slightly less expensive). 

Basic Agenda:
10:30 AM - 3:00 PM - Northeast ACA Angel Summit  (open to accredited investors only, $55 for full day)
Early Stage Company Presentations - Reviewing four companies with the aim of deal syndication, open to the selected presenters and accredited investors only

(open to all registrants, $45)
3:00 -5:30 PM - Companies to Watch Awards, Poster Fair and Networking, Elevator Pitches by Companies to Watch
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM - Innovation Pipeline Awards, final round of elevator pitches, presentations

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Program Highlights:

• Northeast ACA Angel Summit
• Tech Companies to Watch Showcase
• Elevator Pitches and 4th Annual Innovation Pipeline Awards

This juried event is designed to showcase the products and services from approximately 100 exciting startups.  Each year the event draws several hundred angels, VCs, corporate business development executives, propective customers and partners and the media. 

This multifaceted event will include a technology showcase of the award-winning Companies to Watch. Network with and learn about the best of up-and-coming tech companies in all tech clusters:  Advanced Manufacturing, Energy/Environmental Technologies, Life Sciences, New Media/Internet/Telecom Technologies, IT Services, Software. This event focuses primarily on young, emerging technology companies who have:

• under $5 million in sales,
• an innovative product or service,
• and, the potential to grow quickly.

In attendance the evening of September 30th will be angel investors from Connecticut, Massachusets/Boston, New York, New Jersey and beyond, as earlier in the day, angels of the Angel Capital Association (ACA) will be meeting at a regional gathering of the ACA in New Haven.This event provides exhibiting “Companies to Watch” a unique opportunity to meet with investors. The event will include a  showcase of and elevator pitches by the award-winning Companies to Watch.

Network with and learn about the best of up-and-coming tech companies in Connecticut.

Any questions, please contact Paige Rasid, [email protected]  at CTC at 860-289-0878, x335   

Program presented by:
Connecticut Technology Council, Angel Investor Forum

Sponsored by:
Cantor Colburn LLP, Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc., Wellstone Insurance, CNA, Open Solutions, Microsoft, Connecticut Innovations, Inc., Edwards Angell Palmer and Dodge LLP, Economic Development Corporation of New Haven, Launch Capital LLC, Fiondella, Milone & LaSaracina LLP

Any questions, please contact Paige Rasid, [email protected]  at CTC at 860-289-0878, x335