THE NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) CONFERENCE, MAY 5-7, 2000 Sponsored by the Department of Defense, The National Science Foundation, and the Small Business Administration, in cooperation with all major federal agencies and departments. Co-sponsored by the National Defense Industrial Association. Over $1 billion in federal R&D funds is available under the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program for awards to firms under 500 and fewer employees for technology development and commercialization. The National SBIR/STTR Conference, to be held on May 5-7, 2000 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia (just outside Washington, DC) is the largest federally-sponsored conference focused on helping small high technology companies access these funds. A unique feature of the conference program is the one-on-one meetings with R&D program managers from the 11 federal agencies responsible for 98% of all the Federal R&D spending. Over 35 major corporations thus far have indicated that they will also have one-on-one sessions seeking innovative technologies. Venture capitalists will be looking for new technologies to invest in. Seminars and other sessions with government and private sector experts will provide insights into how to win federal R&D dollars and convert federally-funded R&D into commercial success while maintaining the small company's intellectual property rights. The advance registration fee is only $200. This fee covers all conference sessions, documents, and five (5) meals. Registration may be made by calling the conference web site at www.seeport.com. For information call the SBIR conference hotline at: (561) 588-8825. WEB: Office of the UnderSecretary of Defense, Acquisition, http://www.seeport.com. E-MAIL: MurraAA@hqda.army.mil, BARONJ@acq.osd.mil. Posted 03/28/00 (W-SN438803).

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