Kentucky to Host 2012 NIH SBIR/STTR Conference

The Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation (KSTC) announced today that the Commonwealth of Kentucky will host the 2012 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Conference. This is the first time Kentucky has hosted the NIH SBIR/STTR Conference. The Conference, to be held May 30-June 1, 2012 in Louisville, will attract about 600 small businesses and entrepreneurs. A majority of the NIH institutes and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will participate in the Conference in Kentucky. This Conference, therefore, will be a unique opportunity to meet one-on-one with NIH institute representatives to ask questions and get clarifications and to receive the latest information on the NIH SBIR and STTR programs that fund new and existing growth-driven technology companies.

About 2.5 billion dollars are available for this fiscal year for the SBIR and STTR programs. Of this amount, nearly $700 million dollars are available with NIH for grants in these programs. Only small businesses can receive grants under this program.

The Conference will help set the stage for new collaborations across state boundaries to breed innovative ideas that will have regional, national and global impact upon commercialization. The NIH conference will bring together small businesses, entrepreneurs and economic development organizations along with major universities and industries to prepare for challenges in developing tech-based companies and economies. The SBIR and STTR grants are very critical for high tech businesses to develop innovative, but high risk ideas, specifically in their startup and technology development stages. KSTC will partner with the Office of Commercialization and Innovation (OCI) of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, the University of Louisville, the University of Kentucky and other private and public organizations in showcasing Kentucky as a great place to grow ideas and businesses.

For additional information on the 2012 NIH SBIR/STTR Conference, contact Dr. Mahendra K. Jain, Executive Director, Kentucky Science & Engineering Foundation at KSTC (Telephone: 859.246.3230; e-mail: mjain@kstc.com) and the Chair of the local Conference Organizing Committee.