The National SBIR Fall Conference
Ramkota Hotel * Rapid City, SD
October 23 - 26, 2001
AGENDA (Updated October 15, 2001)
Pre-Conference Session, Workshops & Events * Tuesday, October 23, 2001
8:15am - 8:45am   Registration @ South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
1:30pm - 6:00pm   SBIR Registration & Service Desk @ Ramkota Hotel

The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology sessions require separate and advance registration. For information, contact: or call .
Time & Location Pre-Conference Session for Student and Faculty Entrepreneurs
All sessions held at Surbeck Center, SDSM&T Campus
8:45am - 9:00am Welcome & Introduction: Lee Eiden, DoEd SBIR Prog. Mgr.
9:00am - 10:30am Successful SBIR Business Panel:
Introduction & Moderator: Lee Eiden, DoEd SBIR Prog. Mgr.
Participants: Native American Business from Montana; Keith Whites, Faculty & SBIR Winner, SDSM&T; Scott Thompson, Realtronics, & SDSM&T grad, Microconversion Technologies
The panel will consist of how the participants used the SBIR program to start or grow their technology company. The emphasis will be on the benefits of the SBIR program and how to successfully use it to start and grow a company.
10:30am - 10:45am Break
10:45am - 12:00noon Business Basics & Available Assistance
Introduction & Moderator: Greg Bartron, Genesis

Panel: Dennis Anderson, Genesis Equity Fund; Val Simpson, Business Consultant; Chris Braendlin, Commissioner, SD Governor's Office of Economic Development
12:00noon - 1:00pm Networking Lunch
1:00pm - 2:00pm Concurrent Sessions:
  1. Faculty: Rewards & Challenges of Faculty Business Owners - Dr. Neil Chamberlian, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
  2. Students: Rewards & Challenges of Student Business Owners - Russ Mileham, Student SBIR Competitor
  3. K-12 Students & Faculty: High-Tech Career Opportunities - Kaia Kloster, PhotoBioMed (Medical), Information Technology/Computer Science, Barry Krikke, ITT, Sioux Falls; Engineering
2:00pm - 2:15pm Break
2:15pm - 3:15pm

NOTE: This entire program will take place at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

Participants will be encouraged to attend the Introduction Session at the Ramkota at 4:00pm-5:30pm and the Reception, 5:45pm-7:30pm.

Faculty and College Students: Entrepreneurship Opportunities - DoD; HHS, JoAnne Goodnight, NCIIA, Phil Weilerstein; NSF, John Hurt, NSF
Below are SBIR Pre-Conference Workshops/Sessions * Ramkota Hotel, Tuesday, October 23, 2001
7:30am - 3:45pm

Ramkota Hotel

 Phase I: Proposal Preparation Workshop - Pre-registration Required
Presented by: Gail & Jim Greenwood, Greenwood Consulting, Inc. (Sponsored in part by Sandia National Laboratory)
  • Workshop check-in available outside meeting room at 7:30am.
  • A Continental Breakfast will be available in the meeting room; lunch will be provided.
1:30pm - 2:00pm
Ramkota Hotel

2:00pm - 3:30pm
Ramkota Hotel

 Economic Development & Community Leaders - Pre-Conference Networking & Registration

Pre-Conference Session: R&D Spurs Economic Development: Sheridan, Wyoming Panel Presentation

Representatives from Sheridan, Wyoming will discuss how a rural community has generated interest in the SBIR program, encouraged submission of proposals and how they have developed programs to help the SBIR winners commercialize the research results. They will also discuss how the SBIR program has benefited their economic and community development efforts.
4:00pm - 5:30pm
Ramkota Hotel		 Introduction to SBIR/STTR - All Conference Attendees Invited to Attend Presentation by: John Woolham, J.H. Woolham Company

An overview of the SBIR program from the perspective of how an entrepreneur used the SBIR program to start and grow a technology-based business. Each phase of the SBIR process will be discussed and how it fits into the model for development and commercialization of a new technology or product.
5:45pm - 7:30pm
Ramkota Hotel
Welcome Reception!
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DAY ONE - Wednesday, October 24, 2001
7:00am - 5:30pm SBIR Registration & Service Desk
7:30am - 9:00am Continental Breakfast
Time & Location Program Session & Speakers

8:30am - 9:30am

Official Welcome & Keynote Address
Welcome by: NSF, DoD & SBA Representatives & Local Officials
Keynote Speaker:To be announced

9:30am - 10:30am

 Agency Presentations - Part 1 * Moderated by: Ivory Fisher, DoD

Scheduled to present in order: Approx. Start Time
   1. DoD - General Comments: Ivory Fisher  9:30
   2. Army: Major Janice Baker  9:40
   3. Navy: Vincent Schaper  9:52
   4. Air Force: Len Moore 10:04
   5. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA): Connie Jacobs 10:16

10:30am - 11:00am

 Networking Break

11:00am - 12:00noon

 Agency Presentations - Part 2 * Moderated by: Ivory Fisher, DoD

Scheduled to present in order: Approx. Start Time
   1. National Imagery & Mapping Agency (NIMA):Derrick Riddle 11:00
   2. Defense Technology Information Center (DTIC): Wendy Hill 11:12
   3. Advanced Technical Program (ATP): John Hewes 11:24
   4. Department of Energy: Arlene de Blanc 11:36
   5. NASA: James Kalshoven 11:48

12:00noon - 1:30pm

SBIR Conference Luncheon with Guest Speaker

Guest Speaker: Dr. Michael Yeh, President & CEO of CAELUM

1:30pm - 3:00pm

 Agency Presentations - Part 3 * Moderated by: Joseph Hennessey, NSF

Scheduled to present in order: Approx. Start Time
   1. National Science Foundation: Joseph Hennessey 1:30
   2. Dept. of Education: Lee Eiden 1:42
   3. Environmental Protection Agency: James Gallup 1:54
   4. Dept. of Agriculture: Ruth Lange 2:06
   5. Dept. of Commerce: William Fellows 2:18
   6. Dept. of Transportation: Joseph Henebury 2:30
   7. National Institutes of Health: JoAnne Goodnight 2:42

3:15pm - 3:45pm

 Networking Break

3:45pm - 5:15pm

 Expanded Agency Presentations: This time is available for general questions and discussions, not specific project or proposal questions.

3:45pm - 5:15pm

 Dept. of Defense: Program Managers from all DoD Agencies

3:45pm - 5:15pm

 National Institutes of Health: JoAnne Goodnight

3:45pm - 4:20pm
Agency Presenter
   1. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):   James Gallup
   2. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA): Ruth Lange
   3. Dept. of Education (DoEd): Lee Eiden
   4. NASA: James Kalshoven

4:25pm - 5:15pm
Agency Presenter
   1. National Science Foundation (NSF):  Joseph Hennessey
   2. Dept. of Energy (DoE): Arlene de Blanc
   3. Dept. of Transportation (DoT): Joseph Henebury
   4. Dept. of Commerce (DoC): William Fellows
5:30pm - 7:00pm Networking Reception
Join the SBIR Program Managers and other attendees for some conversation and refreshments.
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DAY TWO - Thursday, October 25, 2001
7:30am - 5:00pm    SBIR Registration & Service Desk
7:30am - 9:00am Continental Breakfast
7:30am - 5:00pm Exhibits & One-on-One Tables open
Time & Location Program Sessions & Speakers
  Track #1       Program Sessions & Speakers       Track #2
8:00am - 9:30am Proposal Primer

Presented by:

  • Mark Henry, PBC, Inc.
  • Oliver Murphy, Lynntech, Inc.

Agencies are tremendously diverse in their programs, solicitations and reviewers. There are no guaranteed winning strategies but there are things you can do to improve your chances. Speakers will review keys to writing winning proposals and take a look at proposal evaluators' "do's and don'ts".

 Equity Financing in Your Future

Session Organized & Introductions by: Dr. Paul Gnirk
 Presented by:

  • Allco Ventures, LLC
  • Genesis Equity Fund, LLC
  • Phase Technology, LLC

This session will begin with remarks dealing with the concept of equity financing, the differences among angel investors, venture capital and other investors and how a company approaches investors. Subsequently, representatives of Phase Technology, LLC will present a business plan for commercialization of its "optical detection system" to the venture capital groups for their critique, evaluation and commentary.
Day Two Cont'd
Time & Location Program Sessions & Speakers
9:30am - 10:30am Extended Networking Break
  • Use this time to visit the Exhibits and One-on-One Tables in the Networking Room.
  • Presentation Area: Check the Presentation Area poster for Bonus Scheduled Talks.
  Track #1       Program Sessions & Speakers       Track #2

10:30am - 12:00noon

 Intellectual Properties

Presented by:

  • Bob Hunter, YES Technologies

Dr. Hunter is a successful SBIR competitor and inventor who has become a registered patent agent. Using his personnel experiences and knowledge of intellectual property, he will discuss how to protect your IP, different options for protecting IP and how to capitalize on your IP through licensing or sales agreements.

 Faculty Entrepreneurs
Introduction & Moderator: Dennis Anderson, Genesis
Presented by:
  • David Galipeau, MCT & South Dakota State University
  • Greg Gillispie, Ph.D., CEO, Dakota Technologies Inc.
What are the challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurial faculty members? How can you balance university and business demands? How does the SBIR/STTR program helps?

12:00noon - 1:30pm

 Networking Luncheon
  • Looking to meet folks interested in your technology area? Some tables will have Technology Topic signs to get you together.
  • Need some time to visit with folks you've already met? Grab a chair anywhere!
  • This is your time to network with other attendees - Enjoy!
  Track #1       Program Sessions & Speakers       Track #2

1:30pm - 3:00pm

 Business Commercialization Strategy & Financial Planning

Presented by:

  • Jenny Servo, Dawnbreaker
How do you start, finance and build a small high-tech business? Get important information to help you get off to a good start. 		Seeking Venture Capital
Session Organized & Introductions by: Dr. Paul Gnirk
 Presented by:
  • Allco Ventures, LLC
  • Cynetics Corp.
  • Genesis Equity Fund, LLC
This session will begin with remarks dealing with various types of financing available to companies seeking capital for commercialization of a product or idea, the match between need and potential for financing, and how to approach a venture capital group with a potential business deal. Subsequently, a representative of Cynetics Corp. will present a business plan for commercialization of its "packet communication technologies for Internet and wireless communication" to the venture capital groups for their critique, evaluation, and commentary.

3:00pm - 4:00pm

 Extended Networking Break
  • Use this time to visit the Exhibits and One-on-One Tables in the Networking Room.
  • Presentation Area: Check the Presentation Area poster for Bonus Scheduled Talks.
  Track #1       Program Sessions & Speakers       Track #2

4:00pm - 5:30pm

 Managing Government Grants & Contracts

Presented by:

  • David Metzger, Holland & Knight, LLP
  • Kathleen Shino, National Institutes of Health
  • Peggy Fischer, Office of the Inspector General for Investigations
What you need to know when working with the government. What to look for….what to look out for…how to maximize the positive and minimize the rest. Discussions will include federal acquisition regulations, negotiations, pricing and audits. 		Non-R&D Businesses Win SBIR Awards

Presented by:

  • Tom Johnson, T&J Enterprises
  • Ernest Schmidt, Wyoming Sawmills, Inc.
  • Terry Gross, Octa-Flex Environmental Systems
The panel of non-R&D company owners will discuss how they have used the SBIR program to develop new technologies and products that have transformed their companies. Each of the panel members will describe how they developed ideas for new technologies, developed the necessary research team, and won SBIR awards.
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DAY THREE - Friday, October 26, 2001
7:30am - 1:30pm      SBIR Registration & Service Desk
7:30am - 9:00am   Continental Breakfast
7:30am - 12:00noon   Exhibits & One-on-One Tables Open
Time & Location Program Sessions & Speakers
8:30am - 12:00noon
Track #1       Program Sessions & Speakers       Track #2

8:30am - 10:00am

 Inside the Evaluation Process
Moderator: Herbert "Sonny" Kreitman, ScienceWise, Inc.
Panel Members:
  • Connie Jacobs, DARPA
  • Ruth Lange, Dept. of Agriculture
  • Lee Eiden, Dept. of Education
  • James Kalshoven, NASA
  • JoAnne Goodnight, NIH
  • Joe Hennessey, NSF
Ever wonder how SBIR proposals are evaluated? Do all agencies use the same criteria? Agency representatives will give you an overview of what they are looking for….what is important to ensure your proposal is selected. This session is interactive - bring your questions! 		University Environments that Foster SBIR/STTR Entrepreneurs

Presented by:

  • Bill Gern, University of Wyoming
The presentation will focus on how universities can integrate entrepreneurship and applied research into their curriculum and create an environment that encourages students and faculty to be entrepreneurial. Specific topics include how to identify and develop university-based research using the SBIR/STTR programs, models for collaborating with start-up businesses, managing IP issues, and programs to encourage technology-based entrepreneurship.

10:00am - 10:30am

 Networking Break - Last Chance!
  • Use this time to visit the Exhibits and One-on-One Tables in the Networking Room.

10:30am-12:00noon

 STTR Program
Introduction & Moderator: Herbert "Sonny" Kreitman, Sciencewise, Inc.
Presented by:
  • Joseph Hennessey, NSF
  • Russ Mileham, MCT
  • David Hildebrand, South Dakota State University
  • Representative, University of Wyoming
How do the SBIR and STTR program differ? Which programs should I pursue? How should the business approach and work with the university? How should the university approach and work with the business? What type of agreements need to be in place prior to Phase I submission? What issues should I be aware of in an STTR relationship and how can they be handled? 		Negotiation of Licensing & Sales Agreements
Presented by:
  • Bob Hunter, YES Technologies
The presenters representing a small business that has licensing and sold technologies and a large corporation that has purchased technologies will provide insights into the negotiation process, how to determine a value and what type of agreement you might expect.
Official Conference Closes
Post-Conference Meetings or Workshops * Friday, October 26th, 2001
7:30am - 1:30pm       SBIR Registration & Service Desk open
Time & Location Event Descriptions
1:00pm - 5:00pm Workshop #1: Phase III Commercialization - Business Beyond the Laboratory -
 Pre-registration Required
Presented by Richard L. Lucas, Ph.D. and Carol E. Rabke, Ph.D., Dawnbreaker.
1:00pm - 5:00pm Workshop #2: Commercialization of University Research Results - Pre-registration Required
Presented by: Philip Z. Sobocinski, Ph.D., Assoc. Director for Technology Development & Commercialization, University of Wisconsin - Madison
12:30pm - 5:00pm Workshop #3: Phase II: Proposal Preparation - Pre-registration Required
Presented by: Gail & Jim Greenwood, Greenwood Consulting, Inc. (Sponsored in part by Sandia National Laboratory) (Box lunch included)
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