National conference to attract investors, researchers, agencies

Registration has opened for a national conference in Sparks in November that's expected to draw as many 800 venture capitalists, angel investors, university researchers, federal agencies, businesses and technology developers.

The National Small Business Innovation Research Council will allow entrepreneurs and investors to get a look at early-stage companies whose research is funded through a couple of federal programs.

The Small Business Innovation Research and the Small Business Technology Transfer programs are the largest sources of early-stage funding in the United States. They provide more than $2 billion annually to small, for-profit companies to carry out leading-edge high-risk research.

More than 40 percent of the funds are awarded to companies with 10 or fewer employees and much of the money goes to companies with three or fewer employees. Nearly a third of the awards go to first-time winners every year.

The conference at John Ascuaga's Nugget Casino Resort Nov. 2-5 will include presentations on how companies can tap into the research funds as well as opportunities for researchers and investors to share ideas.

This marks the first time the annual conference has been conducted in Nevada. It's hosted by Nevada Small Business Development Center.

(Registration, sponsorship and exhibitor information is at http://www.unr.edu/sbir-sttr2009.)