By Gwen Green (gagreen@ualr.edu)
Aug. 28, 2008
LITTLE ROCK - Sharon Ballard's zeal is contagious.
The Alma entrepreneur and CEO wants to see her home state develop its own high-tech, high-paying jobs, and she is ready to help. "We can grow great entrepreneurial ventures here," said Ballard, the founding president and CEO of EnableVentures, Inc., and the former president and CEO of Reticular Systems, Inc.
A frequent lecturer on all aspects of high technology entrepreneurship, she has coached hundreds of potential entrepreneurs across the U.S. and in Europe. The Arkansas Small Business Development Center has invited Ballard to lead a workshop Sept. 17 for entrepreneurs wanting to tap into federal funding for their ventures. The day-long event will focus on writing successful proposals for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.
Covering all 11 federal agencies that participate in SBIR and STTR, the workshop is geared toward early-stage, first-time or previously unsuccessful writers of SBIR Phase I proposals. The event will be held at the Jack Stephens Center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
U.S. small businesses receive more than $2 billion in federal grants and contracts each year through SBIR and its sister program, STTR. The programs provide funding for business and product strategies that meet federal research and development needs. For new technologies considered too risky by banks and other investors, SBIR is often the only funding option available beyond an entrepreneur's own savings.
Under Ballard's leadership, Reticular won more than 30 SBIR awards. In the 2007 fiscal year, 15 SBIR awards went to Arkansas companies, according to the State Science and Technology Institute. "The government annually sets aside $2 billion purely for small business. Right now, Arkansas is an SBIR 'donor' state because more of our tax dollars are going out than are coming in to us through SBIR awards. We're not winning our share. My goal is to raise the win rate here," Ballard said.
Ballard has helped fellow entrepreneurs prepare SBIR/STTR proposals since 1993 and is a founding management fellow for Arizona State University's Technopolis program, which focuses on educating, coaching and networking early-stage entrepreneurs.
Ballard specializes in teaching researchers and scientists about business. "I focus on how to think about business when you're new to business, how to win funds to advance your science and ways to commercialize your technology.
"Scientists and engineers tell us what is possible, but I really enjoy helping them turn what is possible into business realities," she said. "I am convinced that some of the best entrepreneurs are actually scientists and engineers who make the decision to learn the language and science of business."
Regional experts including Mildred Holley of ASBDC, Steve Stanley of A rkansas Science and Technology Authority, Mike Douglas of UAMS BioVentures and Allen Engstrom of CFO Network, LLC, will also provide hands-on coaching at the workshop.
Registration fee is $150 before Sept. 9 and $200 after. Discounted registration fee for faculty is $100. For more information, visit http://asbdc.ualr.edu/sbir or contact Holley, ASBDC Technology Programs manager, at mxholley@ualr.edu or (501) 683-7716.
The seminar is co-sponsored by Arkansas EPSCoR.
###
Related Links
Previous Arkansas SBIR/STTR Awardees
http://asbdc.ualr.edu/technology/awards/
Federal Agencies That Participate in SBIR/STTR
http://asbdc.ualr.edu/technology/grants/
ASBDC Technology Services
http://asbdc.ualr.edu/technology/
