SBIR/STTR Success Stories
Each year, the government awards billions through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Hear from participants of Capital Factory’s no-cost SBIR Accelerator program who gained the insight to find success.
What you’ll find out
- Where the startups started up in the dual-use space (01:10)
- How the AFWERX SBIR process opens doors (04:00)
- What to do if your Phase 1 proposal is rejected (12:30)
- How to be successful with your customer (13:30)
- How to succeed with STTR (16:55)
- How different agencies handle contracting and acquisition (19:22)
- What’s the value of TPOCs (24:10)
Key quotes
- “It’s really based off of listening to what’s going on with the troops, understanding their pain points, understanding where future monies are being allocated, and really just pulling on those different strings to make sure that you are a good fit.” — John Chapman, Link to Learn President (07:01)
- “There’s a thousand good ideas but if there’s not a requirement, there’s not a capability gap, there’s no funding behind it, you’re kind of going down the wrong path.” — John Chapman, Link to Learn President (07:16)
- “The very unique part about the AFWERX SBIR process is they’re all open topics…So the way we’ve leveraged is we’ve talked to a lot of folks in the military who want to use our products but don’t have their own cash. So we’re utilizing the SBIR process as a way to get R&D dollars.” — David Zakariaie, Senseye CEO and Founder (9:11)
- “Give the customer the experience you want to have…Do your homework ahead of time.” — Jeff Brooks, Robotic Services Inc. Chief Operating Officer (14:30)
- “Plug into the communities you have access to that do this work. If you’re at Capital Factory, there are venues here that can really, really help you in a specific way for your team.” — Jeff Brooks, Robotic Services Inc. Chief Operating Officer (27:16)
Who you’ll hear from
Helena Krusec, Capital Factory Senior Venture Partnerships Manager
David Zakariaie, Senseye CEO and Founder
John Chapman, Link to Learn President
Jeff Brooks, Robotic Services Inc. Chief Operating Officer
About Fed Supernova
Fed Supernova is a two-day annual conference highlighting defense innovation in Texas. This first-of-its-kind interactive experience draws national attention and connects leading entrepreneurs, investors, thought leaders, corporations, and decision makers from around the world.About Capital Factory
Capital Factory is the center of gravity for entrepreneurs in Texas, the number one startup state in the U.S. Hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs, programmers and designers gather day and night, in-person and online for meetups, classes and coworking. With boots on the ground in Austin, Dallas and Houston, we meet the best entrepreneurs in Texas and introduce them to their first investors, employees, mentors and customers. According to Pitchbook, Capital Factory has been the most active investor in Texas since 2013.
