Thank you, Brandy, for that wonderful introduction, and for your leadership and advocacy for women in STEM.
I couldn’t be more excited to be joining the SBIR Women Got Game showcase event at the 2021 Ed Games Expo.
I have spent my life in the small business and innovative startup ecosystems. I’ve been extremely fortunate to work with and track so many amazing women entrepreneurs break through barriers and shatter glass ceilings to develop and scale their ideas and dreams.
You’ll hear from a few incredible women founders in a moment, who used their skills and passions to help more girls and women find their path in science, technology, engineering and math … so that they can take their great ideas and share them with the world.
The SBA’s Small Business Innovation Research program, or SBIR, is here to do the same. We call it America’s Seed Fund because our goal is to invest in innovative R&D that will commercialize to launch America’s next generation of startups.
Together with its university-based counterpart, Small Business Technology Transfer program or STTR, SBIR is the world’s largest source of early-stage public finance.
I’m proud that SBIR funding helped the four women here today innovate, create and become role models for girls interested in STEM careers, and I hope that all of you listening today will go to SBIR.gov powered by the SBA and SBA.gov to find out how we can help you achieve your dreams.
Thank you – enjoy today’s showcase and the expo!