MBDA Pursues Tech-Transfer Opportunities for Minority-Owned Firms at the Federal Laboratory Consortium’s Annual Meeting

Last week, Candace Shiver and Demetria Gallagher of the Minority Business Development Agency’s (MBDA) Office of the National Director, participated in the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) in Denver, Colorado.  This meeting brought together hundreds of technology transfer professionals from both the public and private sector, providing in depth training and networking opportunities to initiate the establishment of interagency and industry partnerships
to advance federal technologies from federal lab to the marketplace.

MBDA recognizes that the advancement of federal technology transfer programs requires a new comprehensive approach to engage minority business enterprises (MBEs) and students of color in the commercialization of technology and innovation.  There are more than 65,000 minority employers in the technology industry with the potential to bring scientific discoveries to the marketplace by utilizing federal inventions and technologies. In order for the U.S. to remain globally competitive, it must leverage this diversity.

The national federal laboratory network is uniquely positioned to serve as a vehicle to escalate the number of MBEs in high growth industries that have the capacity to bring new innovative products and services to market. By supporting new generations of aspiring minority entrepreneurs as well as established technology companies, the economy stands to benefit through business growth, global competitiveness, and significant job creation.

Candace and Demetria networked with a significant number of agencies and businesses that are eager to engage, or already committed to engaging, MBEs and students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). In collaboration with the FLC, National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Energy, and other federal partners, MBDA looks forward to bringing MBEs to the forefront of opportunities that support the Obama Administration’s call to action to improve the coordination of technology commercialization activities across the federal government.

We believe in the importance of such collaboration, and we are dedicated to expanding opportunities for minority firms to participate in technology and innovation at higher levels.  If you are a business that is interested in learning more about federal technology transfer resources, please visit: Federal Laboratory Consortium Business Website.

Visit www.mbda.gov for more information.