SCRA hosts forum to connect SC Launch companies and federal government agencies

SCRA, a global leader in applied research and commercialization, held a forum on May 25th and May 26th at its Charleston offices that connected dozens of South Carolina-based, entrepreneurial, SC Launch start-up companies with five Federal Government Agency executives. Mission-oriented Federal government agencies, with whom SCRA has long-standing business partnerships, are often seeking specific solutions which innovative, knowledge-based small businesses are able to provide. This event provided a forum for connecting these entities.

There were more than 75 attendees at the forum, which also introduced SC Launch company principals to senior executives at SCRA and its affiliate, ATI. Many of the entrepreneurial start-up companies in attendance exhibited and presented their products and services to the following governmental agency executives from Washington, DC , who participated in the forum:

•Dr. David Honey, Director of Research, Office of the Director, Defense Research and Engineering, U.S. Department of Defense
•Mr. David Canada, Acting Deputy Director, Center for Small Business Utilization at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
•Dr. Barbara B. Mittleman, Director, Public-Private Partnership Program in the Office of Science Policy, National Institutes of Health
•Mr. Kent Hibben, Business Opportunity Session Coordinator, Small Business Specialist, U.S. Department of Energy
•Dr. Thomas Cellucci, Chief Commercialization Officer, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

SCRA and ATI executives, whose business teams serve many Federal customers, presented an overview of ATI’s expertise in areas such as advanced maritime technologies, advanced materials, health care and clean energy. These speakers also presented case studies of applied research programs that SCRA has implemented across multiple Federal agencies, including a military e-commerce system and a large, ordnance technology consortium.

Since the inception of the SC Launch Program four years ago, SC Launch has assisted, helped form and/or land more than 230 knowledge-based entities in South Carolina, providing both funding and services to more than 178. The Program has attracted more than $104 million in add-on, private equity investment in South Carolina companies. SCRA operations have made a cumulative economic contribution of more than $13.7B to South Carolina.

# # #

About SCRA
scra.org
SCRA is a global leader in applied research and commercialization services with offices in South Carolina, Ohio and in McLean, Virginia. SCRA collaborates to advance technology, providing technology-based solutions with assured outcomes to industry and government, with the help of research universities in SC, the US and around the world.

About SC Launch
sclaunch.org
SC Launch, an SCRA program, assists entrepreneurial start-up companies with up-front counseling, seed-funding, and access to a powerful resource network. The SC Launch mission is to help generate knowledge economy jobs in South Carolina, enhance the state’s quality of life and provide opportunity for all South Carolinians in the new economy.

About ATI
aticorp.org
The Advanced Technology Institute builds global consortia to develop and implement innovative solutions for manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, maritime, metals, and healthcare industries. ATI-led collaborations attract world-class talent from premier companies, universities, and government agencies, to define technology roadmaps and research portfolios matched to business demands that provide the requisite resources to solve shared challenges.

ATI’s partners report improved market transition and return on investment with reduced risk. These practical business benefits enable the downstream economic and social benefits of the new technologies – such as safety, affordability, manufacturing competitiveness, environmental protection, and energy conservation. A private, non-profit research corporation with principal operations in Charleston, SC, ATI is an affiliate of SCRA.