​Join us for an engaging and informative session on the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Designed for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and innovators who are starting, or considering starting, an innovative company and exploring funding opportunities.   

​The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are competitive non-dilutive funding programs that fund eligible small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D). At DOE, the funding takes the form of grants and cooperative agreements. Projects must have the potential for commercialization and be responsive to DOE topics which are published in advance of each funding opportunity announcement. Our topics are formulated to advance DOE’s mission. DOE offers more than sixty technical topics and 250 subtopics annually, spanning research areas that support the DOE mission in:

• ​Energy Production & Use

• ​Fundamental Energy Science

• ​Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation

• ​Environmental Management

​This workshop will be led by Carol Rabke, Technology to Market Advisor at the DoE, who will provide expert insights into the DOE SBIR/STTR programs and answer your questions.

​Come ready to learn, ask questions, and explore new funding opportunities. No prior experience or technical background is required!

​Agenda:

• ​11:00 AM – Welcome & Introduction - Gretel von Son (5 min)

• ​11:05 AM – DoE SBIR/STTR Overview – Carol Rabke (25 min)

• ​11:30 AM – Q&A - Shadi Azoum (20 min)

• ​12:00 PM – Closing

​Speakers:

​Shadi Azoum

​Mr. Shadi Azoum is the current Program Manager for the NAVWAR Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR), and Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF) Program Management Offices. He has served in this position since June 2016. Prior to this position, Mr. Azoum led the Science and Technology (S&T) portfolio for PEO C4I, PMW 130 (Information Assurance and Cyber Security Program Office) as the Assistant Program Manager (APM) for Science and Technology (S&T) since May 2011. Mr. Azoum has a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Computer Science and Master of Science (MS) in Information Security from Florida State University.

​Carol Rabke

​Carol Rabke joined the DOE SBIR/STTR Programs Office in July 2021 as a Technology to Market (T2M) advisor.  In this role, she is focused on improving partnering of SBIR/STTR applicants and awardees providing resources to help them build the necessary relationships at each step of the development path. The goal is to improve both research and commercialization outcomes. 

​Prior to joining DOE, Carol spent over twenty years working in the SBIR/STTR community as a commercialization service provider while employed by Dawnbreaker.  During this time, she worked with hundreds of SBIR/STTR funded small businesses - the bulk of which were NSF-funded or DOE-funded.  She served as the program manager of Dawnbreaker’s Phase I commercialization programs for both NSF and DOE and played a key role in developing the Virtual Strategic Partner Introduction (VSPI®) Series that facilitated virtual introductions between small businesses and perspective partners from industry and the investment communities.  

​Carol has a Ph.D. in physical/analytical chemistry from the University of Utah where she built several scanning tunneling microscopes and an atomic force microscope for biological applications. She has authored several peer reviewed publications including articles in Science and Langmuir.