Believe or not, Madison will attract national attention this year, and none of that attention will have anything to do with a Badger sporting event.
Thanks to the efforts of hundreds of academicians and business people alike, the Capital City will welcome two national conferences for the first time in 2011: the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) National Conference and the 19th Congress for the New Urbanism.
SBIR: Creating Bridges of Opportunity
First up, in April, will be the SBIR Conference, first announced by former Gov. Jim Doyle at last year's Chicago's BIO 2010 International Convention. The U.S. Small Business Association's office of Technology administers the SBIR (and the STTR, Small Business Technology Transfer) programs each year, and its spring and fall conventions provide small, high-tech businesses access to representatives from 15 federal agencies which are required each year to dole out 2.5% of their research budgets in small business grants. That amounts to $2 billion in funding each year, driving home the importance of establishing connections between small businesses and federal contacts. This year's SBIR Conference, scheduled for April 11-13, is more than a nod to the region's thriving high-tech industry, it is a win-win for all industries.
To read the full, original article click on this link: IBMadison.com : Madison in the National Spotlight
