DAYTON, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) is in danger of being eliminated, and along with it the tens of thousands of high paying jobs the program helps create each year. The U.S. House of Representatives is preparing to take up House Bill 1425 in early September, a bill that proposes detrimental changes to SBIR. SBIR is recognized by independent agencies as one of the most successful federal programs funding research and development through partnerships with small technological businesses. Negotiations on the legislation between the U.S. House and Senate have stalled, leaving SBIR to expire at the end of September.
One of the major issues during the negotiations has been “The Velazquez Amendment,” introduced by Rep. Nydia Velazquez (NY-5), which would eliminate the current merit-based system, subjecting this successful program to political whim, and funneling money to unproven projects that may not turn into viable, useful technologies for agencies like the National Institutes of Health, Department of Energy and Department of Defense, which rely on cutting edge SBIR technologies to protect our armed forces.
The SBIR program has proven to be a big success in Ohio. Faraday Technology, Inc., an electro chemical engineering company in Dayton, received SBIR funding in 2011 from the Department of Energy for their innovative fuel cell technology, which helps reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and reduce emissions of harmful greenhouse gasses.
“SBIR awards have allowed us to pursue an ‘open innovation’ business model,” said Dr. Jennings Taylor, Chief Technical Officer and Intellectual Property Counsel of Faraday. “With university collaborators we develop effective, innovative technologies for large and small businesses.”
About SBIR:
Congress established the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program in 1982 to stimulate technological innovation, utilize small business to meet federal research and development needs, and encourage participation by minority, underrepresented and disadvantaged businesses in technological innovation. SBIR has been deemed a successful program on many levels. More than 80,000 patents have been delivered by SBIR firms, which employ 1.5 million people. SBIR has led to the creation of companies and products such as Qualcomm, Symantec, iRobot and the electric toothbrush. For more information visit our Facebook page at: