Events

Registration is required to participate in the Illinois Road Tour Event. The registration fee is $50 per person and includes breakfast and lunch meals. Questions about the Illinois Road Tour Event may be directed to road-tour@lists.illinois.edu. 

This event is a unique on-site opportunity to learn from, network, and engage with federal agencies that offer SBIR/STTR funding – as well as groups that provide SBIR proposal assistance or support for Illinois teams seeking to commercialize their research or technology. This event will not offer a virtual option. 

The University of Illinois Research Park is pleased to host the Illinois stop of the 2024 Great Lakes America’s Seed Fund Road Tour. We invite you to register and participate in this national outreach effort that connects innovators and entrepreneurs to non-dilutive, technology funding opportunities provided through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. As part of America’s Seed Fund Road Tour, local Federal And State Technology (FAST) Partners coordinate with SBA’s Office of Investment and Innovation and SBA Field Offices to host each stop and programming throughout the day. Federal agency SBIR/STTR program managers travel to each stop along the tour to engage with local and national innovation ecosystems. Each Road Tour destination offers programming and 1:1 meetings between innovators and federal agencies to help attendees navigate over $4 billion in early-stage funding opportunities through America’s Seed Fund.