Large Budgets Give U.S. Businesses Growth Opportunities

12:00 am

From the stealth bomber to the creation of the Internet, DARPA, is responsible for the technologies that keep our great nation secure and has been a key force in creating new industries that have fueled our economic growth.

DARPA stands for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and is an agency within the U.S. Department of Defense.  Their main purpose is to develop new technologies for use by the military.  Amongst these programs is their Energy Program, which looks at providing alternative power and energy to our troops and reduce their reliance on petroleum and their logistical burdens.  Portable power such as fuel cells or hybrid fuel cells is the goal within the agency, which will reduce the amount of weight during high endurance activities.

DARPA participates within the Small Business Innovation Research fund (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer fund (STTR), which provide small businesses with $2.2 billion in government grants.  They also participate within the Small Business Program providing prime contracting and subcontracting.  With an annual budget of $3.2 billion, opportunities for small businesses are abundant.

DARPA’s Small Business division will provide small businesses with a workshop on how to engage in business opportunities with DARPA.

Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory