Women Entrepreneurs & Tech Leaders to Lead Live Virtual Event Hosted by USSOCOM


The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program, and other federal initiatives award $2 billion to small businesses every year.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is aiming to improve the capability of small research and development businesses with an emphasis on emerging and underserved small firms. These include women-owned, minority-owned, and veteran-owned small businesses — all of which are equally encouraged to compete for USSOCOM SBIR awards.

The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) SBIR program is set to host a live virtual panel discussion titled, “Successful Women Entrepreneurs Talk about Growing an Advanced Technology Firm,” on July 25th, 2013 from 2:00 — 3:00 pm EDT. The online event will feature a panel of women entrepreneurs, all of whom have received Phase II SBIR funding from USSOCOM to help further develop their technologies and innovations.

Dr. Joanna Jannson of Physical Optics, Ms. Sheila Jazslics of Pathfinder Systems, and Ms. Della Williams of Williams-Pyro will lead the discussion and speak of the various challenges and successes they have encountered while building their businesses. Each panelist will have five to six minutes to introduce themselves and their company, followed by a moderator-led interactive discussion on topics such as the SBIR-funding process, working with USSOCOM, and what it takes to achieve transition through the SBIR program.

The panel will be moderated by Dr. Jenny C. Servo, President of Dawnbreaker, Inc, which specializes in providing commercialization assistance to small advanced technology firms and their investors. Since 1990, Dawnbreaker has worked with over 6,400 firms that have received funding from the SBIR program, the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program, and other federal initiatives.

“The USSOCOM SBIR program is dedicated to encouraging more women to compete for SBIR award monies to grow their advanced technology firms,” explains Dr. Jenny C. Servo, President of Dawnbreaker, Inc. “As Phase II USSOCOM award winners, these women entrepreneurs have proven they can meet warfighter needs and are excellent role models to the SBIR and small business communities.”


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