Kicking off America’s Seed Fund Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will host its 2nd annual Startup Expo – showcasing innovative ventures that define the cutting edge of technologies critical for our nation’s economic prosperity, global competitiveness, and national security:   America’s Seed Fund Startup Expo 2023 Monday, May 15th 2:30 – 5:00 PM EDT Virtual Event   About the Expo At Startup Expo 2023, qualified startups will showcase their technology developed through America’s Seed Fund, after having been selected during the competition period from April 5 to 16, 2023. This year’s competition is open to innovative startups focused in 14 critical technology areas including biotechnology, quantum science, artificial intelligence (AI), space technology, renewable energy and hypersonics.   14 Critical Technology Areas Biotechnology Quantum Science Future Generation (FutureG) Wireless Technology Advanced Materials Trusted AI and Autonomy Integrated Network Systems-of Systems Microelectronics Space Technology Renewable Energy Generation and Storage Advanced Computing and Software Human-Machine Interfaces Directed Energy Hypersonics Integrated Sensing and Cyber   About America’s Seed Fund Also known as “America’s Seed Fund”, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs’ mission is to support scientific excellence and technological innovation through the investment of federal research funds in critical American priorities to build a strong national economy. These programs represent the nation’s largest source of early-stage research and development funding for small businesses. SBA coordinates the programs, collaborating with 11 federal agencies, who collectively supported more than $4 billion a year in federal research and development funding. Through these highly competitive grant programs domestic small businesses with the potential for commercialization are encouraged to engage in federal Research and Development (R&D); these programs are an important resource for a wide range of researchers, innovators, inventors, entrepreneurs, and startups working on big ideas. The program’s goals are to: Stimulate technological innovation; Meet federal research and development needs; Foster and encourage participation in innovation and entrepreneurship by women and socially or economically disadvantaged persons; and Increase private-sector commercialization of innovations derived from Federal research and development funding About the Host The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Investment and Innovation (OII) leads programs that provide the high-growth small business community with access to two things: financial capital and R&D funds to develop commercially viable innovations. Our work is underpinned by public-private partnerships that help small businesses on their trajectory from idea to IPO.