The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program hosted the 2012 NCI SBIR Investor Forum on April 18, 2012 in Santa Clara, CA. This year’s meeting brought together nearly 200 SBIR-funded companies, investors, venture capitalists, strategic partners, and business leaders from the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, and featured presentations from 18 top NCI SBIR-funded companies with innovative cancer-related technologies on the brink of commercialization.

2012 NCI SBIR Investor Forum Highlights:

• The Investor Forum provided a sneak preview of 18 leading NCI SBIR-funded oncology companies, opportunities for one-on-one meetings, and a networking reception for attendees to make valuable business connections.
• The companies selected to present at the 2012 Investor Forum were chosen based on the strength of their technological and commercial potential by a review panel comprised of life science investment and business development experts.
• The keynote address, entitled “Provocative Questions: Identifying Perplexing Problems to Drive Progress Against Cancer,” was delivered by Dr. Ed Harlow, Special Advisor to the NCI Director. During the keynote, Dr. Harlow discussed NCI’s Provocative Questions Initiative, a project to drive bold new solutions to the major unsolved or neglected oncology problems.
• NCI SBIR Development Center Director Michael Weingarten provided updates on new initiatives, funding opportunities, and how investors and strategic partners can benefit from the program.
• Dr. Jodi Black, Deputy Director of the Division of Extramural Research Activities at the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, talked about NHLBI’s SBIR program and translational research efforts.
• The Forum closed with a panel discussion entitled “Investor Perspectives on the Next Big Thing in Cancer Research,” moderated by Michael J. O’Donnell of Morrison Foerster and featuring panelists from Versant Ventures, Mohr Davidow Ventures, Genentech, and Lilly Ventures.