Center for Innovative Technology : Robert Brooke Named SBA Tibbetts Award Winner for 2016

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Robert Brooke Named SBA Tibbetts Award Winner for 2016

CIT's Federal Funding Director Recognized for Contributions to Success of SBIR Program

January 18, 2017 (HERNDON, Va.) - The Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) announced today that Robert Brooke, CIT's Federal Funding Director, has been selected as a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 2016 Tibbetts Award winner for his unique contributions to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program.

Named after "father of the SBIR Program" Roland Tibbetts, the prestigious Tibbetts Award recognizes those individuals and organizations that have made a visible technological impact on the socio-economic front and exemplify the very best in SBIR achievements.

Brooke formed CIT's Federal Funding Assistance Program in 2002 to help Virginia's early stage science and technology-based companies pursue and capture non-dilutive grant and contract financing from the federal government. Since formation, Brooke's Program has provided instruction, federal agency connections and consultation to thousands of Virginia entrepreneurs encompassing tech, life science, clean tech and other emerging technology sectors and spanning all regions of the Commonwealth. Under Brooke's leadership, Virginia has been recipient and four SBA Federal and State Technology Partnership Program (FAST) grants and has consistently ranked among the nation's top state recipients of SBIR and STTR grant and contract funding.

"Robert's tireless work with Virginia entrepreneurs to raise their awareness of federal funding options and to help position them for federal funding wins has been an invaluable part of CIT's efforts to ensure that Virginia's emerging companies receive adequate funding to meet their growth objectives," said Tom Weithman, CIT's GAP Funds Managing Director and Vice President.

"I would like to congratulate Robert on behalf of the Board of Directors, management and staff of CIT. This distinguished national award is the result of his dedication, hard work and creativity to the support of innovators and entrepreneurs across the Commonwealth. This recognition attests to the significant impact Robert's Program has had on every region and demographic segment of the Commonwealth and the importance of his Program as a nation-wide model that other states seek to emulate," said Ed Albrigo, CIT's President and Chief Executive Officer.

The SBIR Program represents the nation's largest source of early stage research and development funding for small businesses. The programs are administered by the SBA in collaboration with 11 federal agencies, which collectively supported more than $2.5 billion in federal research and development funding in fiscal year 2015. Companies supported by the SBIR and STTR programs often generate some of the most important breakthroughs each year in the United States.

Over the course of the last few months, CIT has held multiple SBIR/STTR virtual webinars and on-site workshops at universities across the state, including sessions at Virginia Commonwealth University and George Mason University. Additional workshops will be held at the University of Virginia (February 21- 22, 2017) and Virginia Tech (February 23-24, 2017). To learn more details or to register for these workshops, visit the CIT Events Calendar on our website.

About the Center for Innovative Technology, www.cit.org

Since 1985, CIT, a nonprofit corporation, has been Virginia's primary driver of innovation and entrepreneurship. CIT accelerates the next generation of technology and technology companies through commercialization, capital formation, market development and revenue generation services. To facilitate national innovation leadership and accelerate the rate of technology adoption, CIT creates partnerships between innovative technology start-up companies and advanced technology consumers. CIT's CAGE Code is 1UP71. To learn more, please visit www.cit.org. Follow CIT on Twitter @CITorg and add the Center for Innovative Technology on LinkedIn and Facebook.