Inside NW Tech Bridge’s Meet the Experts Event on Leveraging Navy SBIR Funding

Last month, NW Tech Bridge partnered with Washington APEX Accelerator, NAVSEA and Matchstick Lab to host Meet the Experts: Leveraging SBIR Funding for Defense Innovation, a hands-on workshop at Vibe Coworks in Poulsbo, WA. The event brought together Pacific Northwest entrepreneurs, founders, and small business leaders with Navy SBIR experts, outreach leads, and experienced industry veterans.

The interactive, half-day workshop offered a rare face-to-face opportunity for attendees to learn how to navigate the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program—an initiative that helps domestic small businesses secure non-dilutive Department of Defense research and development funding. Participants gained a clear overview of the Navy’s SBIR/STTR process, including eligibility requirements, topic selection, proposal structure, and pathways to commercialization.

Navy Topic Managers joined virtually to share current priority areas and provide guidance on aligning emerging technologies with fleet needs. Attendees also benefited from one-on-one consultations with NAVSEA SBIR/STTR outreach leads and on-site support from the Washington APEX Accelerator, receiving tailored feedback to strengthen future proposals and clarify next steps.

A highlight of the day was an engaging fireside chat featuring NW Tech Bridge’s Dave Kowalick alongside successful SBIR awardees Steven Trellis of PDA Engineering and Chris Thobaben of Maren-Go. The speakers shared their SBIR origin stories, lessons learned, and strategies for making SBIR work for emerging technologies, emphasizing the critical importance of building strong relationships with technical points of contact. The session concluded with an interactive Q&A with the audience.

By connecting regional small businesses with subject-matter experts, resource partners, and real-world SBIR success stories, the event demystified the defense funding landscape and delivered actionable insights for future applicants. Attendees left with a stronger understanding of SBIR strategy, direct connections within the defense innovation ecosystem, and renewed confidence to compete for federal R&D funding—advancing NW Tech Bridge’s mission to help small businesses deliver new capabilities to meet Navy and national defense challenges.