About the FLC and the NASVF

The Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC) is the nationwide network of federal laboratories that provides the forum to develop strategies and opportunities for linking the laboratory mission technologies and expertise with the marketplace.

The FLC was organized in 1974 and formally chartered by the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986 to promote and to strengthen technology transfer nationwide. The FLC represents more than 700 federally funded research centers and laboratories throughout the United States.

The Consortium creates an environment that adds value to and supports the technology transfer efforts of its members and potential partners. The FLC develops and tests transfer methods, addresses barriers to the process, provides training, highlights grass-roots transfer efforts, and emphasizes national initiatives where technology transfer has a role. For the public and private sector, the FLC brings laboratories together with potential users of government-developed technologies. This is, in part, accomplished by the FLC Laboratory Locator Network and regional and national meetings.

In consonance with the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986 and related federal policy, the mission of the FLC is, "To promote and facilitate the rapid movement of federal laboratory research results and technologies into the mainstream of the U.S. economy."

The approach of the FLC is to use a coordinated program that meets the technology transfer support needs of FLC member laboratories, agencies, and their potential partners in the transfer process.

The National Association of Seed and Venture Funds is an organization of public agencies, private investors, and public/private partnerships focused on leveraging risk capital resources (private equity, near equity, and various types of debt) to fully serve the needs of deserving entrepreneurs in regions throughout the country.

NASVF Members are among the nation's leading organizations supporting the growth of seed and venture capital resources and the local environment that gives rise to new technology ventures. Our members include:

• Private seed and venture investors.
  
• State seed funds that invest directly in seed and pre-seed stage businesses.
  
• State institutional funds that invest in private seed and venture capital partnerships as a way to build the local venture capital industry.
  
• Science and technology development organizations that foster the launch of technology-based businesses, helping to stimulate economic growth, increase competitiveness and assist in the creation and retention of high technology jobs and businesses.
  
• Federal agencies that support technology development and commercialization.
  
• State departments of commerce that provide funding support ranging from loan guarantees to venture capital.
  
• Technology and business incubators that provide start-up companies with mentoring, common services and low-cost space, and often are sources of pre-seed capital.
  
• Research universities and federal laboratories that create leading edge technologies and invest these intellectual assets through licensing arrangements or as a form of in-kind seed capital in new ventures.
  
• Venture capital forums, conferences and clubs that showcase promising entrepreneurs to private investors and extend the knowledge of seed and venture investing within their communities.
  
• Chambers of commerce that promote entrepreneurship and access to capital, often through local angel investor groups.
• The NASVF holds an annual conference in the fall, open to members and invited guests, typically showcasing a particular region's success in stimulating local investment in emerging technologies and facilitating tech transfer.

The Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA) is a consortium of over sixty universities and colleges throughout the US that helps coordinate and sponsor research projects in engineering, biology, physical sciences, and natural sciences. SURA also jointly operates Jefferson Lab -- a premiere nuclear physics research facility -- on behalf of the US Department of Energy through Jefferson Science Associates, LLC, a joint venture between SURA and Computer Sciences Corporation. SURA manages programs in information technology, coastal research, and technology commercialization. Please visit the SURA website for more information, including seed-stage investing for early startup companies via SURAfund (www.sura.org/surafund).