America’s Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), SBDC leaders, advisors, clients, partners and stakeholders gathered on Capitol Hill for the sixth annual Client Showcase and Reception on Tuesday, February 11th. Representative Steve Chabot of Ohio, Ranking Member of the Committee on Small Business, addressed the reception guests. Several of his colleagues also visited the reception, in which America’s SBDC Network showcased 10 SBDC clients from across the country.

The SBDC clients are:

• Inergy Solar, Idaho SBDC Network
• Sun Buckets, Illinois SBDC Network
• Hotel Tango Distillery, Indiana SBDC Network
• EMP Shield, Kansas SBDC Network
• Oceans 97, Louisiana SBDC Network
• Atlas Space Operations Inc., Michigan SBDC Network
• Geopipe, New York SBDC Network
• Earthquaker Devices, Ohio SBDC Network
• Red Hawk Construction Inc., Oklahoma SBDC Network
• Woom Bicycles, Texas, South-West Texas Border SBDC Network (more…)

Woom Bikes USA (woombikes.com | @woombikesUSA))
Countdown to the 2020 Client Showcase: #1

SBDC: South-West Texas Border SBDC Network
SBDC Advisor: Rex Steele

Woom designs high-quality, lightweight bikes for children of all ages. Built with meticulous attention to detail, our bikes are tailor-made for a child’s anatomy and needs. Models range in size from balance bikes designed for the smallest of riders to pedal bikes for young teens. Woom bikes, often half the weight of kids bikes found at traditional retail stores, make riding easy to learn and easy to enjoy. Woom’s aim is to inspire as many children as possible to love riding their bikes. (more…)

Redhawk Construction (Redhawkco.com)
Countdown to the 2020 Client Showcase: #2

SBDC: Oklahoma SBDC Tech Launch Center
SBDC Advisor: Barbara Bonner

Redhawk Construction Inc, is a Native, Woman-Owned small business that provides construction solutions to a wide range of clients. One such solution is the Nomad Security Fence System, a relocatable perimeter security product that is currently being used by US Customs and Border Patrol to protect high value assets.

“Our very first experience with the Oklahoma SBDC led to a tremendous amount of exposure for our company and the Nomad Security Fence System. The SBDC staff introduced us to and helped us navigate the Department of Defense market that we had been trying to reach unsuccessfully on our own. Much of our success is a direct result of the Oklahoma SBDC and their staff.” – Erick Westfahl, Vice President, Redhawk Construction, Inc. (more…)

EarthQuaker Devices (EarthQuakerDevices.com | @earthquakerdev)
Countdown to the 2020 Client Showcase: #3

SBDC: Ohio SBDC Export Assistance at Cleveland State University
SBDC Advisor: Nate Ward

EarthQuaker Devices believes that effects pedals should be simple and user-friendly, with lots of practical, useable, and musical sounds, but should also be a launchpad for sonic exploration and aural innovation. Most of all, they should always work correctly all of the time, which is why each and every single EarthQuaker Devices pedal is hand built and hand tested in Akron, Ohio, and guaranteed for life.

EarthQuaker Devices was founded in 2004 by musician Jamie Stillman (the Party of Helicopters, Relaxer, Fringe Candidate, Teeth of the Hydra, Drummer, Harriet the Spy, New Terror Class). From 1993 until 2002, Stillman operated the Donut Friends record label from his home in Kent, Ohio, releasing more than fifty records by punk, metal, and shoegaze acts, gaining a cult following around the world.

Stillman began designing effects pedals after a successful attempt at repairing a broken overdrive. This hands-on experience ignited a fascination with electronics and he became obsessed with circuit design, selling his one-off builds on eBay while working various day jobs. (more…)

Geopipe (geopi.pe | @GeopipeInc)
Countdown to the 2020 Client Showcase: #4

SBDC: Pace University SBDC (New York)
SBDC Advisor: Andrew Flamm

Geopipe is a New York City-based technology firm that uses artificial intelligence to produce immersive digital twins of the real world for simulation, gaming, architecture, and beyond. Launched by co-founders Dr. Christopher Mitchell and Dr. Thomas Dickerson in 2016, Geopipe aims to make it possible for computers to understand every detail of the real world from raw sensor data, then turn that information into 3D models that enterprise customers can license via a SaaS API or download directly to use in their own software.

The firm has made tremendous progress since its launch, including securing a $224,000 Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and being selected as the 2019 SBIR/STTR Recipient of the Year by the New York district office of the US Small Business Administration (SBA). To build on this, Geopipe sought the assistance of the NYS Small Business Development Center network (SBDC) to provide advisement on their Phase II SBIR submission to help “take our technology from a proven-feasible prototype meeting a real commercial need to a commercial product.”  (more…)