Small Business Programs Office
Jennifer Thabet, J.D., is an experienced program manager with an extensive background supporting DARPA and the Department of War (DoW).
As the program director for DARPA's Small Business Programs Office (SBPO), she is dedicated to enhancing the ability of the small business community to create and transition revolutionary technologies that benefit the warfighter, federal government, and commercial marketplace.
She is focused on creating an environment that considers small business concerns a primary source of innovative solutions and advancing small business relationships and training opportunities within the DoW and other federal agencies.
In her role, Thabet administers DARPA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Under her leadership, SBPO also provides critical transition and commercialization support at no cost to Phase I and Phase II performers through the Transition and Commercialization Support Program (TCSP). The program is designed to maximize the potential of small businesses to scale their technologies into DoW acquisition programs, other Federal initiatives, and the commercial marketplace.
She also leads and helped establish the agency’s inaugural Partnership Intermediary Agreement, DARPAConnect, which is designed to break down barriers of entry for performers new to DARPA and the national security space and educate them on how to engage and work with DARPA. Additionally, she also oversees the DARPA Expedited Research Innovation System (ERIS) Marketplace, a low-barrier, high-velocity marketplace of seven-minute video pitches that are readily accessible for selection and rapid award by DoW activities.
Prior to joining SBPO, Thabet spent over 13 years with Booz Allen Hamilton, providing program, project, and financial management for DARPA support contracts. Her tenure included supporting programmatic lifecycles within multiple DARPA Technical Offices, as well as serving as the contract program manager for DARPA's largest and most complex support contract within the Director’s Office and Operations Office. Prior to her time at DARPA, Thabet spent time as an attorney, specializing in contract law and general litigation.
Education
- J.D., Law, The George Washington University
- B.A., History and Political Science, Washington University in St. Louis
- PMP, Project Management Institute