21CSI Ranked Highest Small Business in Nebraska R&D Report
For the third year in a row, 21st Century Systems, Inc. (21CSI) has ranked in the top five research and development (R&D) entities in Nebraska, according to The Alliance for Science and Technology Research in America (ASTRA). In the 2010 report, 21CSI ranked third, behind Raytheon and Northrup Grumman.
CEO Jeffrey D. Hicks stated that, despite an austere funding climate, "21CSI continues to win research contracts because we provide critical, cost-effective research and have a proven ability to deliver on that research, as evidenced by our DoD SBIR Commercialization Rating." The Department of Defense calculates that, of companies performing Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) work, 21CSI is in the 100th percentile for transitioning projects beyond the basic research phase. 21CSI has occupied this top 100th percentile position for five years running.
Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Plamen Petrov, pointed out that advanced research is very different from production, saying "We don't mass produce widgets, and getting advanced research incorporated into government systems can take years. Fortunately, we can also capitalize on opportunities in the private sector."
Small R&D companies like 21CSI perform a critical role in innovation. According to statistics from the Small Business Technology Council, such companies are far more efficient at innovating than either large defense contractors (5 times more efficient) or universities (20 times more efficient).
The ASTRA report called for increased federal investment in basic scientific research, noting "U.S. leadership continues to narrow across a broad range of indicators when compared to the rest of the world." The entire report can be obtained at http://www.usinnovation.org/state/pdf_cvd/CVD10NebraskaR&D.pdf.
