Emily Caporello

Dr. Emily Caporello is the Program Director of the Small Business Program in the Division of Translational Research (DTR) at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Dr. Caporello has worked at NINDS since 2019, leveraging her extensive experience in translational neuroscience program management as a Scientific Project Manager in the NINDS Small Business Program. Prior to joining NINDS, Dr. Caporello was the Vice President of Research and co-founder of MindX Corporation, a small business focused on brain computer interface technology, where she led research collaborations with academic labs and oversaw investigational approval of a novel neural interface device. Dr. Caporello previously worked as a Senior Neuroscientist supporting neurotechnology development the Biological Technologies Office at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and co-founded CleverPet, a small business focused on automated behavioral training technology. Dr. Caporello received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of California San Diego, where her research focused on neural mechanisms of auditory processing and selective attention in the songbird model.

The Small Business Program is an integral part of the NINDS portfolio and provides $77M in funding annually to develop solutions in the neurological space. NIH small business funding has a strong national impact as the largest source of non-dilutive seed funding for health-focused small businesses in the U.S. More information on the NINDS Small Business Program can be found at NINDS-SBIR webpage.