The U.S. Small Business Administration, the voice for America’s 33 million small businesses, announced over $5.4 million in funding to 44 awardees through the Federal and State Technology Partnership Program over three cohorts in three years.
FAST provides small businesses and startups, particularly those in underserved communities, with specialized training, mentoring and technical assistance for research & development. Its objective is to strengthen the competitiveness of small businesses and startups across the country. Through FAST, the SBA continues to play a critical role in creating inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems and helping American entrepreneurs grow their networks and revenue opportunities with new capital.
Grant selectees qualify for award amounts of up to $125,000 each.
“When we enable equitable access to federal research funding, we empower more of our nation’s entrepreneurs and scientists to translate their cutting-edge ideas into commercial enterprises,” SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman stated. “This is why doubling our funding of FAST grants and expanding the network of awardees is so critical to building a stronger and more inclusive innovation economy that invests in all of our communities.”
“We are looking forward to continuing to work with the New Jersey Small Business Development Center and the Puerto Rico Small Business Development Center in supporting local small businesses with the resources needed to thrive, especially during this period of economic recovery,” Region II Regional Administrator Marlene Cintron, who oversees the federal agency’s operations in New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, stated. “FAST partners fill an important role in assisting SBA in ramping up its efforts to help build America’s next great economy by increasing the number of Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Program awards through outreach, technical and business assistance and financial support to women, socially/economically disadvantaged individuals and small businesses in underrepresented areas.”
New Jersey’s SBDC was awarded as part of the 2023 Cohort – First Year.
Here’s a look at the cohorts and the awardees for each:
2023 Cohort – First Year
- Alaska: University of Alaska
- Florida: Florida High Tech Corridor
- Idaho: Idaho State University
- Indiana: Indiana Economic Development Corp.
- Iowa: Iowa State University of Science
- Maine: Maine Institute of Technology
- Minnesota: MNSBIR Inc.
- Michigan: BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consulting
- New Jersey: New Jersey Small Business Development Center
- North Dakota: University of North Dakota
- Utah: Utah Innovation Center
- Washington: Life Science Washington Institute
2023 Cohort – Second Year
- Arizona: Arizona Commerce Authority
- Georgia: Innovation Gateway at the University of Georgia
- Kentucky: Kentucky Science and Technology Corp.
- Louisiana: Louisiana Business & Technology Center/LSU
- Missouri: Missouri Small Business Development Center
- Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico Small Business and Technology Development Centers
- South Dakota: South Dakota Biotech Council
- Tennessee: Launch TN
- Wisconsin: Center for Technology Commercialization
2023 Cohort – Third Year
- Arkansas: University of Arkansas at Little Rock- Arkansas SBTDC
- Colorado: Colorado Small Business Development Center
- Connecticut: Connecticut Innovations Inc.
- Delaware: Delaware Small Business Development Center
- Hawaii: Hawaii Technology Development Corp.
- Illinois: EnterpriseWorks at the University of Illinois
- Kansas: Wichita State University
- Maryland: Maryland Technology Development Corp.
- Mississippi: Innovate Mississippi
- Montana: Montana State University TechLink Center
- Nebraska: Nebraska Business Development Center, University of Nebraska at Omaha
- New Hampshire: UNHInnovation
- New Mexico: Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University
- North Carolina: First Flight Venture Center Inc.
- Ohio: Ohio Aerospace Institute
- Oklahoma: OK Catalyst
- Oregon: VertueLab
- Pennsylvania: Ben Franklin Technology Partners Corp.
- South Carolina: University of South Carolina
- Texas: SWTXB SBDC Technology Commercialization Center
- Virginia: Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation
- West Virginia: TechConnect West Virginia
- Wyoming: University of Wyoming Small Business Development Center