EDA makes initial Build Back Better Regional Challenge awards

Earlier this week, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced the phase I winners of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge. Each of the 60 awardees receive $500,000 to support their region and cluster — and begin the process of competing for one of the 20-30 phase II awards that can be up to $100 million each.

According to an EDA fact sheet, finalists are located in 42 states and Puerto Rico and include 15 indigenous communities. EDA also reports that the clusters receiving the most awards are: “agriculture and natural resources;” “information technology;” “energy and resilience;” “advanced manufacturing;” and, “biotechnology and biomanufacturing.”

SSTI reviewed the approved concept proposals and identified 755 different organizations (with seven organizations listed with two finalists), for an average coalition size of almost 13 organizations per phase I award.

Congratulations to the SSTI members among the phase I awardee leads — Empire State Development, Georgia Tech, Invest Nebraska, New Orleans BioInnovation Center, North Carolina Biotechnology Center, and Virginia Tech — as well as to the numerous members included among the coalition partners.

 - Map from EDA's factsheet on the Build Back Better Regional Challenge Phase I awardees.