The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced the 20 recipients of the fourth Growth Accelerator Fund competition. The winners, which represent a broad set of industries and a diversified range of demographic groups, will each receive a cash prize of $50,000 to address gaps in regional entrepreneurial ecosystems as part of the award. Awardees will be required to submit quarterly reports for a year, and must report or provide their metrics, including jobs created, funds raised, startups launched and corporate sponsors obtained.
The 2017 recipients of the Growth Accelerator Fund competition are:
- EparaTodos: Negocios Exitosos- Lowell, Mass.
- Maine Center for Entrepreneurial Development- Portland, Maine
- MergeLane- Boulder, Colo.
- Hera Labs- San Diego, Calif.
- KiiLN- Manhattan, N.Y.
- Local Works- Charleston, S.C.
- WiSTEM/1871- Chicago, Ill.
- The JunipHER Project- Williamsburg, Va.
- Bioscience & Technology Business Center- Lawrence, Kan.
- MORTAR- Cincinnati, Ohio
- WIN Life Sciences Start Up Accelerator Program- Seattle, Wash.
- FirstWaVE Accelerator- Tampa, Fla.
- XLR8UH- Honolulu, Hawaii
- First Flight Venture Center- Research Triangle Park, N.C.
- I-Corps Puerto Rico Accelerator- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Native Entrepreneur In Residence- Albuquerque, N.M.
- Fannin Innovation Studio- Houston, Texas
- Circular Board- Houston, Texas
- Peninsula Technology Incubator- Hampton, Va.
- Veterans Future Lab- Brooklyn, N.Y.