SBA announces awards to support STEM, R&D-focused businesses, and partnerships across national priority areas

SBA recently announced its 2023 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition Stage Two prize winners. The 35 award-winning accelerator partnerships will receive $150,000 each in unrestricted funds.

In 2023, the SBA introduced a two-stage format for the Growth Accelerator Fund Competition. In May, Stage One Catalyze winners received $50,000 to build capacity and connections across the U.S. innovation ecosystem, focused on the national priorities mentioned above. The SBA awarded 40 Stage One prizes to organizations from 30 states and territories, including D.C. and Puerto Rico, and invited them to apply for Stage Two of the Growth Accelerator Fund Competition. 

Growth Accelerator Fund Competition Stage Two winners in national security and global competitiveness are:

• DE: Delaware Technology Park 
• KY: - XLerateHealth (dba XLerator Network) 
• MS: Mississippi State University 
• NH:  Hannah Grimes Center 
• NM: University of New Mexico (dba New Mexico Bioscience Authority)  
• ND: University of North Dakota UND Center for Innovation Foundation 
• TX: BioMedSA 
• VA: Virginia Small Business Development Center at George Mason University 
• WA: - Greater Seattle Partners 

Winners in domestic manufacturing and production are: 

• CA: AgTech Innovation Alliance (AgStart) 
• HI: Hawaii Island Business Plan Competition 
• IL: mHUB 
• IN:  Indiana Economic Development Corporation 
• KS:  Wichita State University 
• MA:  Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives (MBI) 
• MI: Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University 
• OH: Youngstown Edison Incubator Corp. (dba Youngstown Business Incubator or YBI) 
• SD: South Dakota Biotechnology Council (dba BioRise) 
• WI: StartingBlock Madison, Inc 

Winners in climate and renewable energy are: 

• CA: The Orange County Center for Innovation & Social Enterprise SPC (dba RevHubOC) 
• FL: Seaworthy Foundation, Inc. (dba Seaworthy Collective) 
• VA: Hanover County Clean Technology Innovation Center (dba Dominion Energy Innovation Center) 

Winners in underserved communities are:

• AR: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville 
• FL: The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees (dba Florida High Tech Corridor) 
• GA:  Black Innovation Alliance (BIA)  
• ID:  Actuate Boise, Inc. (dba Trailhead) 
• IA:  The New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative, Inc (dba NewBoCo) 
• ME: Central Maine Growth Council Dirigo Labs Business Accelerator 
• MD: UpSurge Baltimore Community Inc 
• MA: National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance, Inc. (dba VentureWell) 
• MI: BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consulting LLC 
• NC: NC Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce 
• PR:  Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust 
• TN: FoundersForge  
• TX: VILCAP Inc (dba Village Capital) 

Learn more about each Growth Accelerator Fund Competition partnership in the public directory: https://bit.ly/GAFC23Directory