FAST

SBA funding available for accelerators, SBIR aid

The Small Business Administration (SBA) recently released FY 2019 announcements for the Growth Accelerator Fund Competition and Federal and State Technology Partnership Program (FAST) funding. Accelerators emphasizing underserved entrepreneurs can submit a brief application and slide deck from June 10-20; SBA anticipates as many as 60, $50,000 awards. FAST provides a funding match for programs supporting SBIR/STTR outreach and support services; the program is limited to one, governor-supported application per state, so interested parties should begin considering their application well ahead of the June 28 deadline. SSTI will be hosting a free webinar on June 5 at 3 p.m. EDT, in which SBA staff will discuss the two funding opportunities: register today.

SBA grants $3 million to support small business innovation and R&D commercialization

Twenty-four local economic development entities, Small Business Technology Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, incubators, accelerators, colleges and universities were granted $125,000 by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program. The 24 grant recipients, including seven that are members of SSTI (boldfaced below), provide support to small businesses developing and commercializing high-risk technologies.

SBA FAST Awardees to support technology-based businesses

The U.S. Small Business Administration has granted 16 organizations up to $125,000 each and five organizations up to $200,000 in FY 2017 as part of the Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program. FAST funds help organizations provide outreach and technical assistance to technology-based businesses, with a particular emphasis on broadening participation among underrepresented groups. The organizations – which include state and local economic development entities, small business development centers, and universities – will use the awards to support R&D commercialization and small business innovation through the SBIR and STTR programs. SSTI members receiving FAST Awards include: Oregon BEST, the Ben Franklin Technology Partnership, Launch Tennessee, the University of North Dakota Center for Innovation, the Iowa Innovation Corporation, and the University of Wyoming. 

Highlights from the President's FY 2018 Budget Request: Small Business Administration

Unless otherwise noted, all figures are from the department’s budget justification.

SBA Announces $2M for Technology-Businesses Outreach, Assistance

As part of the Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program, the U.S. Small Business Administration has awarded up to $200,000 to organizations in 21 states to provide outreach and technical assistance to science and technology-driven small businesses.  With an emphasis on socially and economically disadvantaged firms, the FAST program provides funds to organizations helping businesses better prepare to compete for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funding.

SBA Announces $2M for Organizations to Help Small Tech Companies Commercialize New Technologies

The Small Business Administration released its annual solicitation for the Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program, a competitive grants program for eligible organizations to conduct outreach and provide technical assistance services to technology-based small business owners. The program places particular emphasis on organizations that propose helping socially and economically disadvantaged firms compete in the SBA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Each state, through its governor office, may submit one proposal in FY15 for an eligible organization (e.g., state and local economic development agencies; Small Business Development Centers; and, colleges and universities). Applications are due April 10.  Visit the FAST Partnership Program website…

SBA Announces Third Round of FAST Program

The Small Business Administration (SBA) released a new funding announcement for the Federal and State Technology Partnership (FAST) Program — FAST awards are intended to fund projects that provide outreach, financial support and/or technical assistance to technology-based small business concerns participating in, or interested in participating in, the Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) program. Proposed projects may serve a single or multiple states. SBA intends to commit approximately $1.9 million to support up to 20 awards to eligible applications. Only one application with gubernatorial endorsement per state will be accepted. Eligible applicants include public or private entities, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education and individuals. Applications from eligible institutions must be submitted by June 7, 2013. Read the federal announcement...

SBA Official to Address SSTI Conference

Regular readers of the Digest know that over the last year, SBA has launched a set of new programs and initiatives, including support for cluster development, changes to the SBIC application process, the revival of the FAST program, and a request for information on mentoring and entrepreneurship education for high-growth companies. At SSTI's 14th Annual Conference in Pittsburgh, Sean Greene, SBA's Associate Administrator for Investment and Special Advisor for Innovation, will provide an update on what he and his colleagues at SBA have been working on and are planning for the future. With SBA pursuing a larger role in issues involving tech-based economic development, this session will provide an excellent chance to understand what lies ahead for SBA — and the opportunities presented for regional innovation strategies.

SBA Announces 2010 FAST Award Recipients

Twenty universities and organizations received $100,000 grants to support R&D and small business innovation under the U.S. Small Business Administration's FAST program. The program is designed to stimulate economic development among small, high-tech businesses through federally-funded innovation and R&D programs such as the SBIR and STTR programs. The project and budget periods are for 12 months beginning Sept. 30, 2010, according to a press release. Connecticut Innovations, Inc., Ben Franklin Technology Partners, Kentucky Science and Technology Corp., and Virginia Center for Innovative Technology are among the awardees. A complete list of recipients is available at: http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/sbir/SBIR_2010-FAST-AWARD_RECIP.html

$2 Million for FAST in SBA Budget

The program has not been authorized yet, but that did not stop Congress from including $2 million in the FY10 Consolidated Appropriations Act for the Federal and State Technology Partnership Program (FAST). The funding, tucked in one sentence of the conference report for the Small Business Administration appropriations, will provide grants to state-based SBIR/STTR outreach and assistance programs on a competitive basis. Enabling legislation for FAST is contained in SBIR’s Reauthorization, which has been stalled in contentious conference negotiations for several months.

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