SBA Announces 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition Stage One Winners, Up to $3 Million in Prizes Awarded
23 Abril 2024 - 5:37PM
Today,
Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head
of the
U.S. Small Business Administration
(SBA) and the voice in President Biden’s Cabinet
for America’s more than 33 million small businesses and startups,
announced the 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC) Stage
One winners. Each received $50,000 in prize awards for impactful
and inclusive approaches to foster a thriving, collaborative
national innovation support ecosystem to advance small business
research and development (R&D).
“SBA’s Growth Accelerator Fund Competition Stage One winners
join the SBA’s incredible network of entrepreneurial support
organizations contributing to America’s innovative startup
ecosystem, ensuring the next generation of science and
technology-based innovations scale into thriving businesses,”
said Administrator Guzman. “In its tenth year of driving our
nation’s innovation ecosystem forward, this competition provides a
unique opportunity to recognize the critical importance of those
who help entrepreneurs from all backgrounds access opportunities to
scale and grow. These GAFC winners advance American competitiveness
and help us build an innovation economy that works for
everyone.”
GAFC Stage One winners are organizations with ecosystem-building
activities, including recruitment of new partners and strengthening
existing alliances among stakeholders (including public, private,
nonprofit, and academic partners), that aligned their submission
with one of the following GAFC Theme Areas:
National and Economic Security, including but not limited
to:
- National Security
and Defense
- Artificial
Intelligence
-
Microelectronics
- Advanced Computing
and Software
- Quantum
Computing
- Human-Machine
Interfaces
- Other Critical and
Emerging Technologies
Domestic Manufacturing and Production, including but not
limited to:
- Advanced
Manufacturing R&D
- Supply Chain
Resiliency
- Critical and
Resilient Infrastructure
- AgTech and
Agricultural Innovation
- Other Supply Chain,
Infrastructure, and Manufacturing Technologies
Sustainability and Biotechnology, including but not limited
to:
- Energy and
Sustainability
- Biotechnology
- Climate and
Environment
- Public Health
- Renewable Energy
Generation and Storage
- Electric
Vehicles
- Blue Economy
- Other Climate,
Energy, and Life Science Technologies
Stage Two of the competition will offer an additional $50,000 to
$150,000 in cash prizes awarded to Growth Accelerator Partnerships
to assist entrepreneurs that transition R&D into the
marketplace. Stage Two submissions will open in June and be
prepared jointly by Stage One winners and ecosystem partners; SBA
intends to announce 2024 winners for Stage Two by September.
“This year’s competition amplifies the success of last year’s
revamped competition, which catalyzed bonds within the national
innovation ecosystem and strengthened ties across local and
regional support networks. The prize competition continues to open
doors and deepen access to valuable resources and capital for
entrepreneurs from undercapitalized and underserved markets by
fostering partnerships around key themes and innovation sectors. It
is with great enthusiasm that SBA recognizes the 2024 Growth
Accelerator Fund Competition’s Stage One winners,” said Bailey
DeVries, Associate Administrator for SBA’s Office of Investment and
Innovation.
Since its launch in 2014 through 2023, the Growth Accelerator
Fund Competition has awarded 427 prizes totaling over $26 million
to 314 unique winners across the U.S. and U.S. territories.
The 2024 Stage One winners represent 41 U.S. states and
territories, including D.C. and Puerto Rico, and 65% are new
awardees.
Stage One WinnersNational and Economic
Security
- Ala: The Catalyst
Center for Business and Entrepreneurship
- Calif.: Starburst
Accelerator
- Colo. Catalyst
Accelerator
- Idaho.:
Trailhead
- Ind.: Central
Indiana Corporate Partnership and Indiana Center for Emerging
Technologies
- La.: Maven
Scouts
- Md: Rural Autonomous
Innovation Network (RAIN), Association of University Research Parks
(AURP)
- Mich.: BBC
Entrepreneurial Training and Consulting*
- Miss.: Innovate
Mississippi
- Mo.: Codefi
Foundation on Rural Innovation
- Mont.: Early-Stage
Montana
- Neb.: Invest
Nebraska
- N.M.: University of
New Mexico and NewSpace Nexus
- Okla.: Metro
Technology Centers
- Pa.: The Crenshaw
Institute of Applied Science and Technology
- Texas: Capital
Factory
- Va.: Tambourine
Innovation Ventures
Domestic Manufacturing and Production
- Ariz.: Startup
Tucson
- Ark.: Endeavor NWA
Entrepreneurs
- Washington, D.C.:
National Disability Institute
- Fla.: Florida
Institute of Technology and International Business Innovation
Association
- Hawaii: XLR8HI
- Md.: Salisbury
University – Rommel Center for Entrepreneurship
- Mich.: Michigan
Minority Supplier Development Council and BBC Entrepreneurial
Training and Consulting*
- N.Y.: FuzeHub and
Southern Tier High Technology Incubator, Inc.
- N.C: RIoT and North
Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
- N.D.: Grand Farm
Research and Education Initiative, Inc.
- S.C.:
TechConnect
- Utah: Utah Advanced
Materials Manufacturing Institute
- Wash.: 360 Social
Impact Studios
Sustainability and Biotechnology
- Alaska: Spruce Root,
Inc.
- Calif.: Los Angeles
Cleantech Incubator
- Conn.: The Community
Foundation-Mission Investments Company
- Washington, D.C.:
Women in Engineering ProActive Network
- Ill.: University of
Illinois Research Park, LLC
- Maine: Central Maine
Growth Council and Gulf of Maine Research Institute
- Mass.: SeaAhead,
Inc.
- Mich.: BBC
Entrepreneurial Training and Consulting*
- Minn.: RuralWorks
Partners, LLC
- N.Y.: The Research
Foundation for SUNY New Paltz’s School of Business
- N.C.: Eva Garland
Consulting, LLC
- Ohio: Bounce
Innovation Hub
- Ore.: VertueLab and
Oregon Health and Science University
- Pa.: University City
Science Center
- P.R.: CARBONO3
LLC
- Tenn.: BioTN
Foundation, Inc. and Native American Investment and Capital
Alliance
- Texas: Health
Wildcatters and Impact Hub Houston
- Utah: Altitude
Lab
- Vt.: LaunchVT
- Va.: FedTech
- W. Va.: U.S.
Research Impact Alliance Corp.
- Wyo.: University of
Wyoming
*SBIR in all three theme areas.
For more information about the Growth Accelerator Fund
Competition and how to connect with a Stage Two Growth Accelerator
Partnership, please visit SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Competition
(americasseedfund.us)
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration The
U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream
of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for
small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government,
the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the
resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their
businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers
services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and
partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more,
visit www.sba.gov.
About SBA Office of Investment and InnovationThe U.S.
Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Investment and
Innovation (OII) leads programs that provide the high-growth small
business community with access to two things: financial capital and
R&D funds to develop commercially viable innovations. Our work
is underpinned by public-private partnerships that help small
businesses on their trajectory from idea to IPO. Learn more
at sba.gov.
Christine Saah Nazer
U.S. Small Business Administration
202-756-0304
press_office@sba.gov