THE CATALYST ACCELERATOR WINS STAGE TWO OF THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION’S 2024 GROWTH ACCELERATOR FUND COMPETITION
07 Octubre 2024 - 1:13PM
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the Catalyst
Accelerator, in collaboration with Air Force Research Lab Space
Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/RV), as a Stage Two winner for the 2024
Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC). The Catalyst
Accelerator will receive a $50,000 cash prize for its work as a
Growth Accelerator Partnership in supporting the launch, growth,
and scale of STEM/R&D-focused small businesses in the impactful
and inclusive approach to nurturing a collaborative
national innovation ecosystem to advance small business research
and development (R&D) from ideas to the market.
With the GAFC award, the Catalyst Accelerator will partner with
the Oklahoma Cyber Innovation Institute (OCII) at The University of
Tulsa (TU), The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and
Technology (OCAST), and Tulsa Innovation Labs (TIL), located in
Tulsa, Oklahoma, to collaborate on a Boot Camp model. The
Accelerator’s Boot Camp model was prototyped under a previous GAFC
award and was created to help local/regional small businesses in
the space defense industry to understand the pathway to doing
business with the Department of Defense (DoD). The Accelerator team
will equip the host entity, OCII, with resources and knowledge to
duplicate and scale the Boot Camp to other needed defense sectors
pertinent to their region.
Shae Thomas, Catalyst Accelerator Program Manager, emphasized
the importance of the new partnership, stating, "Colorado and
Oklahoma each have rich, dynamic innovation ecosystems and we could
not be more excited about partnering with OCII at University of
Tulsa! Supporting and integrating entrepreneurs, government, and
academia in support of national security is the heart of the
Catalyst Accelerator program. The collaboration with Oklahoma will
help us continue that mission while allowing us to learn and grow
from their expertise!”
Additionally, Aikta Marcoulier, SBA Regional Administrator for
the Rocky Mountain Region, expressed her congratulations. "My
region is home to thousands of innovative start-ups in the areas of
STEM, R&D and Innovation. I congratulate Catalyst Accelerator
for winning a Stage Two Growth Accelerator Fund award from the U.S.
Small Business Administration. Catalyst Accelerator continues to be
a leading provider of support and technical assistance to develop
innovative small businesses and technology in support of national
and economic security," asserted Marcoulier.
The 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition catalyzes strategic
innovation ecosystem building across the country. Over the last
decade, SBA has awarded 566 in prizes totaling over $33 million to
winners throughout the U.S. and U.S. territories. 2024 GAFC Stage
One focused on strengthening ecosystem networks, while Stage Two
prizes provide enhanced support to Growth Accelerator Partnerships
as they play a crucial role in helping startups and small
businesses scale, contributing to the economic growth of our
nation. These partnerships span public, private, nonprofit, and
academic institutions, fostering collaboration across industries
and geographies.
"What a powerful example of teamwork! Two states, with shared
interest in designing a supportive environment where small
businesses can flourish, partnering for meaningful impact. We are
thrilled about this partnership with Catalyst Accelerator," said
Chad Raduege, Executive Director of OCII. "Our collaboration aligns
perfectly with our vision of empowering small businesses and
driving economic growth"
Learn more about the Stage One and Stage Two organizations in
the 2024 GAFC Public Directory.
About Catalyst Accelerator
The Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate and
United States Space Force’s Catalyst Accelerator is a
NewSpace-focused defense and national security industry
accelerator, headquartered on the Catalyst Campus for Technology
and Innovation (CCTI) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. CCTI is a
collaborative ecosystem where industry, small business,
entrepreneurs, startups, government, academia, and investors
intersect with Colorado’s aerospace and defense industry to create
community, spark innovation, and stimulate business growth. The
Catalyst Accelerator is a collaborative program hosted by Catalyst
Campus for Technology and Innovation (CCTI, a Colorado 501(c)3) in
partnership with the United States Space Force, and the Air Force
Research Laboratory to provide a robust, mentor-driven curriculum
for accelerator teams.
About Oklahoma Cyber Innovation Institute
The Oklahoma Cyber Innovation Institute (OCII) at The University
of Tulsa (TU) scales up research and development infrastructure and
facilities to collaborate with Oklahoma businesses on cyber
security, use-inspired problem-solving, technology experimentation,
and producing novel technologies for commercialization. OCII's
staff of professionals is dedicated to supporting and advancing
cyber talent and expanding economic benefits throughout Oklahoma to
position the state as a leader in cyber and
technology. OCII's Mission is to cultivate Oklahoma’s
technology and cyber ecosystem, through research, innovation,
education, & collaboration with industry, workforce,
government, & academic partners. OCII's Vision is to unify
Oklahoma’s tech & cyber ecosystem to establish the state as a
pre-eminent cyber hub. OCII was established in 2023 through
an initial $24 million investment, comprised of Oklahoma American
Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and the Tulsa-based George Kaiser
Family Foundation (GKFF) matching funds for workforce development,
small business outreach, and lab-to-market technology
innovation.
Allison Boothe
Catalyst Accelerator
719-749-8601
Allison.Boothe@CatalystCampus.Org