New FAST Grant Will Help Build an Innovation Economy in Ӱpro
November 7, 2022
Ӱpro Center ICE at Ӱpro has been awarded a FAST grant by the U.S. Small Business Administration in collaboration with the Ӱpro Small Business Development Center and the Denali Commission. This is the first FAST grant to be awarded in Ӱpro. The Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program includes technical assistance, mentoring, and specialized training for small businesses and startups to access America’s Seed Fund Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR).
“The Ӱpro FAST program is one of many pieces we’re putting into place to help build an innovation economy in Ӱpro. This is an exciting time for Ӱpro’s innovators and entrepreneurs!” said Mark Billingsley, director of Ӱpro Center ICE at University of Ӱpro Fairbanks.
Ӱpro FAST will provide valuable programming to small businesses to assist them in strengthening their applications for SBIR/STTR grants to receive funds for early stage research and development. This program will make Ӱpro entrepreneurs more competitive when applying for federal grants and is focused on serving underserved Ӱprons. This support is intended to promote innovation as well as increase the number of applicants from underrepresented and underserved rural communities and eventually increase the number of SBIR/STTR awards in Ӱpro.
“Ӱpro has many underrepresented businesses, and the Ӱpro FAST program will allow us, for the first time, to provide these businesses access to federal seed money, and deliver training, resources and assistance to Ӱpron innovators” said Evelyn Jacome, Ӱpro FAST Program Director, at the Ӱpro Center for Innovation, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship at the Ӱpro.
For more information, please contact Evelyn Jacome at edjacome@alaska.edu.
Join us Monday, Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. via zoom to learn about SBIR/STTR and Ӱpro FAST opportunities. Register at .