NBDC Receives Federal and State Technology Partnership Program Award

The one-year award amount is $100,000. Eligibility included endorsement from the governor for the awarding organization in each state.

"The FAST funding will help the NBDC foster tech-based economic development in Nebraska by focusing on growing and strengthening small businesses working on research and development in innovative areas that have the greatest commercial potential," said Lisa Tedesco, NBDC. "We plan to provide technical and some financial assistance to companies with new ideas with a focus on disadvantaged businesses that show the most need. Some entrepreneurs and small businesses just need a little extra resource to get their ideas off the ground. Ultimately, the NBDC wants to create tech jobs and businesses in Nebraska that stay in Nebraska. This seed funding will help that cause."

Twenty states were selected for funding to strengthen the technological competitiveness of small business concerns. Congress has found that there is much variance within state technology programs that foster economic development among small high-technology firms. The FAST program intends to improve the participation of small technology firms in the innovation and commercialization of new technology; thereby ensuring that the United States remains on the cutting edge of research and development in the highly competitive arena of science and technology.

The FAST program will be administered by the SBA’s Office of Technology. Goals of the FAST program are to:

• Foster technology research and development by small business concerns;
• Encourage technology transfer from university research to technology-based small business concerns;
•Encourage the participation by small business concerns in the community including small firms owned and controlled by women, minorities and those small firms located in areas that have historically not participated in the SBIR and STTR;
• Commercialize technologies being developed by small business concerns; and
• Increase the technological capabilities of small business concerns.

Funding will be used for outreach, financial support and technical assistance to technology-based small business concerns participating in or interested in participating in an SBIR program, including initiatives:

• To make grants or loans to companies to pay a portion or all of the cost of developing SBIR proposals;
• To establish or operate a mentoring network within the FAST Program to provide business advice and counseling that will assist small business concerns that have been identified by FAST program managers as good candidates for the SBIR and STTR Programs, and that would benefit from mentoring, in accordance with section 35 of the Small Business Act;
• To create or participate in a training program for individuals providing SBIR outreach and assistance at the state and local levels; and
• To encourage the commercialization of technology developed through SBIR program funding.

Lisa Tedesco SBIR/STTR Consultant University of Nebraska at Omaha 6001 Dodge Street, RH 308 Omaha, NE 68182 402-554-6270 Email: mtedesco@unomaha.edu

Contact information for other NBDC offices