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    2024 GAFC Competition Details

    See the Stage One winners below!

     

    The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers $50,000 to $150,000 in prize awards for impactful and inclusive approaches to foster a thriving, collaborative national innovation support ecosystem to advance research and development (R&D) from ideas to impact.

     

    By fostering connections between entrepreneurs, advisors, mentors, partners, philanthropies, corporations, investors, and other shared resources, the 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC) will catalyze strategic ecosystem partnerships to build community and organizational capacity for the successful launch, growth, and scale of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)-based entrepreneurs and startups.

    Competition Goals:

    • Increase the pipeline and success of STEM/R&D-focused entrepreneurs and small businesses;
    • Increase the success of STEM/R&D-focused entrepreneurs in accessing capital and resources to advance their businesses;
    • Incentivize innovation ecosystem stakeholders to provide equitable access to resources for underserved communities and industries;
    • Catalyze partnerships and relationships between stakeholder groups to strengthen the national innovation ecosystem; and
    • Connect both new and established participants in the national innovation ecosystem. 

    Prizes Awarded in Two Stages:

     

    Stage One: $50,000 cash prizes will be awarded to organizations (Catalysts) to catalyze relationships between aligned stakeholders (Ecosystem Partners) that lead to the development of Growth Accelerator Partnerships. Catalysts work collaboratively with Ecosystem Partners to bring additional resources, deepen network connections, and develop strategies that amplify the impact and success of the Growth Accelerator Partnership and the STEM/R&D-focused entrepreneurs and small businesses they serve.  

     

    SBA welcomes Stage One submissions from a broad range of organizations with a collaborative vision to nurture a national ecosystem for equitable access to entrepreneurship.

     

    Stage Two: $50,000 to $150,000 cash prizes awarded to Growth Accelerator Partnerships to provide assistance to entrepreneurs that transition R&D into the marketplace. The Growth Accelerator Partnership will provide startups and small businesses additional support and resources. 

     

    SBA will accept Stage Two submissions from Growth Accelerator Partnerships; submissions will be prepared jointly by Stage One Catalysts and Ecosystem Partners and will present their proposal to successfully accelerate the launch, growth, and scale of diverse STEM/R&D-focused small businesses.

     

    Note: The Competition is not intended to provide capital directly to companies for R&D projects.

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  • 2024 GAFC Stage One Winners

    National and Economic Security

    • Ala., The Catalyst Center for Business and Entrepreneurship
    • Calif., Starburst Accelerator
    • Colo., Catalyst Accelerator
    • Idaho, Trailhead
    • Ind., Central Indiana Corporate Partnership
    • Ind., Indiana Center for Emerging Technologies
    • La., Maven Scouts
    • Md., Rural Autonomous Innovation Network (RAIN) Association of University Research Parks (AURP)
    • Miss., Innovate Mississippi
    • Mo., Codefi Foundation on Rural Innovation
    • Mont., Early Stage Montana
    • Neb., Invest Nebraska
    • N.M., NewSpace Nexus and University of New Mexico
    • 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
    • District of Columbia, 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

    **SBIR in all three Theme Areas

    Sustainability and Biotechnology

    • Alaska, Spruce Root Inc.
    • Calif., Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator
    • Conn., The Community Foundation-Mission Investments Company
    • District of Columbia, 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

     

    **SBIR in all three Theme Areas

     

     

     

    • Ore., Oregon Health and Science University and VertueLab
    • Pa., University City Science Center
    • Puerto Rico, CARBONO3 LLC
    • Tenn., BioTN Foundation, Inc. and Native American Investment and Capital Alliance
    • Texas, Health Wildcatters and Impact Hub Houston
    • Utah, Altitude Lab
    • Va., FedTech
    • Vt., LaunchVT
    • W.Va., U.S. Research Impact Alliance Corp.
    • Wyo., University of Wyoming
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  • SBA's Growth Accelerator Fund Competition was open January 8 - February 16 to support Innovation Ecosystem Building

    Across the Country

    Applicants were asked to align their application 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 

    SBA expects to award up to $3,000,000 in cash prizes for Stage One and intends to announce winners for Stage One by April 2024.

     

    Stage Two of the Competition offers an additional $50,000 to $150,000 in cash prizes to eligible Stage One winners to provide direct assistance to entrepreneurs, small businesses, and startups that are looking to commercialize their innovation, from R&D to the commercial market. SBA intends to announce winners for Stage Two by September 2024. A Federal agency partner may also elect to provide a Bonus Prize to one or more Stage One contestants focused on a priority area of the agency partner’s choice. Bonus Prize winners are awarded from the pool of Stage One contestants.

  • The 2024 GAFC Stage One Application Portal closed on February 16.

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    Please email accelerators@sba.gov with any questions about the Growth Accelerator Fund Competition.

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