About Us | OK Catalyst Programs

Our Team

OK Catalyst is the federal and state designated SBIR/STTR support organization for Oklahoma and recipient of the SBA’s prestigious Tibbetts Award, given to individuals, companies and organizations who exemplify the best-in-class of the SBIR/STTR programs. OK Catalyst is working to improve Oklahoma’s performance in the SBIR/STTR programs. Since 2018, OK Catalyst has trained and mentored researchers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses resulting in 160 SBIR/STTR proposal submissions. To date, OK Catalyst program participants have secured over 100 awards and contracts totaling more than $57 million in investment capital.

Sarah Hamby, MBA

Sarah serves as the Director of OK Catalyst and is dedicated to advancing innovation and entrepreneurship across Oklahoma and the Heartland. Prior to joining OK Catalyst, Sarah served for more than a decade in the U.S. Air Force. Sarah earned her MBA from the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University.

Maya Nkouka, J.D.

Maya serves as the Operations & Training Manager and oversees all aspects of the OK Catalyst SBIR Funding Labs to ensure participant success. Maya earned her J.D. from the Francis King Carey School of Law at the University of Maryland.

Ruby Sharif-Sandel, MD, PhD

Ruby serves as the NIH Funding Lab Manager for OK Catalyst assisting researchers in the life sciences pursue SBIR/STTR funding from the National Institutes of Health. Ruby earned her MD and PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology from The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

Jaimelene Hough, PhD

Jaime serves as the Statewide Outreach Coordinator for OK Catalyst and in this role helps connect innovators in the OK entrepreneurial ecosystem to funding resources available through the SBIR/STR programs. Jaime earned her PhD in American Studies from Purdue University.

FAST Partnership

The SBA's Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership is a competitive program designed to strengthen the technological competitiveness of small businesses. It improves the participation of small technology firms in the innovation and commercialization of new technology, thereby helping keep the United States on the cutting edge of research and development in science and technology.

FAST provides funding to organizations to execute state & regional programs that increase the number of SBIR/STTR proposals leading to an increase in the number of SBIR/STTR awards from women, socially/economically disadvantaged individuals, and small businesses in underrepresented areas - typically rural states.

FAST awards build the SBIR/STTR ecosystem through:

Outreach

Increase the pipeline of SBIR/STTR applicants through training and outreach; and build the capacity of partner organizations and individuals to support SBIR/STTR applicants and existing awardees.

Technical and Business Assistance

Support entrepreneurs and startups through programs or services that improve proposal development and team creation; provide assistance that leads to the commercialization of technology developed through SBIR/STTR program funding; and form or encourage relevant mentoring networks to provide business advice and counseling.

Financial Support

Make grants or loans to applicants to pay a portion or all the cost of developing SBIR/STTR proposals (Phase 0), attending relevant conferences, and bridging gaps between phases.