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MEET THE TEAM
We are passionate about driving innovation forward throughout the heartland.
The OK Catalyst team comes from a variety of backgrounds including new product development, technology commercialization, business development, marketing and communications, and project management.
FAST PARTNERSHIP
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The Small Business Administration’s Federal and State Technology Partnership (FAST) Program 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.
All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa may receive funding for an array of services (e.g., outreach and technical assistance) in support of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.
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Purpose
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The Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program 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.
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FAST awards build the SBIR/STTR ecosystem through:
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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.
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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.
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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.
Current FAST Awardees

Alaska
Arkansas
Arizona
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
New Jersey
New Hampshire
New Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Alaska Center for Innovation Commercialization and Entrepreneurship
Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center
Innovation Gateway-University of Georgia
Hawaii Technology Development Corporation
EnterpriseWorks at the University of Illinois
Indiana Economic Development Corporation
Iowa Small Business Development Center
Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation
Louisiana Business and Technology Center
Maryland Technology Development Corporation
Michigan Catalyst Advantage Network
Missouri Small Business Development Center
Montana State University TechLink Center
Nebraska Business Development Center, University of Nebraska at Omaha
New Jersey Small Business Development Centers
Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University
First Flight Venture Center, Inc.
Ben Franklin Technology Partners Corporation
Puerto Rico Small Business and Technology Development Centers
South Dakota Biotechnology Council
SWTXB SBDC Technology Commercialization Center
Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation
Life Science Washington Institute
FY 2021 FAST Competition
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In FY 2021, FAST was appropriated $4,000,000 in total funding. Of this funding, $3,000,000 is allocated for the continuation of awards made in FY 2020 (also known as the 2021 Cohort). The remaining $1,000,000 will fund new awards under the following funding opportunity (up to $125,000 per applicant).
Eligible applicants include state and local economic development agencies, colleges and universities, accelerators, incubators, Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Women’s Business Centers (WBCs), Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs), and other technology-based economic development entities. Only one proposal is allowed per state, with an accompanying letter from a state’s governor or equivalent. Varying levels of matching funds are required from each participating state or territory.