THE CATALYST ACCELERATOR WINS STAGE TWO OF THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION’S 2024 GROWTH ACCELERATOR FUND COMPETITION

Colorado Springs, CO, Oct. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the Catalyst Accelerator, in collaboration with Air Force Research Lab Space Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/RV), as a Stage Two winner for the 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC). The Catalyst Accelerator will receive a $50,000 cash prize for its work as a Growth Accelerator Partnership in supporting the launch, growth, and scale of STEM/R&D-focused small businesses in the impactful and inclusive approach to nurturing a collaborative national innovation ecosystem to advance small business research and development (R&D) from ideas to the market.

With the GAFC award, the Catalyst Accelerator will partner with the Oklahoma Cyber Innovation Institute (OCII) at The University of Tulsa (TU), The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST), and Tulsa Innovation Labs (TIL), located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to collaborate on a Boot Camp model. The Accelerator’s Boot Camp model was prototyped under a previous GAFC award and was created to help local/regional small businesses in the space defense industry to understand the pathway to doing business with the Department of Defense (DoD). The Accelerator team will equip the host entity, OCII, with resources and knowledge to duplicate and scale the Boot Camp to other needed defense sectors pertinent to their region.

Shae Thomas, Catalyst Accelerator Program Manager, emphasized the importance of the new partnership, stating, “Colorado and Oklahoma each have rich, dynamic innovation ecosystems and we could not be more excited about partnering with OCII at University of Tulsa! Supporting and integrating entrepreneurs, government, and academia in support of national security is the heart of the Catalyst Accelerator program. The collaboration with Oklahoma will help us continue that mission while allowing us to learn and grow from their expertise!” 

Additionally, Aikta Marcoulier, SBA Regional Administrator for the Rocky Mountain Region, expressed her congratulations. “My region is home to thousands of innovative start-ups in the areas of STEM, R&D and Innovation. I congratulate Catalyst Accelerator for winning a Stage Two Growth Accelerator Fund award from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Catalyst Accelerator continues to be a leading provider of support and technical assistance to develop innovative small businesses and technology in support of national and economic security,” asserted Marcoulier.

The 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition catalyzes strategic innovation ecosystem building across the country. Over the last decade, SBA has awarded 566 in prizes totaling over $33 million to winners throughout the U.S. and U.S. territories. 2024 GAFC Stage One focused on strengthening ecosystem networks, while Stage Two prizes provide enhanced support to Growth Accelerator Partnerships as they play a crucial role in helping startups and small businesses scale, contributing to the economic growth of our nation. These partnerships span public, private, nonprofit, and academic institutions, fostering collaboration across industries and geographies.

“What a powerful example of teamwork! Two states, with shared interest in designing a supportive environment where small businesses can flourish, partnering for meaningful impact. We are thrilled about this partnership with Catalyst Accelerator,” said Chad Raduege, Executive Director of OCII. “Our collaboration aligns perfectly with our vision of empowering small businesses and driving economic growth”

Learn more about the Stage One and Stage Two organizations in the 2024 GAFC Public Directory. 

About Catalyst Accelerator

The Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate and United States Space Force’s Catalyst Accelerator is a NewSpace-focused defense and national security industry accelerator, headquartered on the Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation (CCTI) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. CCTI is a collaborative ecosystem where industry, small business, entrepreneurs, startups, government, academia, and investors intersect with Colorado’s aerospace and defense industry to create community, spark innovation, and stimulate business growth. The Catalyst Accelerator is a collaborative program hosted by Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation (CCTI, a Colorado 501(c)3) in partnership with the United States Space Force, and the Air Force Research Laboratory to provide a robust, mentor-driven curriculum for accelerator teams.

About Oklahoma Cyber Innovation Institute

The Oklahoma Cyber Innovation Institute (OCII) at The University of Tulsa (TU) scales up research and development infrastructure and facilities to collaborate with Oklahoma businesses on cyber security, use-inspired problem-solving, technology experimentation, and producing novel technologies for commercialization. ​OCII’s staff of professionals is dedicated to supporting and advancing cyber talent and expanding economic benefits throughout Oklahoma to position the state as a leader in cyber and technology.​ OCII’s Mission is to cultivate Oklahoma’s technology and cyber ecosystem, through research, innovation, education, & collaboration with industry, workforce, government, & academic partners. OCII’s Vision is to unify Oklahoma’s tech & cyber ecosystem to establish the state as a pre-eminent cyber hub.​ OCII was established in 2023 through an initial $24 million investment, comprised of Oklahoma American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and the Tulsa-based George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF) matching funds for workforce development, small business outreach, and lab-to-market technology innovation.

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