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SBA makes four awards through its Regional Innovation Cluster program

October 19, 2023
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SBA has recently announced four contract awards to small businesses and entrepreneur support organization (ESO) partners, expanding the SBA’s Regional Innovation Clusters (RIC) to 16 hubs nationwide. Two contract awardees are new to the program in 2023, while two others are returning awardees, positioned with new contracts to continue and expand work in their respective regions.

SBA’s RIC Initiative launched in September 2010 to promote and support clusters, which are geographically concentrated groups of interconnected businesses, suppliers, service providers, and associated institutions in a particular industry or field across the U.S. The RICs act as a networking hub to convene several resources to help navigate the funding, procurement, and supply-chain opportunities in a specific industry.  

New awardees:

  • NTouch-BCT Strategies and the New Jersey Cybersecurity Regional Cluster. NTouch-BCT Strategies will grow the New Jersey Cybersecurity Regional Cluster. The cluster focuses on providing cybersecurity assessments and supporting the growth of small businesses building cybersecurity technologies and services across five counties in New Jersey.
  • Shadow Ridge Analytics and Smart Sensing Systems Cluster. Shadow Ridge Analytics will set up a Smart Sensing Cluster in Southern Montana. The cluster will focus on building the smart sensing cluster in the micropolitan statistical and rural areas in and around Bozeman, Butte, and Billings, Montana.

Returning awardees:

  • AgLaunch Engine and the Delta Cluster. AgLaunch focuses on building a more robust and resilient food supply chain and advancing high-growth opportunities in advanced robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence in climate-smart agriculture. 
  • LSI Business Development and the Defense Alliance Cluster. LSI Business Development works through the Defense Alliance to support small businesses building defense technologies in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

SSTI congratulates all award winners, especially SSTI member AgLaunch.

For more information about the awardees, click here.

sba, innovation, awards