Montana State University’s TechLink Center Receives Prestigious FAST Award to Advance Technology Commercialization for Montana Small Businesses

Bozeman, Montana – Montana State University (MSU) TechLink, a center within MSU’s Office of Research and Economic Development, is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded Montana’s Federal & State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program. This cooperative agreement with the Small Business Administration will provide critical support to advance Montana’s high-tech economy.

The FAST program, a competitive federal initiative, aims to bolster the commercialization of innovative technologies developed by small businesses and enhance their capacity to engage with federal research and development programs, specifically, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) programs. This award will enable TechLink to expand outreach efforts to Montana’s early-stage technology innovators especially women and other underrepresented technology founders.

Key Highlights of the FAST Award:

• Federal Award Amount: $200,000/year
• Project Focus: The Montana FAST program is led by the Montana Innovation Partnership (MTIP) based at MSU TechLink Center. The 2025 program will include outreach, financial support, and technical & business assistance to increase participation by Montana’s underrepresented tech founders. MTIP will offer in-person and virtual outreach, the Innovate Here Summit, and training events at Montana universities, colleges and partner sites across the state, award five FAST Phase 0 microgrants of up to $3,000 to approved small business applicants submitting SBIR/STTR proposals and provide no-cost dedicated consulting services and resources to guide applicants through the competitive SBIR/STTR process.
• Duration: Through this new competition, MTIP’s FAST program is funded through September 2029 pursuant to annual performance renewals.
• Expected Outcomes: Montana ranks 13th highest in the nation for the number of SBIR/STTR awards per capita. Since 2018, 34% of Montana SBIR/STTR awards went to women-owned or other underrepresented founders. 2025 FAST programming is expected to reach over 500 small businesses and partners nationwide, and over 100 Montana small businesses and partners. In 2025, over 22 MTIP clients are expected to submit proposals with a goal that at least 10 of these are from new and underrepresented founders.

“Receiving the FAST Award is a significant milestone for us,” said Brett Cusker, Executive Director of TechLink. “This funding plays a crucial role in our mission to foster strong public-private partnerships and bolster Montana’s high-tech economy. We are grateful for the support and excited about the opportunities this award will unlock.”

The Montana Department of Commerce Director, Paul Green, applauded the award, stating, “Montana is at the forefront of entrepreneurial growth and our partnership with TechLink and the Montana Innovation Partnership plays an important role in our efforts to expand our tech-based economy across this state.”

“This FAST award will enable MTIP and TechLink to provide access, information, and opportunity for Montana’s early-stage innovators, especially those who haven’t envisioned themselves as ‘tech entrepreneurs’ yet,” noted Ann Peterson, MTIP’s Program Director. “We’ve built an incredible team of expert consultants and resources to coach our clients through the competitive SBIR/STTR process and a strong network of partners to help our clients succeed.”

For additional information about the FAST Award and the Montana Innovation Partnership (MTIP), please visit montanainnovationpartnership.org or contact Ann Peterson, Program Director, (406) 994-7788 or techlinksbir@montana.edu.

Read the official SBA press release here.

About the Montana Innovation Partnership powered by MSU TechLink Center

MTIP works with early-stage founders competing for federal research and development funds through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs – America’s Seed Fund! MTIP promotes technology-based economic development in the state through education and expert technical assistance for SBIR/STTR applicants. We collaborate with universities and colleges, accelerators, regional and national FAST partners, and other economic development organizations across Montana to help connect founders to a broad network of support as they launch and grow their business in Montana.

Media Contact:

Ann Peterson
Program Director
ann.peterson@montana.edu
(406) 994-7788
montanainnovationpartnership.org