News! MSU TechLink Receives Federal Grant to Help Montana High-tech Companies
MSU TechLink receives federal grant to help high-tech companies
Troy Carter, TechLink Staff Writer via the MSU News Service
SEPTEMBER 10, 2018
BOZEMAN – Montana State University’s TechLink Center has been awarded a federal grant to expand its assistance to technology-related businesses across Montana.
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced on Aug. 29 that it had awarded a Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program grant for $125,000 to fund the Montana Innovation Partnership (MTIP) program managed by TechLink.
Montana is one of just 24 states to receive a FAST grant for the upcoming federal fiscal year. Grants are awarded through a competitive application process. Montana has received this grant in six of the past eight years.
“This program helps entrepreneurs and small tech companies compete for vital early-stage seed capital for innovative technologies with commercial potential,” said Will Swearingen, executive director of TechLink. “Simply put, this grant will help us grow Montana’s technology sector.”
The MTIP program was established in 1999 by the Montana Department of Commerce to support technology-based economic development. The department transitioned MTIP to TechLink in August, though TechLink has collaborated with MTIP since its creation.
MTIP helps qualified businesses and entrepreneurs secure funding for research and development through the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer programs.
TechLink will use the FAST grant to increase MTIP’s outreach, training, mentoring and technical assistance throughout the state, with particular emphasis on women-owned, rural-based and businesses owned by socially or economically disadvantaged people. Some of the funding will be used to help Montana businesses pay costs associated with SBIR applications.
The MSU TechLink Center is integrated with MSU’s land-grant mission and economic development outreach. In addition to its SBIR outreach program, TechLink is the Department of Defense’s national partnership intermediary for technology transfer. The center also manages MSU’s Technology Transfer Office and a software engineering and analysis laboratory. As well, it oversees the Procurement Technical Assistance Center, which helps small businesses in Montana compete for federal government contracts.
To learn more about the Montana Innovation Partnership or to request services, please visit: montana.edu/techlink/sbir.html or email MTIP program manager Ann Peterson at ann.peterson@montana.edu.
Press contact: Troy Carter at 406-994-7798 or troy.carter@montana.edu.