The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has awarded one of its highest honors, the Tibbetts Award, to Utah Science Technology and Research’s (USTAR) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Assistance Center (SSAC). The award was presented at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 10 at the White House.
“I am pleased USTAR has been recognized with the 2016 Tibbetts Award,” said Gov. Gary R. Herbert. “The successes of their programs have helped make Utah tech companies significantly more competitive. USTAR has once again reaffirmed the value it provides the state of Utah.”
USTAR opened the SSAC in 2008 to support and maximize the opportunity for Utah companies to participate in and win non-dilutive federal SBIR-STTR funding. Since opening, the SSAC has helped 31 companies win nearly $20 million to advance their technologies and has assisted hundreds of companies from Washington to Box Elder counties in every stage of the process, the organization said in a release. Companies that work with the SSAC increase their chances of winning these funds to over 25 percent, compared to the national average of 14 percent to 17 percent, through a variety of services that include seminars, hands-on assistance, one-on-one consultations, access to program managers and more.
“USTAR’s SSAC is dedicated to providing full service to Utah’s technology community. The SBA’s recognition is confirmation of the commitment the SSAC has in the work they do every day,” said Ivy Estabrooke, USTAR executive director. “We are humbled and honored to have been recognized for embodying the mission and goals of the SBIR and STTR programs and the work of the SSAC team.”
Greg Nielson, chief scientist at Vivint Solar in Lehi, nominated the SSAC for the award.
Named for Roland Tibbetts, the father of the SBIR program, the Tibbetts Awards have been presented since 1996. Winners are selected based on the economic impact of technological innovation and the extent to which the innovation serves federal research and development needs, encourages diverse participation and increases the commercialization of federal research.
The SSAC actively works with Utah’s Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), Business Resource Centers (BRC), local universities and colleges, the Women’s Tech Council, BioUtah and venturecapital.org as well as other resources to reach companies in all stages of technology development.