Economic Development

F&I contributes to STEM-based economic development by leveraging its financial resources with the expertise of organizations such as the Alaska Technology Research and Development (TREND) Center; the Launch:Alaska business accelerator, and the UAF Office of Intellectual Property and Commercialization (OIPC). With their support, F&I will sponsor and organize activities that encourage a community and culture supportive of STEM activities and entrepreneurship. These include a total of 14 workshops in applying and administering federal SBIR/STRR small business awards; at least 5 training sessions designed to encourage UA applications for external private funding; and at least 10 community technology events like Interior Alaska Hackathons, in which programmers create applications for community use, and Raspberry Pi Jams, which include hands-on programming education. These activities are part of a pipeline that feeds into entrepreneurship events like the Fairbanks Economic Development Corporation’s Startup Week, Mentor Alaska and Launch Alaska events, and programs of the Alaska Small Business Development Center; F&I will collaborate on 25 or more of these events over 5 years. These activities are overseen by Project Administrator Faye Gallant.