Youngstown Business Incubator wins Stage Two Growth Accelerator Fund Competition
The Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI) has been selected as the winner of the Stage Two 2023 Growth Accelerator Competition.
According to a news release from YBI, the group will receive a $150,000 cash prize for its "Appalachian Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem" (AAME) to build strategic partnerships that support the launch, growth and scale of STEM and research and development-focused small business.
The incubator says the model will amplify the impact and success of growth accelerator partnerships and will work to foster a successful national ecosystem that advances equitable investment in advance manufacturing in Appalachia and under served communities.
Specifically, the program will include promoting small business opportunities like the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer grants to both university partners and small businesses.
The goal is to encourage capital investment in early-stage advanced manufacturing companies and raising awareness of advanced manufacturing technologies within regional manufacturers.
AAME was created in partnership with America Makes, Youngstown State University, and the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute.
"With the recognition and connections that this award brings, AAME will be the next step in making Youngstown the epicenter of additive manufacturing in North America," saidJohn Wilczynski, executive director of America Makes.
Winners of Stage Two were selected through a multi-tier review panel process with experts in entrepreneurship, business, innovation, and strategic planning both inside and out of the federal government.
