Tech Futures Group

What Tech Futures Group does

Tech Futures Group (TFG) is a nonprofit venture platform that provides no-cost, no-equity advisory services to Northern California technology startups. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Berkeley, California, TFG operates as a special program of the Northern California Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and is hosted by Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation. The organization is funded in part through a grant with the California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) and through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). TFG serves founders across three primary verticals — Software & SaaS, BioTech, and Climate Tech — pairing them with experienced operators, serial entrepreneurs, academics, and venture investors for one-on-one advisory engagement.

TFG's offerings are organized as a venture platform with four service modules: Product-Market Fit Advisory (go-to-market strategy, customer discovery, positioning, commercialization), Finance & IP Advisory (financial strategy, modeling, intellectual property), SBIR & STTR Grant Navigation, and a dedicated FAST Program for SBIR/STTR federal R&D funding support. The organization does not develop proprietary software or technology products; its core capability is a curated advisor bench. Notable advisors include a Tibbetts Award recipient and two-patentee (Stuart Berkowitz), a former NVCA Corporate Venture Group chairman (Mark Klopp), a former CEO of a company acquired by Dell (Steve Plume), and a computational biology PhD and SBIR/STTR reviewer (Mohammad Soheilypour). A technology sub-brand, SBDCIntel, is described as part of the TFG ecosystem for empowering startups.

TFG's business model is a professional-services model in which funding derives entirely from government grants rather than client fees or equity. Because the program is no-cost and no-equity, its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: founders apply through an online portal and are matched with advisors based on industry, maturity, and specific needs. Channels include the SBDC referral network, the company website, an email newsletter, and LinkedIn. Program impact metrics include $1.4 billion+ raised by supported founders, $74 million+ in grants received, 2,700+ jobs created, and a 57% Phase I SBIR success rate versus a 15% statewide California average. TFG is geographically concentrated in Northern California and California, with no global footprint disclosed.

Name

Tech Futures Group

Legal name

Tech Futures Group

Website

https://techfuturesgroup.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tech Futures Group is a nonprofit program of the Northern California SBDC providing no-cost, no-equity advisory services to Northern California tech startups in software/SaaS, BioTech, and climate tech, funded by California's GO-Biz and the U.S. SBA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Advisory Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Emerging Tech (IoT, Blockchain, AR/VR, Edge) Consulting (BPAHAEAL)

Keywords

• Startup advisory services
• SBIR grant support
• Venture mentorship program
• Tech commercialization
• Go-to-market consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Advisory Services (No-Cost): TFG is a no-cost and no-equity service for select tech companies. As a special program of the Northern California SBDC, funded by the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development and the U.S. Small Business Administration, the organization provides free advisory services to qualifying Northern California tech startups.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Tech Futures Group provides no-cost, no-equity advisory services that pair Northern California tech startup founders with experienced advisors for one-on-one support. Core advisory areas include go-to-market strategy, customer discovery, financial modeling, intellectual property guidance, and SBIR/STTR grant navigation. The program targets startups in Software & SaaS, BioTech, and Climate Tech, and operates as a special program of the Northern California SBDC funded by state and federal government grants.

Product overview

Tech Futures Group operates as a venture platform providing no-cost, no-equity advisory services to Northern California tech startups. The core offering is the TFG Venture Platform, which pairs founders with experienced advisors for one-on-one support. The portfolio includes the FAST Program for SBIR/STTR grant support, and specialized advisory modules covering Product-Market Fit (go-to-market, customer discovery, positioning, commercialization), Finance & IP (financial strategy, modeling, intellectual property), and Grant Navigation. Services target startups across software/SaaS, BioTech, and Climate Tech sectors, from early idea stage through established product with paying customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SBDCIntel: A technology platform mentioned as part of the Tech Futures Group ecosystem for empowering startups.

Products and services

• Tech Futures Group (TFG) Venture Platform A no-cost, no-equity venture platform providing advisory services, resources, and strategy support to Northern California tech startups in software/SaaS, BioTech, and Climate Tech sectors. Startups apply and are matched with experienced advisors for one-on-one support on go-to-market, financial, IP, and SBIR/STTR grant navigation needs.
• FAST Program A specialized grant support program designed to help tech founders secure SBIR/STTR federal R&D funding. Provides no-cost advisory services including proposal refinement, funding strategy development, and application navigation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 57% Phase I SBIR funding rate for TFG founders vs 15% statewide average
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Northern California Small Business Development Center (SBDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTFG is a special program of the Northern California SBDC program, focusing on advising small business technology clients in the NorCal SBDC network coverage area. This partnership enables TFG to provide no-cost services to qualifying tech companies.
• Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Tech Futures Group program is proudly hosted by Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation, providing institutional backing and academic partnership.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Techstars runs a global network of mentorship-driven accelerators for tech startups, with sector-specific programs. Comparable to TFG in its accelerator/mentorship model and focus on early-stage tech founders, though Techstars takes equity and is investor-backed.
• Y Combinator: Y Combinator is the largest startup accelerator globally, providing seed funding, mentorship, and go-to-market support to early-stage tech startups. It is comparable to TFG as the archetypal tech startup accelerator, though YC takes equity and operates at vastly greater scale.

Direct peers

• Pitch Global: Pitch Global is a Silicon Valley investor event organizer and startup advisory platform where TFG President Kaustav Chaudhuri serves as President & EIR. Directly comparable as a Silicon Valley startup advisory platform supporting fundraising and investor connections.
• SCORE: SCORE is a U.S. nonprofit supported by the SBA that provides free mentorship and business advisory services to small businesses. It is directly comparable to TFG as a government-funded, no-cost small business advisory program operating under SBA support.
• Plug and Play Tech Center: Plug and Play is a global startup accelerator and venture platform connecting founders with corporations and investors. Comparable to TFG in its venture platform positioning serving early-stage tech startups, though Plug and Play is investor-backed and operates at greater scale.
• Elemental Excelerator: Elemental Excelerator is a climate-focused accelerator deploying non-dilutive capital and advisory support to climate tech startups. Directly comparable to TFG's Climate Tech vertical in mandate, though Elemental operates at greater scale with corporate and philanthropic funding.
• IndieBio: IndieBio is the world's largest biotech accelerator, providing mentorship and seed funding to life science startups. Directly comparable to TFG's BioTech vertical advisory offering, though IndieBio takes equity and is venture-backed.
• California Manufacturing and Technology Consulting (CMTC): CMTC is a California-based nonprofit manufacturing and technology consulting firm, mentioned as a peer where TFG advisor Hillary Talbot consults. Comparable to TFG as a California-based, government-supported advisory program for tech and manufacturing small businesses.
• Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network programs in other states: The broader America SBDC network runs similar tech-adjacent advisory programs in every U.S. state. Directly comparable as sister SBDC programs providing free, no-equity advisory services to small businesses, including tech startups.
• National Science Foundation I-Corps: NSF I-Corps is a federally funded entrepreneurship program providing customer discovery and commercialization training to academic and tech founders. Comparable to TFG's commercialization and grant navigation advisory offering, especially for SBIR/STTR pathways.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tech-futures-group
• Xx.com/TechFuturesGrp
• Facebookfacebook.com/techfuturesgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tech Futures Group