Federal And State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program

Name

Federal And State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program

Legal name

Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program

Website

https://sbir.gov

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

SBA/USDA Government-Backed Loan Intermediation (FSAEAEAI)

Keywords

• Federal grant funding
• SBIR program support
• State partnership program
• Small business innovation
• Technology commercialization

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The FAST Partnership Program is a U.S. government initiative administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that distributes federal funding to state and regional organizations to execute programs increasing the number of SBIR/STTR proposals and awards from small businesses in underrepresented areas. The program operates through three core mechanisms: outreach to grow the SBIR/STTR applicant pipeline, technical and business assistance for proposal development, and financial support (grants or loans) for proposal development costs and conference attendance.

Product overview

The Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program is a single, unified government grant program—not a platform with modules. FAST does not consist of distinct product lines or add-on services. The program delivers funding and programmatic support through three core mechanisms: (1) Outreach to increase the pipeline of SBIR/STTR applicants through training and outreach, (2) Technical and business assistance to support proposal development and team creation, and (3) Financial support in the form of grants or loans to help cover costs of developing SBIR/STTR proposals (Phase 0), attending relevant conferences, and bridging gaps between phases. FAST funds state/regional organizations rather than directly serving individual applicants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program A government funding program administered by the SBA that provides grants to state and regional organizations to execute programs that increase the number of SBIR/STTR proposals and awards from small business owners in undercapitalized regions, with a focus on women, socially/economically disadvantaged individuals, and businesses in underrepresented areas such as rural states.
• FAST Outreach Services Outreach program component designed to increase the pipeline of SBIR/STTR applicants through training and outreach activities conducted by state FAST partner organizations. Targets technology-focused entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses building innovative solutions with government applications.
• FAST Technical and Business Assistance Technical and business assistance program component that supports SBIR/STTR proposal development, team creation, and commercialization readiness for small businesses, delivered through state FAST partner organizations.
• FAST Financial Support (Phase 0 Grants/Loans) Financial support mechanism providing grants or loans to help small businesses cover costs of developing SBIR/STTR proposals (Phase 0), attend relevant conferences, and bridge gaps between SBIR/STTR phases.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,000 companies funded per year on average
• +5 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SCORE: An SBA resource partner network providing free mentorship and business counseling to small businesses—including assistance in accessing federal R&D and innovation funding—directly overlapping with FAST's outreach mission.
• Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs): SBA-funded resource partners delivering counseling and proposal support to small businesses nationwide; they overlap heavily with FAST's state/regional partner ecosystem, though their mandate is broader than SBIR/STTR.
• NIST Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP): A federal program that funds a national network of centers providing technology, manufacturing, and commercialization assistance to small and mid-sized U.S. manufacturers; a structural peer in using federally-funded state partners to deliver innovation services.
• Economic Development Administration (EDA): A Department of Commerce agency providing federal grants to state and regional economic development organizations—comparable to FAST in distributing federal funds to regional intermediaries, but with a broader economic development mandate.

Direct peers

• Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA): A federal agency that funds business centers supporting minority-owned and underserved small businesses; overlaps with FAST's targeted outreach to socially/economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs.
• NSF I-Corps: An NSF program that funds entrepreneurship and commercialization training for academic NSF grantees, with comparable funding models (non-dilutive awards) and a similar mission of building the national innovation commercialization pipeline.
• SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC): A sister SBA program that awards prize-based funding to accelerators and incubators supporting SBIR/STTR applicants—operating alongside FAST within SBA's Office of Investment and Innovation.
• State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI): A Treasury program distributing federal funds to state-level programs that support small business access to capital—structurally similar to FAST's state-partner model and focus on undercapitalized markets.
• SBIR/STTR (America's Seed Fund): The SBIR/STTR 'America's Seed Fund' program is the parent federal non-dilutive funding program of FAST; FAST specifically exists to feed its applicant pipeline from underrepresented geographies and demographics.

Others

• State Science & Technology Institute (SSTI): A nonprofit membership organization for state-level science, technology, and innovation agencies—the very type of organizations that often serve as FAST's state partners, providing them with research, technical assistance, and policy support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about Federal And State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program