Woodland’s AgStart wins Stage One of the U.S. Small Business Administrators Growth Accelerator Fund Competition 

Sep 16, 2023

Earlier this month, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced AgStart as a Stage One winner for the 2023 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition.

According to a local press release, AgStart will receive a $50,000 cash prize to build the AgriFood Innovation Network: a network of strategic partnerships supporting the launch, growth, and scale of STEM/R&D-focused small businesses in agriculture, food and health.

AgStart has been a one-of-a-kind startup agriculture incubator facility that has offered collaborative programs designed to help new startup companies succeed. According to AgStart, the lab's mission is accelerating agriculture, food and health innovation in the western region.

Its nearly 13,000-square-foot Lab@AgStart incubator is located in downtown Woodland at 1100 Main Street, Suite 300, and it houses the largest wet laboratory for startup companies in the Central Valley, a food laboratory and the AgStart Event Center.

Earlier this year, in January, the lab celebrated the opening of a new wing known as the Bayer Lifehub California@AgStart, more than doubling the facility's laboratory space and helping further expand innovation opportunities in Northern California and throughout the world.

With the expansion, the lab increased the user laboratory benches from 26 to 52, as well as added additional office space to go along with the event center.

In attendance for the wing's opening were Congressman Mike Thompson, Woodland City Manager Ken Hiatt, Mayor of Woodland Victoria Fernandez, Councilwoman Tania Garcia-Cadena and Yolo County Administrator Gerardo Pinedo, among others.

In addition to physical facilities, AgStart offers education, mentoring and connections to collaborators, customers and investors. AgStart has helped hundreds of innovators and startups since opening its doors twelve years ago and is part of the region's thriving innovation ecosystem. AgStart is a non-profit and is supported through membership and use fees and the generous support of corporate and other sponsors.

"This work builds upon existing partnerships, such as our collaborative VINE regional network, and extends this model nationally," AgStart Program Director Amanda Portier stated. "Our vision is to create the most fertile and productive innovation ecosystem for entrepreneurs tackling the biggest issues in agriculture, food, and health."

AgStart's award-winning model will amplify the impact and success of Growth Accelerator Partnerships and will work to foster and facilitate a thriving national ecosystem that advances equitable investment in innovative high-growth small businesses.

This year's competition has brought together organizations, entities, groups, and individuals beyond geographic boundaries to support innovators and innovation needed to confront the challenges of today.

Winners of Stage One 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. Applications and pitch videos were reviewed by expert judges and submitted by the finalists.

AgStart will now compete for an additional $50,000 to $150,000 later this summer. From inequity and climate change to supporting national defense and community-driven economic prosperity, the real opportunity is now to build up innovation ecosystems.

"AgStart is eager to make an impact by strengthening local, regional, and national partnerships to provide critical small-business support nationwide," Portier stated.

Stage Two cash prizes will support the "Growth Accelerator Partnerships" to further develop strong innovation ecosystems to fast-track building and scaling of STEM/R&D-focused small businesses. Organizations that were not selected in Stage One, as well as diverse local, regional and national entities from any sector or location, are eligible to connect with Stage One winners to develop partnerships in a bid for Stage Two prizes.

For more information about the Growth Accelerator Fund Competition, please visit www.sbir.gov/accelerators.

For more information about Agstart, please visit www.agstart.org.

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