Oklahoma Small Business Development Center Growing Economy One Business at a Time
Inspiring and supporting innovation is critical to our State's growth and something Oklahoma's Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has committed itself to with the inception of our SBDC Tech Launch Center three years ago. The Tech Launch Center is a part of the SBDC statewide network that has been hosted on the campus of Southeastern Oklahoma State University since 1984. Our mission is to help grow Oklahoma's economy one small business at a time. As a part of that work, our organization assists innovators with products that solve problems relevant to the Department of Defense. Over 60% of the innovators served by SBDC’s Tech Launch Center are rural. Access to resources is important to innovators, especially in rural America. Oklahoma's Tech Advisors provide one on one advising, roundtable style training and discussion, and produce technology showcases for innovators seeking to commercialize products with a focus on the DOD as a customer. Our advisors assess, educate, and prepare companies to diversify and expand their markets. We provide access to software and research tools, operational support, management, marketing, procurement, and other needs of these clients. We support innovators as they prepare for technology events to pitch their technology, network with suppliers, tech scouts, manufacturers, legislators, investors, and other key connections. Our key partners include our sister SBDC network in Kansas as we expand our regional footprint, as well as the Tech Warrior Enterprise, Parallax Advanced Research, Air Force SBIR, various Collider events, Nasa iTech,, and the Oklahoma Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC). We have had our clients highlighted by the National SBDC Showcase two years in a row, have had multiple successes with SBIR Phase I and II and have clients with a Phase 3 being considered at this time. We have recently been awarded an SBA Small Business Growth Accelerator grant to continue our work.
The Oklahoma SBDC is funded through SBA, the State of Oklahoma, as well as tech centers, higher education institutions, and consortiums with goals that align with job creation, retention, starting and expanding businesses, and infusing capital into our State's economy.
by Michele Hockersmith, OSBDC State Director
