FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carli Smith
Director of Communications
c.smith@goed.nv.gov 775.687.9903
May 27, 2026
Reno, Nev. – Nevada Battle Born Growth Escalator (NBBGEI), which operates Nevada’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) program, “Battle Born Growth”, under contract fromthe Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), has launched Build Nevada, a new AI-powered platform connecting founders, operators and growth-stage companies with Nevada’s capital infrastructure and expansion opportunities. The platform helps companies identify pathways to funding and growth in the state.
Through Build Nevada, companies can directly engage with Nevada’s innovation ecosystem and scale within the state’s fastest-growing industries. GOED is currently deploying a $38.5 million-dollar second tranche of SSBCI funding, with a pathway to a final tranche of $38.5 million dollars, bringing the program up to $112.9 million dollars in total venture and lending capacity.
A More Direct Path to Capital
Build Nevada serves as a national front door for both in-state and out-of-state founders, enabling companies to explore Nevada as a place to build, hire, manufacture, and scale, both digitally and through in-person programming at The Oddie District, The World’s Largest Makerspace and Innovation Campus under one roof, in the Reno-Sparks metro area.
Through the platform, companies submit structured project profiles outlining what they are building, their traction, team, and growth plans. Projects are then matched with relevant capital pathways, financing tools and strategic partners across Nevada’s innovation ecosystem. Typical opportunities range from $250,000 to over $3 million, including venture equity, equipment financing, growth lending and expansion capital tied to Nevada operations.
“Build Nevada is a public-facing tool that gives us a clearer signal on who is aligned with what we’re trying to do,” said Kyle Ferguson, NBBGEI Chief Program Officer for Venture Capital. “We’re focused on companies building real products in industries that matter to Nevada. This helps us spend more time on the right opportunities while giving founders a better way to engage with the ecosystem.”
Where Nevada is Focused
Build Nevada is structured around sectors where the state already holds competitive advantages and long-term growth potential:
- Energy and electrification
- Advanced manufacturing
- Robotics, automation, and drone systems
- Industrial AI and infrastructure intelligence
- Defense and industrial resilience
- Supply chain and logistics technologies
- Rural industrial growth
Nevada continues to attract founders and operators seeking faster timelines, lower operating friction, and direct access to infrastructure, workforce, and growth capital.
“Most founders have no idea programs like this even exist, or whether they qualify,” said Nick Smoot, Co-Founder of Build_ and Co-Developer of The Oddie District. “Build Nevada changes that. Founders can now see where Nevada is investing, position their company accordingly, and engage through a much more direct and efficient process.”
“In the current market environment, startups and small and medium sized enterprises are seeking environments where they can move fast and execute quickly,” said Karsten Heise, who leads innovation based economic development (IBED) at the Nevada’s Governor’s Office of Economic Development. (GOED). “We are bringing together infrastructure, talent, and capital in a way that allows companies to grow efficiently while building long-term value for economic development impact.”
Open to Founders Nationwide
Companies do not need to be based in Nevada today, but must demonstrate a clear path to building, hiring, manufacturing or expanding operations in the state. The platform is now live with active industry opportunities and early company engagement already underway.
Founders can join here to submit their company: https://tinyurl.com/buildNV.
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About the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED)
Created during the 2011 session of the Nevada Legislature, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development is the result of a collaborative effort between the Nevada Legislature and the Governor’s Office to restructure economic development in the state. GOED’s role is to promote a robust, diversified and prosperous economy in Nevada, to stimulate business expansion and retention, encourage entrepreneurial enterprises, attract new businesses and facilitate community development.
About the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI)
The State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) is a nearly $10 billion program to support small businesses and entrepreneurship in communities across the United States by providing capital and technical assistance to promote small business stability, growth, and success. SSBCI represents a transformational investment in American small businesses and is expected to catalyze up to $10 of private investment for every $1 of SSBCI Capital Program funding to increase access to capital to small businesses and entrepreneurs, including those in underserved communities. Nevada’s SSBCI Program, “Battle Born Growth”, is overseen by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED).
Nevada Battle Born Growth Escalator, Inc. (NBBGEI)
A Nevada-based 501 (c)(3) nonprofit corporation created in 2016 by the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) to promote, aid and encourage economic development across the state. NBBGEI operates Nevada’s federal and State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) program, under contract from GOED, to support high growth startups, small and medium sized businesses, and underserved entrepreneurs. Learn more: www.nvsmallbiz.org.
About Build_
Build_ is an AI-powered socioeconomic network that helps communities organize talent, projects, companies, funding, and resources around real-world opportunities. The platform gives cities and regions a practical operating system for entrepreneurship, workforce development, local investment, and community problem-solving.
Functioning like an AI-enabled city-building game for the real world, Build_ turns scattered ideas, talent, funding, and local challenges into a coordinated system for collaboration, investment, measurable progress, and long-term community growth. Learn more: http://www.buildcities.com.