FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carli Smith
Director of Communications
c.smith@goed.nv.gov 775.687.9903
October 7, 2026
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has selected the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) as one of seven new recipients of a Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program grant, strengthening the state’s support for small businesses and startups seeking federal research and development funding.
The FAST Program provides specialized training, mentoring, and technical assistance to help small businesses compete for funding through America’s Seed Fund, which includes the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Together, SBIR and STTR represent the nation’s largest sources of early-stage, non-dilutive funding for technology-based small businesses and startups.
Since the creation of the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development’s (GOED) in 2011, Nevada has received three FAST funding grants, most recently in 2024. This year’s application was again spearheaded by the GOED’s Innovation Based Economic Development (IBED) division in partnership with UNLV.
This new grant will expand the Sierra Accelerator for Growth and Entrepreneurship (SAGE), a GOED created and funded initiative established through its Knowledge Fund. SAGE helps Nevada’s deep tech firms and startups strengthen their technology readiness and compete for SBIR, STTR and other federal technology grants and contracts. GOED’s Knowledge Fund provided a 67 percent cash match to support the program’s expansion, further leveraging state investment to increase access to federal research and development funding.
“This award comes at a pivotal moment for not only SBIR/ STTR, but also for the entire federal grants landscape. SAGE’s expansion enabled by this FAST award will be critical in helping Nevada’s deep technology firms and startups be ready to compete for new opportunities,” said Karsten Heise, senior director of strategic programs and innovation at GOED. “SAGE is a great example of not just an initiative that transformed into an anchor program for the Knowledge Fund but it also exemplifies the importance of creating a support structure to progress cutting edge new technologies developed in our state to a level at which they meet federal grants and contracting requirements. Especially with a higher proportion of federal funding going directly to startups, it is crucial that our tech-based businesses are equipped with what it takes to bring those dollars to Nevada and SAGE is designed to play a foundational role in that,” said Heise.
SAGE operates statewide through SAGE North at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), and SAGE South at UNLV. The expansion will establish a ‘Foundry for Entrepreneur Development and Deep Technology Commercialization’. Planned activities include a structured SBIR/STTR curriculum, continued Phase 0 Microgrant support, expanded commercialization assistance and a dedicated deep-tech risk-capital service-function connecting SAGE client firms with nationally operating specialized venture capital firms. This effort will also connect GOED’s state venture capital program, Battle Born Growth, which follows the investment lead of the private sector.
“The FAST grant together with the cash match from the Knowledge Fund enables us to deepen our innovation ecosystem and contribute to the State of Nevada’s efforts to federal funding, particularly through SBIR/STTR, to aid in accelerating our hi-tech sector, and increase related social impact,” said Zach Miles, UNLV interim vice president for economic development. “Additional positions hired through this grant will support small businesses to identify and apply for SBIR/STTR awards and strengthen our ability to attract investment capital and more quickly move innovations to market. UNLV’s own deep-tech spinouts Quantum Copper and WAVR are good examples of how the combination of awarded SBIRs, investment capital from private specialized seed investors, and GOED’s Battle Born Growth sets firms up for market success in Nevada.”
This award comes as SBIR and STTR enter a new five-year authorization period through September 30, 2031, bringing significant changes to the federal research and development funding landscape. As these programs evolve, broad-based support services such as the FAST-supported SAGE program will be increasingly important to Nevada’s technology-based small businesses as they navigate new requirements and pursue federal funding opportunities.
Learn more about SAGE and its support for Nevada’s technology-based small businesses:
- SAGE North (UNR): unr.edu/sage
- SAGE South (UNLV): unlv.edu/econdev/sagesouth
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About the Governor’s Office of Economic Development
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 enterprise, attract new businesses and facilitate community development.