Summer is finally here and with the sunshine comes the visitors! There have been record numbers of them coming into the state, and more are expected. From Ketchikan to Nome, businesses are benefiting from travelers seeking out the Last Frontier and buying souvenirs.
The added economic activity plus the annual drive to get out and experience the great outdoors can make for an exhausting few months, make sure to take some time to rest and recharge!
The Alaska SBDC has definitely had a busy month. We hosted a team from America’s SBDC, the national association of Small Business Centers, who were in town to conduct our five-year accreditation review.
After showing the Accreditation team our operations in Anchorage, Soldotna, Seward, and Fairbanks I’m happy to say that we passed with flying colors. With a team like ours I never doubted it for a second!
Now that we’ve gotten our accreditation out of the way we can focus on the new programs, tools and staff that we have been bringing on over the last few months.
I’m excited to introduce you all to our new Rural Business Advisor Ruth and our new Alaska Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Equity Program Director Brian who you can get to know more about below. They both have an amazing amount of skills and experience that we can’t wait to start putting to work to support Alaska’s small businesses.
We’re also launching a new innovation and development platform through our Technology Research and Development Center of Alaska (TREND) program called TurboSBIR. This is an AI-driven resource for innovators and entrepreneurs who are interested in identifying and securing Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant funding.
The Alaska SBDC has even more new programs, positions and resources coming in the next few months. From the Tribal SSBCI program launch to new technical assistance funding and several new staff positions, we’re growing to meet the needs of Alaska’s small businesses and entrepreneurs. Keep an eye on our websites and future emails to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the amazing new opportunities that are coming.
In the meantime, thank you for letting us help you continue to grow and strengthen Alaska’s economy and don’t forget to take some time to catch some fish, hike some trails and enjoy another amazing Alaskan summer!
Jon Bittner
Alaska SBDC Executive Director