The Commerce Department’s Minority Business Development Agency has launched a new initiative that aims to help minority business enterprises gain access to federal research and development projects.
MBDA partnered with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer on national outreach efforts under the Inclusive Innovation Initiative to connect MBEs to science, manufacturing and research resources in various U.S. federal labs, MBDA said Thursday.
“I-3 will not only help ensure that minority-owned firms and students of color are truly engaged in the 21st century economy, it will also help spur local job creation in various STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) related industries,” said Alejandra Castillo, MBDA national director.
The goal is to expand MBEs’ access to the latest technology in order to help them develop and deliver new offerings to local and international customers, MBDA added.
The agency plans to hold a two-part webinar to discuss the technology transfer process on Sept. 27 and 29.
