SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC)
Pays entrepreneur support organisations such as accelerators and incubators to build startup ecosystems in underserved regions and critical tech sectors.
Organisations submit a Stage One application through the SBA's GAFC portal during the competition window, and Stage One awardees can later apply for a larger Stage Two scale-up award. The programme funds the support organisations themselves rather than individual startups directly, though it helps founders discover funded programmes in their region.
GAFC funds entrepreneur support organisations -- accelerators, incubators, universities and nonprofits -- building innovation ecosystems around lab-to-market commercialisation and capital formation. It focuses on critical and emerging technology areas such as biotech, manufacturing and national security, and on underserved regions, sectors and communities.
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