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What is NM FAST?

The NM Federal and State Technology (NM FAST) partnership program provides SBIR and STTR proposal development assistance to small businesses throughout NM. Securing federal funding for your innovative idea or technology is a critical step towards commercial success. The SBIR and STTR programs, often referred to as “America’s Seed Fund,” are an excellent source of undiluted funding, but are highly competitive. NM FAST provides the resources, support, and expertise necessary to submit a highly competitive proposal.

Apply to NM FAST!    Contact Us  SBIR 101 ACSA

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How is NM FAST Associated with SBIR/STTR?

The NM Federal and State Technology (NM FAST) partnership program provides SBIR and STTR proposal development assistance to small businesses throughout NM. Securing federal funding for your innovative idea or technology is a critical step towards commercial success. The SBIR and STTR programs, often referred to as “America’s Seed Fund,” are an excellent source of undiluted funding, but are highly competitive. NM FAST provides the resources, support, and expertise necessary to submit a highly competitive proposal.

While NM FAST primarily focuses on the innovative companies in the state of New Mexico, we can provide limited assistance to companies in other states. If you are not incorporated in New Mexico, contact us using the form below and we will try to put you in touch with a local service provider that can assist you.

 

What is SBIR/STTR?

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are federally funded programs designed to move early stage technologies towards commercialization. Both programs have three phases, with Phase l focused on establishing technical merit (up to $225K awards), Phase ll focused on continued R&D efforts, and Phase lll focused on commercialization efforts resulting from the previous two phases. With a yearly budget that exceeds $2 billion and the participation of eleven federal agencies, the SBIR and STTR programs are an advantageous funding stream for innovative small businesses.
Eleven federal agencies participate in the SBIR program, and five of those also participate in the STTR program. This allows for a breadth and depth of innovative potential that covers every domain of science, research, and development. Whether you are creating weather balloon tools to increase accuracy of sensor stations, developing novel Virtual Reality simulations to help at-risk students, or engineering the next break-through drug, there is a topic/agency that is right for you.
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Meet Our Team

 

 

Dana DeRego Catron

Dana DeRego Catron

SBIR Program Director

Dana Catron serves as the Director of Strategic Operations and SBIR Program Director for Arrowhead Center, where she oversees Arrowhead’s SBIR assistance program, NM FAST, and also provides support on strategic planning, operations, grants, written communication, and program development. She also serves as Arrowhead Center’s northern NM liaison, where she represents the organization at events and functions, serves on advisory councils, presents on programmatic initiatives, and performs outreach. Dana received her bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Washington State University and a master’s and Ph.D. (in progress) in Rhetoric and Professional Communication from NMSU.

Dana can be reached at dderego@nmsu.edu or at (505)-469-8411.

Kathy Foster

Kathy Foster

Sr. Program and Strategic Planning Officer

Kathy Foster, MBA serves as a Sr. Program and Strategic Planning Officer developing and implementing strategic plans to maximize program effectiveness. Her professional experience includes federal program management, grant writing, and entrepreneurial training. Kathy’s ability to provide comprehensive entrepreneurial training and support has empowered individuals and businesses to navigate the complex landscape of starting and growing their ventures. Kathy earned her BA in English and MBA in Leadership at the University of New Mexico.

Kathy can be contacted at kmfoster@nmsu.edu or (575) 646-1815.

 

 

Milica Tenic

Milica Tenic

Senior Program Manager

Milica is a senior program manager for NM FAST at Arrowhead Center, with expertise in government contracting and grant opportunities. She focuses on supporting small business owners and innovators who seek non-dilutive federal investment for their new products and technologies through the SBIR/STTR programs. Milica has been funded across federal agencies and helps entrepreneurs navigate solicitation matching, proposal development, proposal package review, and budget drafting across disciplines. She holds B.S.’s in Environmental Science and Biology from Loyola University Chicago, and a MS in Biological Sciences from Washington State University.

Milica can be contacted at tenic@nmsu.edu or (575) 646- 3516.

John Waller

John Waller

Program Specialist

John is a program specialist supporting NM FAST, University Center, and NMSBA. He focuses on creating informational material, presenting in webinars, and maintaining the accuracy of guides given to clients seeking non-dilutive federal funding. He also helps drive innovation by supporting the creation of a commercialization curriculum for students interested in entrepreneurship and assisting small businesses connect to subject matter experts to help find solutions for technical challenges of the business. He holds a B.S. in Biology from Columbus State University and a M.Sc. Biology from New Mexico State University.

John can be contacted at jcwaller@nmsu.eduor (575) 646- 3516

 

The NM FAST program is funded in part

by the U.S. Small Business Administration