AWARDED TO HAWAII SBDC CLIENTS FROM THE HAWAII PPE SUPPLY CHAIN INNOVATION GRANT

Boise Business Accelerator member Procontours pivoted to keep its doors open and employees working while offering an in-demand product: face masks. When COVID-19 interfered with his unmanned air surveillance business, owner George Sobelman kept his contractors working by shifting to branded face masks. Sobelman sold approximately $80,000 worth of face masks to institutions and businesses across Idaho. He also tapped into PTAC to respond to $26 million worth of government face mask RFQs.

Catan Pisco is a woman-owned spirits business, founded by Catalina Bentz . Catalina has been an active member of the Make City business incubator as well as an Illinois SBDC @ ICNC client. As a female in an already male-dominated industry, challenges have been inevitable but thanks to the incubator/SBDC environment, she has persisted. "Meeting with other business owners and my neighbors inside Make City is always so empowering and has added a lot of value to my business."

Tom Ryder, President & CEO of Genesis Plastics Welding

Dr. Gross reached out to Ted Bair of the ISU SBDC, to learn how to best grow his business. Dr. Gross said, "The ISU SBDC helped us save time while helping to push things along and make everything go much smoother. Instead of zigzagging through, we had a straight path and the SBDC helped us stay focused and get everything done. I would encourage any new startup to sit down with the business advisors at the SBDC. The startup ecosystem in Iowa and particularly Iowa State University is outstanding."