University of Oklahoma lands coveted grant for technology entrepreneurship

The University of Oklahoma has received a prestigious award from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The department recently announced the recipients of the "Build to Scale" grants, a program designed to support technology entrepreneurs, foster innovation and drive economic growth. This year, the University of Oklahoma was among the 60 organizations nationwide to receive this recognition, marking the 10th cohort of the program.

Administered annually by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA), the "Build to Scale" grants are aimed at accelerating technology entrepreneurship by providing inclusive access to entrepreneurial support and startup capital. The program focuses on various innovation industries, including agriculture technology, blue economy, bioscience, advanced manufacturing and health technology.

The University of Oklahoma's award is specifically designated for the Tom Love Innovation Hub (I-Hub) through the Modern Frontier Studio project. The EDA investment of $1.9 million in federal share, matched by an equal amount from local sources, will enable the university to expand the impact of Startup OU. This expansion involves engaging startups across Central and South-Central Oklahoma, launching affinity programs to support international founders and historically marginalized groups, building multidisciplinary teams to commercialize university innovations and leveraging the university's alumni network to create the Modern Frontier Mentor Network. Additionally, the program will conduct research to assess its effectiveness and share valuable insights with the global entrepreneurship community.

I-Hub seeks to inspire, teach, launch and support founders, workforce, startups and ecosystems across Oklahoma and beyond. I-Hub launched Startup OU in 2021 to build community, train founders and accelerate OU-affiliated startups. In two years, Startup OU has trained more than 100 founders and transitioned over 60 concepts into about 30 active startups.