Alaska Small Business Development Center

06/03/2026

🚀Navy SBIR/STTR Program
📅 June 10 | 10:00 AM AKT

The FAST Program is excited to host an exclusive webinar featuring leadership from the Department of the Navy SBIR/STTR Program.

If you're a small business, researcher, or entrepreneur exploring federal R&D funding, this is an opportunity you don't want to miss.

Join us to learn:
✅ Current Navy SBIR/STTR priorities and technology focus areas
✅ Funding pathways and how to compete for Navy opportunities
✅ Strategies for aligning your innovation with national defense needs and commercialization goals

Hear directly from Navy SBIR/STTR program leadership on how small businesses are shaping the future of national security technology.

🔗 Register now: https://bit.ly/4uicKTP

Join us for an exclusive webinar hosted by the Alaska FAST program as we highlight the Navy SBIR STTR program with Director Mr. Brian Shipley DoN SBIR/STTR Programs. America's Seed Fund for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Innovation Technology Transfer (STTR) focus on tr...

06/01/2026

We're always excited to see Alaska entrepreneurs featured and sharing their stories. Check out this episode of This Alaska Business to learn more about the people behind Red Eye Rides, LLC and the role they play in serving travelers across Southcentral Alaska! 👏

The newest episode of This Alaska Business hitches a lift with Red Eye Rides, carrying travelers from Seward and Homer to the Anchorage airport and back.

05/29/2026

Six entrepreneurs. Six innovative ideas. One exciting showcase for Alaska's future. 👏

Congratulations to the participants of the Alaska Healthcare Innovation Accelerator on completing the program and sharing their ventures during this week's Virtual Showcase.

Over the course of the accelerator, these founders refined their ideas, strengthened their business models, and explored new ways to address healthcare, wellness, technology, and community challenges across Alaska.

Thank you to our participants for bringing your creativity, expertise, and passion to the program. We can't wait to see where your journeys take you next.

And the journey doesn't stop here... 👀

If watching these innovators sparked an idea of your own, stay tuned. Another accelerator is on the horizon, and we can't wait to see what Alaska entrepreneurs build next.

Happy Friday, Alaska. Here's to big ideas and the people brave enough to pursue them.

05/28/2026

Today’s the day! 👏

Meet more of the entrepreneurs taking part in the Alaska Healthcare Innovation Accelerator (AHIA) Virtual Showcase happening today from 11 AM – 1 PM AKST.

Hosted in partnership by Alaska SBDC and the UA Center for Economic Development (CED), these founders are creating solutions centered around wellness, innovation, and access for Alaska communities:

• Sharay Samuel | Grace Given Wellness
Grace Given Wellness empowers individuals and families to live naturally, intentionally, and abundantly through faith-filled wellness experiences. From Praise Cardio and outdoor wellness hikes to hands-on DIY wellness classes, sewing academies, and retreats, Sharay is building spaces focused on movement, creativity, connection, and holistic health.

• Jonathan Strong | Spark Alaska RHTP, LLLP (Strong Solutions LLP)
Jonathan Strong is focused on sparking innovation and technology development for rural Alaska through hardware and software solutions designed to create long-term, sustainable impact for future generations.

• Rebekah Burket, Ph.D. | CalmKey Telehealth Connection LLC
CalmKey Telehealth is an established Alaska behavioral health practice working to expand access to specialized psychological care, testing, and workforce development across Alaska.

Join us virtually today and hear directly from Alaska entrepreneurs building creative solutions for communities across the state.

🔗 Register here: https://bit.ly/4dIyMsv

Big ideas, Alaska innovation, and a lot of inspiring conversations ahead 🚀

05/28/2026

Exciting news for Alaska small businesses! 🎉

Several Alaska businesses have officially been awarded $20,000 grants through the Amex Shop Small Grants Program, made possible by American Express and Main Street America.

These grants are helping small businesses grow, innovate, and continue making an impact in their local communities, and we love seeing Alaska entrepreneurs recognized on a national level.

Congratulations to all of the recipients on this well-deserved achievement! 👏

🎉 Big news! 🎉

In partnership with American Express®, we are thrilled to announce more than 500 recipients of the Amex Shop Small® Grants Program, awarding over $10 million in funding to small businesses across the country. Each recipient has received a $20,000 grant to help them grow, innovate, and support their local communities.

Meet the grant recipients here: https://mainstreet.org/the-latest/news/more-than-500-small-business-owners-awarded-20-000-amex-shop-small-grants

05/27/2026

Meet some of the entrepreneurs taking part in the Alaska Healthcare Innovation Accelerator (AHIA) Virtual Showcase this Thursday. 👏

Hosted in partnership by Alaska SBDC and the UA Center for Economic Development (CED), these founders are building solutions designed to support Alaska communities in practical, creative, and meaningful ways:

• Aktta Patel | Adivo: Community-Powered Care
Adivo is a mobile app connecting communities with help for everyday needs, from household tasks and outdoor work to community-specific support services. The platform is live and continues evolving to better serve Alaska communities through partnerships and a new subscription model.

• Marisha Bourgeois | Speak-Its: Words That Stick
Marisha is developing “Speak-it, See-it,” an innovative tool designed to help bridge the gap between speech therapy sessions and everyday practice at home, creating more opportunities for learning and communication support outside the clinic.

• Theresa Reynolds | Cooking Confidence
Registered dietitian Theresa Reynolds is creating hands-on cooking classes focused on building confidence in the kitchen through approachable, health-focused recipes and practical skills. From knife skills to summer pizza classes, her goal is to make cooking functional, enjoyable, and accessible.

Join us this Thursday, May 28 from 11 AM – 1 PM AKST for the live virtual showcase.

🔗 Register here: https://bit.ly/4dIyMsv

More participant spotlights coming soon!

05/22/2026

Nothing better than celebrating Alaska small business wins on a Friday. 🙌

What started as an idea to help Alaskans stay safer on ice and snow has grown into a business making an impact far beyond Alaska. GripAll Traction Products LLC has continued to gain traction with innovative products designed for extreme conditions, and we’re proud to have been part of their journey.

From business advising to continued growth support, it’s exciting to see Alaska entrepreneurs turn practical solutions into thriving businesses that serve communities everywhere.

Stories like this are what Fridays are for. 💙

Read their full success story here: https://bit.ly/4wZSuZQ

05/22/2026

Expanding into new markets doesn’t happen all at once. 🌍

It starts with understanding what’s possible, and taking the first step.

If international growth has been on your mind, now’s a good time to start exploring what that could look like for your business.

Join the conversation:
https://aksbdc.org/workshops/alaska-to-international-markets-lessons-from-local-businesses/

See profiles of business owners who have prospered, in part, due to the services provided by our dedicated team of advisors, instructors, specialists, and assistants.

05/21/2026

There’s just one week left to apply for the opportunity to win up to $20,000 to grow your business. If you’ve been thinking about it, now’s the time to take the next step.

Whether it’s expanding operations, purchasing equipment, investing in marketing, or bringing a new idea to life, this funding could help move your business forward.

Check out the original post for details and how to apply 👇

Only 10 Days Left to Apply to the Alaska Marketplace!

If you’ve been thinking about starting a business, growing an existing one, or taking the next step toward your entrepreneurial goals, now is the time.

The Alaska Marketplace provides entrepreneurs with mentorship, hands-on training, valuable business tools, networking opportunities, and the chance to compete for seed funding to help bring their ideas to life.

No matter what stage your business is in, this program is designed to help move you forward.

Applications close May 31.
Don’t miss your chance to be part of this year’s cohort! Apply today!

Bristol Bay Marketplace Application: https://form.jotform.com/260065676394162
North Slope Marketplace Application: https://form.jotform.com/260625782873164

05/20/2026

🍕 Join the party, Anchorage!

Celebrate Bitcoin Pizza Day with a free community pizza party at UAA on Friday, May 22 from 6–8 PM in The Den at the Student Union. Connect with students, founders, builders, and community members interested in tech, entrepreneurship, blockchain, finance, and innovation, no prior experience needed.

📍 The Den @ UAA Student Union
📅 Friday, May 22 | 6–8 PM
🎟️ RSVP encouraged: https://bit.ly/4eTh5ZD