Utah Innovation Center
The Utah Innovation Center, housed within the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, provides a one-stop solution for Utah startups and emerging companies working in technology innovation.
The Center offers free consultations, training, and proposal assistance to help Utah companies succeed in winning non-dilutive funding dedicated to research and development through the $4B federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.
Services
Innovation Center services are available statewide, giving Utah’s technology-oriented companies a distinct advantage in today’s competitive environment. Services include:
- Direct Proposal Assistance — One-on-one proposal editing and review for SBIR/STTR applicants
- Matching — Microgrants and nonrecourse loans for companies pursuing non-dilutive funding through the federal SBIR/STTR programs.
- Agency-Specific Training — Training based on particular nuances and requirements of participating agencies, including finding topics, the application process, and best practices for awarded proposals
- Federal Program Officers — Connections with program officials from SBIR/STTR federal agencies
- Mentorship — Small technology companies receive mentorship with connections to business counseling, lab space, prototype creation, and other resources to build and grow their business
- Funding Network — Small business connections to other types of funding to include angel and venture funding
- Industry Associations — Industry sector associations and group collaboration that enhance the innovation ecosystem
- University Technology Transfer — Collaborations with technology transfer offices at the public and private universities in the state
The Utah Innovation Center helps drive the state’s technology innovation ecosystem opportunities through the federal SBIR/STTR programs. This non-dilutive funding mechanism — both grants and contracts — is dedicated to the research and development of new technology.
Across the nation, startups and small businesses from diverse technology areas and markets compete for this federal funding to stimulate technology innovation and provide broad societal impact.
The Innovation Center helps Utah’s small technology businesses to successfully win R&D funding and commercialize life-changing technologies that benefit us here at home and around the world.

SBIR 101 Workshop
This free, hour-long workshop is offered monthly by the Innovation Center to help Utah entrepreneurs and innovators learn about the non-dilutive federal funding of the SBIR/STTR programs.
Attendees learn how to apply for grants and contracts dedicated to the R&D of innovative technologies that small businesses may commercialize. They learn about the services offered by the Utah Innovation Center and how they can determine if the program is right for them.