Research Triangle Park, NC - June 1, 2022 - On Monday, May 23, 2022 First Flight Venture Center hosted Representative David Price via Zoom, and the Small Business Administration’s Southeast Regional Administrator Allen Thomas in-person at First Flight. The visit by Administrator Thomas was part of a visit to the Research Triangle Park that was organized by Congressman David Price (NC-04) in order to highlight small business success.

"We are so appreciative of our long-standing relationship with Congressman David Price and are honored that he included First Flight Venture Center in the visit of Region IV SBA Administrator, Allen Thomas to RTP. As a science and technology business incubator and innovation hub, we work with early stage, science-focused companies who benefit from the non-dilutive funding and program support provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration."

Covey continued, "We were pleased to showcase the life-changing innovations of 6 companies whose technologies range from a cure for HIV; heart tissue preservation technology to save the lives of heart attack victims; a novel solution tackling food security needs for the localized production of nutritious food in settings with applications in space, military and refugee settings; a company focused on the discovery and development of therapeutics to improve retinal treatments for large populations faced with macular degeneration; a DNA-based high affinity binding material that reduces the time and cost of developing rapid diagnostics; and next-gen X-ray carbon nano-tube production to allow significantly clearer 3D X-ray images compared to traditional x-rays for use in healthcare and security. Each company has benefitted from SBA funding and through the First Flight delivery of SBA supported programs.”

Dr. Mark Roberson, Director of Hangar6, gives a tour to SBA Administrator Allen Thomas and First Flight Board Member Jim Nichols

The visit began with a tour of Hangar6, First Flight’s premier prototyping facility, with First Flight President Krista Covey, Hangar6 Director Mark Roberson, and First Flight Board of Directors member Jim Nichols. At Hangar6, Administrator Thomas was able to hear about the mission of Hangar6, to support entrepreneurs who are developing high-science, high-tech prototypes to commercialization success through the device fabrication services. Administrator Thomas was also briefed on Hangar6’s renewed focus on supporting science-focused startups and entrepreneurs through SBIR proposals and programs.

Dr. Heidi Kay of Jericho Sciences gives a presentation on the work her company is doing to cure HIV

The tour then continued at First Flight, where Administrator Thomas and Congressman Price were given an overview of First Flight’s efforts to propel early-stage science startups to market commercialization. These efforts were personified through presentations from five former and current First Flight resident companies who have benefitted in different ways from the SBA-funded programs, like First Flight’s Federal and State Technology (FAST) Program, as well as the Growth Accelerator Fund Award. The companies were a mixture of women and minority-owned, rural, and RTP-based, and included BioEphX, Cosmic Eats, Drive Therapeutics, Jericho Sciences, and Atom Bioworks.

Administrator Thomas said of the companies that presented, “companies like you can help us understand how we can evolve in our funding process and decision-making. This is where Congressman Price’s office and the SBA can work together in terms of policy and the legislative process to address these issues. That is why it is good for me to see what innovation hubs like First Flight are doing for startups like yourselves, in order to understand what the needs are.”

Companies participate in a roundtable discussion with SBA Administrator Allen Thomas and Congressman Price (via Zoom)

Later, Administrator Thomas, Congressman Price, the First Flight team, and the company presenters participated in a roundtable discussion on the state of entrepreneurship and small business in the region and in North Carolina at large. First Flight Board of Directors member Lebone Moses described what she sees are some key challenges facing entrepreneurs, “The challenges that I see are that individuals often go through universities because that is often where they’ll get the greatest support, particularly for women and minorities,” Lebone said. “However, then the entrepreneurs don’t actually own the intellectual property, and so then they have to go through the commercialization process, and finding the funding and support to do that is a challenge”

First Flight was so pleased to be able to talk about these issues with both Congressman Price and Administrator Thomas, and to show the important work that First Flight is accomplishing for science-based startups and entrepreneurs in North Carolina and beyond.

About First Flight Venture Center

First Flight Venture Center is a high-science, high-impact science-focused business incubator located in the heart of Research Triangle Park, NC. Established in 1991, First Flight has hosted more than 400 plus science-focused companies, providing strategic education, tailored resources, guidance, business connections and office/lab space in a 25,000 sq.ft. facility. First Flight has launched businesses that have commercialized important new science breakthroughs and disruptive technologies, while creating thousands of jobs in North Carolina. For more information, visit http://ffvcnc.org or view First Flight video.

Congressman David Price and SBA Southeastern Regional Administrator Allen Thomas Visit First Flight