PRESS RELEASE: Congressman Nickel Visits First Flight Venture Center
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
On May 1, 2023, Congressman Wiley Nickel (NC-13) visited First Flight Venture Center to learn more about how First Flight propels early-stage science companies through the delivery of comprehensive resources and empowers innovators to transform good ideas into great successes. He sat down with the founders of two companies – Sue Mecham of NALA Membranes and Kathryn Polkoff of Hoofprint Biome – to learn more about how policies pertaining to innovation and entrepreneurship affect them.
Rep. Nickel also toured four labs at First Flight hearing from Dr. Hortense Dodo with IngateyGen; Jim McLean with Verinetics, Jeffrey Meisner with Resilient Biotics, and Sunil Mehta with AthemBio.
“It was wonderful to have Congressman Nickel come to First Flight to hear firsthand how these science-focused innovators are working to profoundly change the world,” said First Flight Board Chair Mary Musacchia. “Many of the companies we serve rely on non-dilutive funding from federal agencies like the Nation Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Department of Defense (DOD) to scale their businesses into becoming significant commercial successes. That is why it is important to highlight how meaningful this funding is to these early-stage companies.”
First Flight President Krista Covey emphasized how First Flight’s programs are instrumental to the success of these companies.
“First Flight has valuable programs to help companies win non-dilutive funding opportunities from the federal government like Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs,” said Covey. “We are proud to be in the fifth year as a recipient of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Innovation and Technology, Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program, having just completed our 2-day boot camp. This month, First Flight is also launching two Propeller early-stage accelerator cohorts – Female Founders and Defense Textiles/Wearables.” These are just two of the many ways First Flight serves high science/high tech/high impact innovators and entrepreneurs across North Carolina. First Flight served over 800 companies in 2022.
Approximately 70% of all current First Flight program participants meet the SBA’s definition of Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI)/underserved companies.
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.