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Supporting Innovation

The Science & Technology division fosters the growth of innovative companies, and products through the use of grants, investments and tax incentives. Incentives are available to businesses that foster high tech, high wage, and high skill jobs and tech-based startup companies with the potential to scale quickly.

Grants

The Business & Technology Accelerator grant program was created to partner with an established Arkansas technology-based company to stimulate innovation and growth among the state’s next generation of technology businesses. 

Eligibility Requirements

Program Rules

Sample Application

The SBIR Matching grant program was created to leverage the federal SBIR program and stimulate innovation and growth among the state’s technology businesses resulting in the creation and retention of high-tech jobs. 

The Technology Transfer Assistance grant program assists Arkansas’ enterprises in developing or improving products or processes through the transfer of technical solutions to technology-based, industry-driven problems, thus enhancing that enterprise’s market competitiveness.

Investment Funds

The Seed Capital Investment can provide working capital to help support the initial capitalization or expansion of technology-based companies located in Arkansas. 
The Technology Development Program Investment provides royalty financing for qualified science and technology projects with a potential for economic and employment growth in the state of Arkansas. 

Tax Credits and Incentives for Research and Development

Arkansas participates in the National Science Foundation’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).
The Research & Development Tax Credit Program allows credits against a taxpayer's Arkansas state income tax for making certain qualified research expenditures.

How High-Tech Companies Use Investments

Ozark Integrated Circuits has received TDP Funding and Targeted In-House R&D Tax Credits to develop integrated circuits using advanced materials. Read the case study here
 
SurfTec has received TDP Funding and the SBIR Matching Grant Program to develop high-performance low-friction surface technology.
 
Movista has received SCIP Funding and Targeted In-House R&D Tax Credits to commercialize software to manage remote mobile workforces.