Kentucky Science And Technology Corporation

TO CREATE AN INNOVATION-DRIVEN, ENTREPRENEURIAL ECONOMY IN KENTUCKY.

EDUCATION PROGRAMS-ADVANCEKENTUCKY IS A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO FUND TRAINING AND INCENTIVES FOR ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) AND PRE-AP COURSES IN MATH, SCIENCE, AND ENGLISH IN KENTUCKY HIGH SCHOOLS. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES EXTENSIVE TRAINING OF TEACHERS, IDENTIFICATION AND CULTIVATION OF LEAD TEACHERS, AND EXTENDED TIME ON TASKS FOR STUDENTS AND FINANCIAL INCENTIVES BASED ON ACADEMIC RESULTS TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF KENTUCKY STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE TAKING AND EXCELLING IN THE VARIOUS MATH, SCIENCE, AND ENGLISH AP EXAMS.COLLEGE BOARD IS FUNDED BY A PRIVATE, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION ALSO NAMED THE COLLEGE BOARD. THIS PROGRAM HELPS INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSES BY OFFSETTING THE COSTS OF RECRUITING AND TRAINING INSTRUCTORS ON TEACHING AN ADVANCED PLACEMENT COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES COURSE TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.CODE.ORG IS FUNDED BY A PRIVATE, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION ALSO NAMED CODE.ORG. IN 2016, KSTC BECAME ONE OF CODE.ORG'S REGIONAL PARTNERS AND RECEIVED A THREE-YEAR GRANT TO HELP ENSURE ALL KENTUCKY'S K-12 STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN COMPUTER SCIENCE. THIS GRANT HELPS OFFSET THE COSTS OF RECRUITING AND TRAINING INSTRUCTORS ON TEACHING A COMPUTER SCIENCE FUNDAMENTALS COURSE TO ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AND A COMPUTER SCIENCE DISCOVERIES COURSE TO MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. VETERAN'S ACCELERATED LEARNING FOR LICENSED OCCUPATIONS (VALLO) IS FUNDED BY THE U.S DEPARTMENT OF LABOR EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION OFFICE. THIS PROGRAM WORKS WITH STATEWIDE LICENSING BOARDS AND POST-SECONDARY TRAINING INSTITUTIONS TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO STREAMLINE THE OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING PROCESS AND DEVELOP NEW ACCELERATED LEARNING PROGRAMS FOR THE PURPOSE OF HELPING VETERANS TRANSITION INTO CIVILIAN OCCUPATIONS QUICKER AND WITH LESS OBSTRUCTION.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMSTHE KNOWLEDGE-BASED ECONOMY (KBE) FUNDS ARE A SERIES OF INVESTMENT FUNDS AIMED AT PROMOTING AND CAPITALIZING EARLY STAGE TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY. KBE IS ADMINISTERED BY KSTC AND FUNDED BY THE STATE THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH THE COUNCIL ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION. THE FUNDS ARE DEDICATED TO INCREASING THE NUMBER OF HIGH TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES AND PRODUCTS IN KENTUCKY. COMPONENTS OF THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE THE KENTUCKY ENTERPRISE FUND PROGRAM, THE RURAL INNOVATION PROGRAM, AND THE KENTUCKY COMMERCIALIZATION PROGRAM. IN APRIL OF 2018 KENTUCKY'S LEGISLATURE TRANSFERRED THE FUNDING AND ADMINISTRATION OF THESE PROGRAMS FROM THE COUNCIL OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION (CPE) TO THE CABINET FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (CED) FOR THE BIENNIUM BEGINNING JULY 1, 2018. IN JUNE OF 2018, CED INFORMED KSTC OF ITS INTENT TO TRANSFER ADMINISTRATION OF THESE PROGRAMS TO CED'S OFFICE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP. IN JULY OF 2018, KSTC ENTERED A LETTER OF INTENT WITH CED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT EXISTING PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS AND EXECUTED A CONTRACT WITH CED IN JANUARY 2019 TO ASSIST WITH TRANSITIONING FUTURE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION FROM KSTC TO CED. IN MARCH, 2019, KSCT CEASED MAKING ANY NEW KBE PROGRAM INVESTMENTS AND IN APRIL, 2019, RETURNED APPROXIMATELY $14,766,471 IN FUNDS HELD UNDER TRUST ON BEHALF OF THE KEF PROGRAMS TO THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY, IN MAY, 2020, CED AND KSTC ENTERED A CONTRACT RETURNING ADMINISTRATION OF THE KBE PROGRAMS TO KSTC AND IN JUNE OF 2020, CED TRANSFERRED APPROXIMATELY $13,874,707 TO KSTC TO BE HELD IN TRUST ON BEHALF OF THE KEF PROGRAM. AS A RESULT OF THIS ACTION BY CED, KSTC HAS RESUMED MAKING INVESTMENTS IN EARLY-STAGE KENTUCKY COMPANIES UNDER THE KBE PROGRAM.THE PROCUREMENT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (PTAC) PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY THE DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY (DLA) OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS. PT A C'S OBJECTIVE IS TO WORK IN COOPERATION WITH STATES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND BOTH PROFIT AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES CAPABLE OF PARTICIPATING IN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.KENTUCKY ALTERNATIVE FUEL & RENEWABLE ENERGY FUND PROGRAM (AFRE) IS FUNDED BY THE KENTUCKY CABINET FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT FOR COMMERCIALIZATION AND INNOVATION FOR KSTC TO ADMINISTER THE KENTUCKY ALTERNATIVE FUEL & RENEWABLE ENERGY FUND PROGRAM. THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO ACCELERATE KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, IMPROVE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH OF KENTUCKY-BASED COMPANIES, AND TO SUPPORT R & D ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE A CLEAR POTENTIAL TO LEAD TO COMMERCIALLY SUCCESSFUL PRODUCTS, PROCESSES, OR SERVICES SPECIFICALLY IN THE AREA OF ALTERNATIVE FUELS OR RENEWABLE ENERGY. THE PROGRAM ALSO ENCOURAGES PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS BETWEEN PRIVATE ENTERPRISES, KENTUCKY'S UNIVERSITIES, AND RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS IN ALTERNATIVE FUELS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY.LT. GOVERNOR'S ENTREPRENEURIAL CHALLENGE (LGEC) IS FUNDED THROUGH A COMBINATION OF STATE GOVERNMENT GRANTS AND PRIVATE SECTOR DONATIONS. IT IS A TIERED BUSINESS PITCH COMPETITION FOR ALL KENTUCKY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GRADES 9-12. IT IS INTENDED TO INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO A REALISTIC COMPETITIVE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT, AS WELL AS PROMOTE BUSINESS OWNERSHIP AND LIFELONG LEARNING. IN AUGUST 2019, KSTC ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO ADMINISTER ALL REMAINING AWARDS FOR 2017, 2018 AND 2019 LGEC PROGRAMS AND TRANSFER ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR FUTURE LGEC PROGRAMS TO THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMSKENTUCKY SBIR/STTR MATCHING FUNDS PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY THE KENTUCKY CABINET FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT (CED) FOR COMMERCIALIZATION AND INNOVATION AND AWARDS MATCHING FUNDS TO KENTUCKY-BASED FIRMS THAT RECEIVE FEDERAL SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) AND SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER RESEARCH (STTR) PROGRAM AWARDS. THE PROGRAM ENCOURAGES GROWTH OF HIGH-QUALITY, ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES BY INCREASING R & D INTENSITY UNDER PHASE I TO MAKE KENTUCKY SMALL BUSINESSES MORE COMPETITIVE FOR PHASE II FUNDS, ALLOWING CONTINUED TECHNOLOGY AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DURING PHASE I AND PHASE II GAP PERIOD, AND ADVANCING THE PROTOTYPE DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING FOR EARLY ENTRY INTO THE MARKET PLACE. IN SEPTEMBER 2017, KSTC WAS NOTIFIED BY CED OF ITS INTENT TO TRANSFER THE MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT OF THE KENTUCKY SBIR/STTR MATCHING FUNDS PROGRAM TO CED'S OFFICE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP. IN FEBRUARY 2018, THE CABINET FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (CED) NOTIFIED KSTC THAT CED WOULD BEGIN ADMINISTERING THE KENTUCKY SBIR/STTR MATCHING FUNDS PROGRAM WITHIN THE CABINET YET REQUESTED KSTC CONTINUE TO ADMINISTER "LEGACY AGREEMENTS" BETWEEN KSTC AND PRIOR PROGRAM RECIPIENTS WHERE BILATERAL OBLIGATIONS STILL EXISTED. CONSEQUENTLY, CED ISSUED A CONTRACT TO KSTC FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE "LEGACY AGREEMENTS". CED CONTINUED TO CONTRACT WITH KSTC ANNUALLY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THOSE BILATERAL OBLIGATIONS. THE MOST RECENT MANAGEMENT CONTRACT COVERS THE PERIOD OF JULY 1, 2021, THROUGH JUNE 30, 2022. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THESE "LEGACY AGREEMENTS", KSTC NO LONGER MANAGES THE KENTUCKY SBIR/STTR MATCHING FUNDS PROGRAM.THE ESTABLISHED PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH (EPSCOR) ADMINISTRATION FROM THE COUNCIL ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION (CPE) REPRESENTS STATE FUNDS UNDER THE KENTUCKY INNOVATION ACT (KIA) FOR THE COORDINATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF EPSCOR. IN APRIL OF 2018 KENTUCKY'S LEGISLATURE TRANSFERRED THE EPSCOR'S FUNDING AND ADMINISTRATION TO THE CABINET FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (CED). KSTC CONTINUED TO ADMINISTER THE EPSCOR PROGRAM THROUGH JUNE 30, 2018. ON JULY 1, 2018, ADMINISTRATION OF THE EPSCOR PROGRAM WAS TRANSFERRED BY KSTC TO CED. AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2021, KSTC HELD $198,916 OF REMAINING ACCUMULATED FUNDS IN TRUST ON BEHALF OF THE COMMONWEALTH. ON JANUARY 19, 2022, AT THE DIRECTJON OF CED, $198,435 CONSISTING OF THE ACCUMULATED BALANCE ATSEPTEMBER 30, 2021 PLUS OR MINUS INTEREST AND BANK FEES, WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY.THE KENTUCKY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FOUNDATION (KSEF) MISSION IS TO BUILD SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CAPACITY AND EXCELLENCE BY INVESTING IN BASIC AND PRE-COMMERCIAL EMERGING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION AND TRANSFER, AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT IN KENTUCKY. THIS PROJECT IS ADMINISTERED BY KSTC AND FUNDED BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH THE COUNCIL ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION (CPE). A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE FOUNDATION IS THE R & D EXCELLENCE PROGRAM. IN APRIL OF 2018 FUNDING FOR KSEF'S ADMINISTRATION WAS TRANSFERRED FROM THE COUNCIL OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION (CPE) TO THE CABINET FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (CED) FOR THE BIENNIUM BEGINNING JULY 1, 2018. IN JUNE OF 2018, CED INFORMED KSTC OF ITS INTENT TO TRANSFER ADMINISTRATION OF THESE PROGRAMS TO CED'S OFFICE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP. IN JULY OF 2018, KSTC ENTERED A LETTER OF INTENT WITH CED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT EXISTING PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS AND EXECUTED A CONTRACT IN JANUARY 2019 TO ASSIST CED WITH TRANSITIONING FUTURE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION FROM KSTC TO CED.

KENTUCKY SPACE PROGRAMSKENTUCKYSPACE IS A JOINT - ENTERPRISE INVOLVING PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS, PRIVATE COMPANIES, COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE STUDENT - DRIVEN DESIGN, BUILD, LAUNCH, AND ON-ORBIT OPERATIONS OF SMALL SATELLITES FOR INNOVATION AND LEARNING PURPOSES. ITS MISSION IS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH REAL-TIME LEARNING IN THE DYNAMICS OF SPACECRAFT DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, TESTING, AND ON-ORBIT OPERATIONS AS A MEANS OF EXTENDING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND INNOVATION.SPACE TANGO INSTITUTE PROVIDES BUSINESS ACCELERATOR-RELATED SERVICES, KNOWLEDGE AND NETWORKS TO HELP SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCH SPACE-ORIENTED BUSINESSES THRU AN INTENSE TWELVE-WEEK, ON-SITE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM FOR SELECTED START-UP COMPANIES PROVIDING THEM ACCESS TO A FULL TEAM OF SCIENTISTS, SPACE PROFESSIONALS, MENTORS AND FACILITIES, INCLUDING THE NASA AMES RESEARCH CENTER, THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, MOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY'S SPACE SCIENCE CENTER AND THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY'S SPACE SYSTEMS LAB. THIS PLATFORM IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO HELP ENTREPRENEURS IN BUILDING PROFITABLE, SPACE-DRIVEN COMPANIES.