222: Securing Grants for Scaling Up a Hardware Startup

Product Startup · 18 Apr 2024 · 17m

What this episode covers

Micki Vandeloo, President of Lakeview Consulting, explains how hardware startups can secure government grants to fund scaling operations, noting her firm has raised over $250 million for clients. She distinguishes between state grants, which are smaller and easier to access, and federal programs like SBIR/STTR and the CHIPS Act, which target larger-scale facility and hiring expansions. Vandeloo emphasizes that grants require proven market validation and a detailed project design, warning founders to be conservative in their estimates to avoid clawbacks if they fail to meet specific outcomes like job creation or capital investment.

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