Startups often struggle with grant applications. A new group wants to change that.
The Pittsburgh Technology Council and Keystone Space Collaborative have teamed up to launch the Data, Robotics, Energy, AI, Manufacturing and Security (DREAMS) Coalition, an initiative designed to help local companies in that industry cluster better apply for federal grant funding. The application to be considered for the coalition, announced last week, is open to companies at all stages to apply — and it comes at just the right time.
Local companies need help applying for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funding, especially in the current 'uncertain federal funding environment,' said Justine Kasznica, founder and board chair of Keystone Space Collaborative. Bringing businesses together in a coworking space and connecting them with government agencies and investment stakeholders provides the foundation to score more grants.
'There [are] a number of these companies that really need support,' Kasznica said, 'identifying what opportunities exist and then sitting down and figuring out what they need to do to maximize their chances of getting critical early-stage [research and development] dollars.'
From startups that are first-time applicants to seasoned businesses, the DREAMS coalition is seeking companies with expertise in data, robotics, energy, AI, manufacturing and security that can apply their skills to solve problems identified by federal agencies.
Along with offering federal funding assistance, the coalition will provide a collaborative workspace in Bakery Square and facilitate connections to industry stakeholders and investors to propel advanced technology startups in aerospace, robotics, AI and manufacturing.
'If you take the assets we have in this region, both historical and recent, there's not one industry that's going to take us to the next iteration of Pittsburgh,' Audrey Russo, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Technology Council, told Technical.ly. 'The diversity of the [coalition's] industries are only going to make us stronger.'
As applications roll in, companies could begin receiving support at the coalition's coworking space as early as next month, according to Kasznica and Russo.
The coalition is currently in a six-month pilot phase, but if it proves successful, the Pittsburgh Technology Council and Keystone Space Collaborative plan to extend the initiative and establish a more permanent location.
'We're calling it a pilot because we want to test out this broader industry cluster,' Kasznica said. 'How we evaluate ourselves is based on how many new projects and funding dollars we can bring to new technologies or existing companies.'
Instead of supplying access to cash like accelerators and incubators, the coalition relies on the importance of building connections and providing hands-on guidance through the grant application process.
A tough fed funding landscape still rife with opportunities
Despite the uncertain federal funding landscape, Russo and Kasznica both said they were optimistic about local companies securing grants moving forward.
Since the creation of the SBIR and STTR programs, Pittsburgh companies have received over $400 million for innovation research and new technology development across over 1,000 grant awards. The early-stage, non-dilutive funding has allowed Pittsburgh to compete with larger cities that have more private capital and has helped numerous local startups get off the ground.
The coalition will specifically target agencies in aerospace and defense, Kasznica said, which aligns with the type of funding Pittsburgh companies have received to date. A majority of the grants to Pittsburgh companies have come from the Department of Defense, with the other top agencies being the Department of Health and Human Services, NASA, the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation.
'We're anticipating even more opportunities, in some cases, particularly for the future technology development that we're looking at doing in this region, which is advanced manufacturing, robotics and AI,' Kasznica said. 'There's a real appetite for that, even with this administration.'
Through DREAMS, Kasznica and Russo want to keep those dollars flowing into the region.
What early-stage companies often get wrong when applying for grants, according to Kasznica, is approaching the process with a product-first mindset and trying to pitch a product they've already built. The coalition aims to shift this approach early on by encouraging companies to first understand the needs of potential customers and then apply their expertise in robotics, manufacturing, or AI to solve those specific problems.
'It's really important to have good processes intact and people around you that have experience doing this kind of work,' Russo said, 'so that you can understand what you're able to leverage and what you need to make it happen.'
Plus, a free coworking space to spread knowledge even further
With a $60,000 grant from the Benedum Foundation, the coalition is leasing space at Spaces Bakery Square, utilizing the coworking hub with 11 rooms, including private offices and flexible conference and working areas that could accommodate up to 30 people.
Staff from the Pittsburgh Technology Council, Keystone Space Collaborative and innovation research firm Parallax will all be onsite to work with participating companies.
Through the no-cost coworking space, companies will gain access to mentorship and open office hours with a Parallax team member who specializes in connecting universities, businesses and government. Also, eligible members will be able to access Keystone Innovation Zone tax credits, further incentivizing growth.
Additional programming could include workshops on scaling innovation and networking events designed to build a strong, connected entrepreneurial ecosystem, according to a recent press release.
'We need a better concierge system, which is what we're trying to set up here with this coalition,' Kasznica said. 'This isn't a traditional accelerator … we're not giving money out, but we're providing a place to come and participate, meet potential partners and funders.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Technical.ly
09-07-2025
- Technical.ly
Mine Vision Systems raises $11.5M with plans to expand its Pittsburgh workforce
Pittsburgh startups are attracting fresh funding to build robots and autonomous systems that could make dangerous jobs safer far beyond the region. In this month's edition of Money Moves, mining automation company Mine Vision Systems brought in $11.5 million in later-stage funding as it grows its international footprint. Meanwhile, local sports tech firm Diamond Kinetics is restructuring ahead of a potential raise and possible expansion into new markets. Plus, startup HEBI Robotics landed federal funding to build robots that can safely operate in hazardous industrial settings. Read on for the latest startup investments and other money moves shaping the Pittsburgh region after the chart showing trends in local tech hiring. Mine Vision Systems raises $11.5M to expand local hiring The Pittsburgh-based mining technology company Mine Vision Systems has raised $11.5 million in later-stage equity funding at an undisclosed valuation, according to a July 3 filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The raise, which began on May 27, includes 18 undisclosed investors, according to the SEC filing, and will be used to hire more talent in the Pittsburgh area, according to CEO Mike Smocer. 'The current and ongoing fundraising will fund engineering and our go-to-market team,' Smocer told 'This expansion will be primarily focused on hiring top talent in the Pittsburgh area.' The filing follows recent news that the company, which develops visual intelligence and automation tools for the mining industry, is expanding its global reach, partnering with firms in Australia and South America. Since Mine Vision Systems spun out of Carnegie Mellon University in 2015, it's had one documented raise. That year, it secured $3 million from the gold mining firm Gold Fields at a $30 million valuation, according to PitchBook. Since then, Mine Vision Systems received a $100,000 tax credit in 2022 from the Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ) Tax Credit Program and landed a multi-year agreement in 2023 with Idaho's Hecla Mining Company to bring its mapping system into North American mines. This happened right as the company prepared to seek Series A investment, according to reporting from the Pittsburgh Business Times, but that never materialized. Local robotics startup receives $250k grant from US Army HEBI Robotics, a local company specializing in flexible, build-your-own robotic systems, recently received a $250,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the US Army to adapt its tech for use near flammable gases or liquids. Many industrial tasks require humans to work in dangerous environments where substances that could catch on fire are present. Robots make it possible for this work to be done remotely, keeping human workers out of harm's way, according to HEBI. Building certified robot systems for hazardous environments can be costly, so HEBI will use the SBIR funding to develop tools that reduce the time and expense of creating those certified robots. HEBI's long-term goal is to make it easy for professionals to create robots without years of technical training, CEO Bob Raida said in a prepared statement. 'Over the years, HEBI has expanded its hardware to be capable of performing in a wider range of environments including wet and dirty environments, and underwater,' Raida said. 'Creating certified hardware is a big step forward and will be a game changer that opens the door to a nearly limitless number of industrial applications.' Diamond Kinetics secures $1M in debt financing, plans raise Pittsburgh-based sports tech company Diamond Kinetics has secured $1 million in debt financing, or funds it will eventually need to pay back, according to a July 1 SEC filing. The raise, backed by one unnamed investor, is part of a financial restructuring in advance of a larger funding round in late 2025, according to CEO CJ Handron. '[We're] restructuring a couple things ahead of a raise we're putting together later this year,' Handron told He declined to comment further on the filing. Diamond Kinetics, known for its sensor-enabled training tools for baseball and softball players, offers the DK Bat Sensor, which helps athletes track swing data and improve performance. The company raised $18.6 million earlier this year, which was one of the largest Q1 deals in the region, and has secured more than $30 million in total funding since its founding in 2014. The company is eyeing a possible expansion into other sports, Handron told back in April. Education money moves: The US Department of Defense renewed its $1.5 billion contract with Carnegie Mellon University to run the Software Engineering Institute for another five years. Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pittsburgh and a handful of other universities were awarded a $1.6 million grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to study AI's impact on workers and the labor market. Public sector money moves: Allegheny County has lost over $34 million in green infrastructure grants since early 2025, hitting projects for EV infrastructure and workforce development. The Pittsburgh Housing Authority signed a $160,000 contract with a private AI company to use its tools for a one-year pilot program that aims to help its understaffed voucher department process thousands of applications. Governor Josh Shapiro visited Pittsburgh in late May to announce his budget would create a new $50 million PA Innovation program, which would include a one-time $30 million initiative to spur life sciences job growth and $20 million to provide annual funding to support large-scale innovation. Local innovation leaders shared their support for the proposal. Just one year of federal funding in Pennsylvania generates $5.2 billion in economic activity. Federal cuts to the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health are estimated to cause a $259 million loss for Allegheny County. Other money moves: Gecko Robotics raised $125 million in Series D funding at a $1.25 billion valuation, reaching unicorn status about 12 years after its founding. Gecko said it would use the funds to accelerate its growth into sectors like defense, energy and manufacturing. AI healthtech startup Abridge raised $300 million, nearly doubling its valuation to $5.3 billion since February. The funding will support its partnerships with over 150 health systems nationwide. Amazon pledged to spend $20 billion on two data centers in Pennsylvania, potentially creating hundreds of jobs. Due to existing tax breaks, PA could lose $43 million to $75 million in annual revenue, according to reporting from Spotlight PA, and the impact on electricity supply and prices remains unclear. A new SEC filing showed Lovelace AI secured nearly $16.2 million from investors, likely related to its recent seed round. The company now holds a pre-money valuation of $28.6 million, per PitchBook. Two Pittsburgh companies won big at the Keystone Space Innovation Challenge. Beyond Reach Labs won $50,000 for its foldable system that sets up towers and shelters in tough environments. Revitalize got $25,000 for developing space-enabled eye drops to ease screen-related eye strain. Five Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Mellon University alumni startups, including HeadStrait Labs, Journey Robotics, Shelfmark, Singularity Polymers and a final unnamed startup, were selected to receive $100,000 over the next two years as part of the university's Tartan Entrepreneurs Fund. Local wearable technology startup IntelliSafe Analytics received a $1 million SBIR grant from the National Science Foundation to commercialize its wearable tech that can predict and prevent workplace accidents associated with lifting, slipping, tripping and heat stress.
Technical.ly
24-06-2025
- Technical.ly
How Philly's BioLattice is making the jump from grants to VC
For nearly two years, has hosted its monthly segment, Speaking, on WURD Radio's 'Reality Check' with Tonya Pendleton. Earlier this month, WURD cancelled the show after a round of layoffs. Winning pitch competitions and getting industry recognition don't always lead to funding. For Amelia Zellander, founder and CEO of the tissue engineering startup BioLattice, it took six years to get the 'proper funding' to pursue the biotechnology, which she finally secured at the end of 2023. Innovations like biomaterial to repair the front layer of the eye — an alternative to traditional cornea transplants — can be risky to develop, she said. In the current climate of risk-averse investors, that makes biotech money difficult to land. It was ultimately federal funding (the same programs now in limbo under the Trump administration) that made Zellander's initial research possible. Now she's seeking venture capital to maintain that momentum. 'My journey with this company in this form really started in 2017,' Zellander told reporter Sarah Huffman on Speaking, a monthly segment on WURD Radio's 'Reality Check' hosted by Tonya Pendleton. 'I applied for federal funding multiple times before I finally got the Phase One [National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research ] grant.' The funding served as a launch pad. Since starting a research partnership with Lehigh University, BioLattice has landed an $80,000 first-place prize at a pitch competition. More recently, Zellander was named Startup of the Year at BioLabs' third annual investor day. BioLattice is continuing its growth trajectory as a member of the inaugural HiveBio accelerator cohort. This is helping build the company's brand and supporting its path to securing investors, per Zellander. 'I have been getting a little bit of funding, but I'm just still in the battle to build my reputation,' she said, 'to build the trust with investors, and to present the need.' While positive recognition is useful in general, it doesn't always translate into dollars, Zellander said. As BioLattice gears up to raise its next $2 million to support the prototyping phase, she's hoping to make sure it can turn the accolades into securing VCs. BioLattice is currently in a preclinical, prototype stage. Its CorneaClear technology is compatible with rabbit eyes, and now needs more testing to conduct a formal animal study. 'Storytelling is the biggest thing,' Zellander said. 'Investors want to know: How are they going to get their investment back?'
Technical.ly
28-04-2025
- Technical.ly
Startups often struggle with grant applications. A new group wants to change that.
A new coalition wants to make sure Pittsburgh companies don't leave federal money on the table. The Pittsburgh Technology Council and Keystone Space Collaborative have teamed up to launch the Data, Robotics, Energy, AI, Manufacturing and Security (DREAMS) Coalition, an initiative designed to help local companies in that industry cluster better apply for federal grant funding. The application to be considered for the coalition, announced last week, is open to companies at all stages to apply — and it comes at just the right time. Local companies need help applying for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funding, especially in the current 'uncertain federal funding environment,' said Justine Kasznica, founder and board chair of Keystone Space Collaborative. Bringing businesses together in a coworking space and connecting them with government agencies and investment stakeholders provides the foundation to score more grants. 'There [are] a number of these companies that really need support,' Kasznica said, 'identifying what opportunities exist and then sitting down and figuring out what they need to do to maximize their chances of getting critical early-stage [research and development] dollars.' From startups that are first-time applicants to seasoned businesses, the DREAMS coalition is seeking companies with expertise in data, robotics, energy, AI, manufacturing and security that can apply their skills to solve problems identified by federal agencies. Along with offering federal funding assistance, the coalition will provide a collaborative workspace in Bakery Square and facilitate connections to industry stakeholders and investors to propel advanced technology startups in aerospace, robotics, AI and manufacturing. 'If you take the assets we have in this region, both historical and recent, there's not one industry that's going to take us to the next iteration of Pittsburgh,' Audrey Russo, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Technology Council, told 'The diversity of the [coalition's] industries are only going to make us stronger.' As applications roll in, companies could begin receiving support at the coalition's coworking space as early as next month, according to Kasznica and Russo. The coalition is currently in a six-month pilot phase, but if it proves successful, the Pittsburgh Technology Council and Keystone Space Collaborative plan to extend the initiative and establish a more permanent location. 'We're calling it a pilot because we want to test out this broader industry cluster,' Kasznica said. 'How we evaluate ourselves is based on how many new projects and funding dollars we can bring to new technologies or existing companies.' Instead of supplying access to cash like accelerators and incubators, the coalition relies on the importance of building connections and providing hands-on guidance through the grant application process. A tough fed funding landscape still rife with opportunities Despite the uncertain federal funding landscape, Russo and Kasznica both said they were optimistic about local companies securing grants moving forward. Since the creation of the SBIR and STTR programs, Pittsburgh companies have received over $400 million for innovation research and new technology development across over 1,000 grant awards. The early-stage, non-dilutive funding has allowed Pittsburgh to compete with larger cities that have more private capital and has helped numerous local startups get off the ground. The coalition will specifically target agencies in aerospace and defense, Kasznica said, which aligns with the type of funding Pittsburgh companies have received to date. A majority of the grants to Pittsburgh companies have come from the Department of Defense, with the other top agencies being the Department of Health and Human Services, NASA, the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. 'We're anticipating even more opportunities, in some cases, particularly for the future technology development that we're looking at doing in this region, which is advanced manufacturing, robotics and AI,' Kasznica said. 'There's a real appetite for that, even with this administration.' Through DREAMS, Kasznica and Russo want to keep those dollars flowing into the region. What early-stage companies often get wrong when applying for grants, according to Kasznica, is approaching the process with a product-first mindset and trying to pitch a product they've already built. The coalition aims to shift this approach early on by encouraging companies to first understand the needs of potential customers and then apply their expertise in robotics, manufacturing, or AI to solve those specific problems. 'It's really important to have good processes intact and people around you that have experience doing this kind of work,' Russo said, 'so that you can understand what you're able to leverage and what you need to make it happen.' Plus, a free coworking space to spread knowledge even further With a $60,000 grant from the Benedum Foundation, the coalition is leasing space at Spaces Bakery Square, utilizing the coworking hub with 11 rooms, including private offices and flexible conference and working areas that could accommodate up to 30 people. Staff from the Pittsburgh Technology Council, Keystone Space Collaborative and innovation research firm Parallax will all be onsite to work with participating companies. Through the no-cost coworking space, companies will gain access to mentorship and open office hours with a Parallax team member who specializes in connecting universities, businesses and government. Also, eligible members will be able to access Keystone Innovation Zone tax credits, further incentivizing growth. Additional programming could include workshops on scaling innovation and networking events designed to build a strong, connected entrepreneurial ecosystem, according to a recent press release. 'We need a better concierge system, which is what we're trying to set up here with this coalition,' Kasznica said. 'This isn't a traditional accelerator … we're not giving money out, but we're providing a place to come and participate, meet potential partners and funders.'
