First Flight Venture Center, Inc.
Hangar6 - Supercharging design, prototype and build
Research Triangle Park, NC
Venture Challenge
Federal Share: $1,297,981
Local Match: $1,303,690
First Flight Venture Center, one of the nation’s largest self-funded science focused incubator, is proposing to expand its successful EDA i6-funded pilot program, Hangar6, an advanced prototyping facility, to advance our prototyping resource infrastructure, streamline services design, prototyping, equipment, staff time and continue to minimize costs for high-growth companies and businesses in the manufacturing sector. First Flight will utilize lessons learned in the 2016 EDA i6-funded pilot project, which allowed it to develop Hangar6. The overall objective is to improve time-to-market and capital efficiencies for relevant companies with better-designed fabrication parts, thus enhancing their ability to raise capital or produce new products in a competitive marketplace. With key collaborators, including Touchstone 3D, Trig Labs, Research Triangle Regional Partnership, iOrbit Digital Solutions, Eva Garland Consulting (EGC), and a host of match partners including engineering, economic development, marketing, design, and business consultants, this project will do five things: 1) provide more access to skilled design staff for advanced manufacturing and prototype development; 2) launch new targeted marketing outreach to increase awareness throughout central North Carolina and statewide; 3) develop new customized memberships to meet unique needs identified in the pilot program; 4) create new revenue streams to maintain and improve sustainability; and 5) procure new and upgraded equipment to extend the capability of Hangar6 as a critical resource for economic growth for North Carolina companies.