North Dakota UAS Leadership Committee

Tommy Kenville
Isight Drone Services
​Co-Chair

Michael Fridolfs
​Northrop Grumman Corp.
Co-Chair

Purpose - Convene UAS Sector leaders from across ND to discuss and act on key issues and opportunities for UAS in ND.

Goals

• Convene quarterly meeting of the group. Meetings will include: roundtable discussions featuring updates from each member, various relevant UAS program presentations and discussion of issues and opportunities for UAS industry in ND.
• Monitor and act on various threats and opportunities in preparation for and during the legislative session.
• Identify and recruit members to the committee.
• ​Convene Five Task Forces to Develop action items for the committee: Large Drones, Small Drones, Beyond visual Lineof Sight, UAS Workforce and ND UAS brand and National Marketing Strategy
  

***Members of the committee will be charged a $125 administrative fee to support the activities of the committee. Members must be members of their respective local chamber to be a member of this GF Chamber Committee that will represent the ND UAS Industry.

---

Entrepreneur & Small Business Resources:

​The Chamber of Commerce GF/EGF

• Shark Tank: business 2 years or younger as well as individuals pitch their ideas for cash prizes
• Brown Bag: monthly seminars that focus on continued professional development
• Business After Hours: opportunity to connect with other business owners & entrepreneurs
• Membership provides: credibility, exposure to a large network, marketing opportunities & more

Grand Forks Region Economic Development

• Properties: explore properties available throughout the region through the website’s interactive map
• Tax Incentives & Exemptions
• Workforce Training: secure funding for hiring interns and training new hires
• Start Up Grand Forks: seed funding for entrepreneurs who are not quite at the stage for conventional financing
• Red River Corridor Fund: provide business capital by working with lenders

Evolve Grand Forks

• The 701 Co-working Space: provides space for freelancers, remote employees, and independent professionals
• Main Street Challenge: provides UND and high school students the chance to explore their entrepreneurial ideas with funding and mentorship
• 1 Million Cups: provides a platform for entrepreneurs to tell their story and connect with key players in the community

SCORE

• Free Mentoring: provide free, confidential business advice
• Local Workshops: provide informative sessions that cover all aspects of a business
• Free Resources: provides a business library to find resources that apply to entrepreneurs & small business owners at any stage 

UND Center of Innovation
  Office Space: 

• Furnished, flexible leases, 24/7 access, utilities included, tech support

  Coaching & Funding Programs

• Innovate ND: a 3-phase assistance program to turn innovative ideas into profitable businesses
• SBIR/STTR: a funding program that encourages domestic small business to engage in Federal Research/Research & Development that has the potential for commercialization

  701 Angel Fund

• Angel funding for high-growth investment opportunities
• Writing Assistance: 
• Assist with grants and applications required for associated programs

North Dakota Small Business Development Centers
  Business Advising: no cost, confidential, personalized advising for for-profit businesses in North Dakota

• Pre-venture & Start-Up: provide Feasibility Analysis, Start-up Logistics, Business Plan Development, Financial Projections & Access to Capital, Market Research & Marketing Advice
• Existing Businesses: Access to Capital, Market Research, Business Valuation, Business Transition Planning, Government Contracting, Exporting, Workforce Issues, Growth-Stagnation-and ‘Turn-Around Work’

  Training

• Online: Free Cyber Security Assessment, Free Human Resource Training options, Training on Exports & International Trade, Government Contracting Webinars
• In-person: provide a variety of events throughout the year in Grand Forks, Fargo, & Bismarck

U.S. Small Business Administration

• Business Guide: provide an on-line step-by-step guide to planning, launching, managing, and growing a business
• Funding Programs: provide a variety of loan, investment capital, disaster assistance, surety bonds, and grant programs
• Learning Center: provide a variety of free on-line courses covering how to start, run, and grow a business