UHMC’s Food Innovation Center Earns Monetary SBA Award

Pilina Building on the UH Maui College campus where the MFIC will be housed. Courtesy photo.

By Maui Now Staff

The Maui Food Innovation Center at UH Maui College was one of the winners of the SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Competition at White House Demo Day, President Barack Obama announced today.

The competition recognizes entrepreneurship and innovation to create a diverse and inclusive small business community.

The Maui Food Innovation Center will receive $50,000 to support a business start-up program—the Maui Accelerator Program—targeting women and minority-owned enterprises, including Native Hawaiian-led businesses.

MFIC was one of eight selections made by a special panel of the SBA’s Office of Native American Affairs for programs that will serve Native American, Native Alaskan and Native Hawaiian populations.

Funds will be used to create a selective process to choose participating food companies, create a team of food industry mentors, design a website for the program, and develop the event, which will culminate in a public pitch by the selected companies.

As part of the program, MFIC will seek participation by “angel” investors, venture funders, public-sector agencies, private foundations and individual philanthropists to participate in or financially contribute to the program.

“The partnership between the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce and the Maui Food Innovation Center is a natural because we share many of the same goals,” said Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce President Doreen “Pua” Canto. “Mentoring the next generation of Native Hawaiian entrepreneurs will be easier with the support of the SBA Growth Accelerator Fund.”

“The Maui Food Innovation Center is an important program that will offer both the training and facilities needed by local food entrepreneurs to build a small business,” said UHMC Chancellor Lui K. Hokoana. “We’re excited the project has been recognized nationally, and this additional award will increase learning opportunities for students.”

The program will be developed in partnership with the MNHCoC, InnovateHawai‘i, Maui Economic Development Board, MEO Inc. and the County of Maui. These organizations have been working together in the Business Development Alliance to sponsor training and events for entrepreneurs, such as the Made in Maui County Festival and MEDB’s StartUp Weekend.

For more about the White House Demo Day, go online.

For more about the Maui Food Innovation Center, go online.