SD FAST Launch Business Model: Customer Discovery

South Dakota FAST Launch will conduct a virtual boot camp training program on starting and growing businesses as well as developing and commercializing innovations. A great FAST Launch will assist entrepreneurs and small businesses beginning and expanding their business through the possible funding opportunities with the South Dakota Governor’s Giant Vision Competition and SBIR/STTR funding.

*To be eligible for the SD FAST Launch funds an entrepreneur or business must register and participate in a bootcamp in November. They can participate in the DSU launch program and include funding for the registration cost in their customer discovery application. However, applicants are not required to do the launch program.   




South Dakota FAST Launch Track:

1) Bootcamp

South Dakota FAST Launch will conduct a virtual boot camp training program on starting and growing businesses as well as developing and commercializing innovations.

Any entrepreneur or existing company can register for the bootcamp.
 This is the first step.
 Business Bootcamp – A Seven-hour Crash Course in Starting a Business


• November 6 (Saturday) 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

• December 4 (Saturday) 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

2) Developing a Business Model: Customer Discovery

Participants of the bootcamp are eligible to apply for up to $1,500 to support a customer validation process.
 During the bootcamp participants will learn about customer discovery and can apply for funding to support their proposed efforts. Only participants in the bootcamp are eligible to apply. The FAST Launch management team will review and approve applications for funding.
The awardee will need to submit a report summarizing the results to receive payment from South Dakota Biotech for the approved amount.

Customer Discovery Registration Available After Attending Business Bootcamp (DATES: one session)

• November 29: 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

• November 30: 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

• December 8: 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. and 3:00-5:00 p.m.

• Decemeber 9: 8:30 - 10:30 a.m.

• December 10: 3:00-5:00 p.m.

3) Write a Business Plan

If customer interest is validated, a participant can apply for up to $10,000 to support further development and implementation of their business plan.

To be eligible to apply the applicant must have participated in the bootcamp and completed customer discovery (this could be done with or without FAST financial support). The application would be a draft business plan that they commit to submit to Giant Vision along with a proposed budget and budget narrative detailing how they plan to spend the funds and how the results will enhance their Giant Vision business plan application and/or SBIR/STTR application. Applicants need to propose steps that can be taken rather quickly such as purchase supplies to make a prototype, contract for a prototype to be built, testing, etc.



Business Plan Registration Available After Attending Business Bootcamp and Completed Customer Discovery (DATES: one session)

• December 1: 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

• December 2: 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

• December 9: 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

• December 10: 8:30 - 10:30 a.m.

4) South Dakota Governor’s Giant Vision Competition

South Dakota FAST Launch encourages and supports entrepreneurs to participate in the South Dakota Governor’s Giant Vision Competition, which has a winning business award of $20,000. The South Dakota Governor’s Giant Vision Competition allows participants to compete for cash awards, present to investors and connect with potential customers. The South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosts this competition.

 Learn More about the South Dakota Governor’s Giant Vision Competition.

5) SBIR/STTR Support

Participants should apply for SBIR/STTR funding to grow and advance their business. The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, coordinated by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), are known as America’s Seed Fund. SBIR is the largest source of early-stage funding for American small businesses to advance promising technologies that address national problems in the fields of advanced manufacturing, health care, food production and safety, cybersecurity and more.

Learn More about SBIR/STTR support opportunities.

South Dakota FAST Launch Flyer


Regional Meetings

Introductions to the program will be held at a series of regional meetings in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Madison, Brookings, Vermillion and Mission. Check back for updates and additions to this list.

Sioux Falls:

South Dakota Manufacturing Summit, Thursday, September 9, 2021, Southeast Technical College

Innovation Expo, Thursday, October 7, 2021, Hilton Garden Inn

Rapid City:

Innovation Expo, Thursday, October 14, 2021

Seeing Success:

Business Competition Winner, 2015

VRC Metal Systems Box Elder, South Dakota

• $10.7 million SBIR/STTR funding
• 93 Employees

Student Competition Winner, 2017

Provender Technologies, LLC [Henry Wegehaupt, SDSMT]

• $5,000 Giant Vision 2017
• $50,000 GOED Proof of Conception 2019 and 2020
• $100,000 USDA SBIR Phase 1award in 2020

*To be eligible for the SD FAST Launch funds an entrepreneur or business must register and participate in a bootcamp in November. They can participate in the DSU launch program and include funding for the registration cost in their customer discovery application. However, applicants are not required to do the launch program.   




South Dakota FAST Launch is funded through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.