Startup Talk: Thirty-six announced as 2016 Delta Entrepreneurship Network fellows

Editor’s note: Each Thursday, Talk Business & Politics provides “Startup Talk,” a round-up of startup, technology and entrepreneurial news.

THIRTY-SIX ANNOUNCED AS 2016 DELTA ENTREPRENEURSHIP NETWORK FELLOWS: Thirty-six entrepreneurs and support organizations from the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions have received a Delta Entrepreneurship Network fellowship and will participate in a series of intensive technical assistance trainings at New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, Delta Regional Authority Federal Co-Chairman Chris Masingill announced recently.

The 22 winning entrepreneurs were selected through a series of six pitch competitions throughout the DRA footprint. Additionally, 14 entrepreneurship support organizations were identified through a competitive application process. These regional experts and practitioners represent organizations providing a variety of technical assistance services to entrepreneurs, including hosting the Delta Challenge. For a full list of the 2016 Delta Entrepreneurship Network Fellows, visit here.

SBA APPOINTS NEW CHIEF FOR OFFICE OF INVESTMENT & INNOVATION: Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, announced that industry veteran Mark Walsh will serve as SBA’s Associate Administrator for the Office of Investment & Innovation. In his new role, Walsh will administer the agency’s Small Business Investment Companies (SBIC) and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, and oversee equity capital, long-term loans and management assistance to qualifying small businesses. He will also oversee the SBIR/STTR program which helps entrepreneurs successfully commercialize their products and services through the 11 participating federal agencies to provide small businesses competitive funding for projects that meet government research needs and boost technological innovation in the public and private sectors.

ARKANSAS’ FIRST DRONE STORE LANDS IN DOWNTOWN LITTLE ROCK: Arkansas’ first retail drone location landed in downtown Little Rock on Tuesday (Dec. 8) with the hopes of offering an affordable, blue collar version of the unmanned aerial vehicle technology that is now famously engaged in the fight against ISIS. The new drone store, called ArkUAV, was unveiled during a ribbon cutting ceremony at the company’s new location at 221 W. 2nd St., Suite 416 in the Pyramid Place Building in downtown Little Rock. In a brief ceremony at the company’s new storefront, co-owner Brad Fausett said the company was founded to provide video hardware, sensors and analytic tools to Arkansans, especially those in industries that need better mapping, monitoring and inspection tools. Read more here.