The Bioscience & Technology Business Center has won a $50,000 award that will help it continue to serve some of the region’s most innovative startups

Founded in 2010, BTBC is a University of Kansas-affiliated accelerator with locations in Lawrence and Kansas City, Kansas.

It was one of 20 organizations to receive an award as part of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s most recent Growth Accelerator Fund competition, now in its fourth year.

The contest, which included a two-tier review process, is designed to boost accelerators in areas where there are gaps in services and support for entrepreneurs.

As a condition of receiving the award, BTBC agrees to collect data on the number of jobs created, funds raised and businesses launched as a result of its work. That information will help the SBA to get a better sense of the effect that accelerators have on their communities.

BTBC offers office and laboratory space, along with other services, to companies in the fields of medicine, life sciences, energy, chemicals, software and hardware, and other fields. The program connects up-and-coming companies with KU researchers, government officials and others who can help them on their way.