Ogden City Business Development, in collaboration with its partners in the aerospace and defense industry, hosted a successful week of events, education, and networking to help bolster this growing sector of business. Ogden’s mountain landscape offered the perfect backdrop as industry leaders, defense agencies, entrepreneurs, academia, and policymakers developed relationships crucial to the success of the aerospace and defense industry in northern Utah. Northern Utah’s defense ecosystem is accelerating technology and innovation to critical national security needs.
Primarily held in historic Union Station, May’s inaugural Acceler8 Wasatch Week included the Spring 47G UAMMI Crosstalk that focused on emerging opportunities for small businesses in advanced materials manufacturing, aerospace and defense, while spotlighting industry trends, emerging technologies, and avenues for funding. Guy Letendre, 47G UAMMI’s Vice President of Manufacturing said, “We have been working with Ogden City, HAFB, and Weber State University to grow the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem in northern Utah for a number of years. It is great to connect our Aerospace and Defense Crosstalk event with the other excellent events.”
Making Acceler8 Wasatch an even bigger success was the participation of the APEX Accelerator Defense Matchmaking event that allowed small and mid-sized businesses to meet one-on-one with representatives from Hill Air Force Base and prime contractors. Simultaneously, Hill Air Force Base hosted a Career Awareness opportunity, where attendees could learn about job opportunities at HAFB, including skilled trade, acquisition, and non-appropriated positions. Both events filled both the Browning Theater and Union Station Breezeway with those looking to strengthen their future in aerospace and defense.
Continuing the focus on celebrating entrepreneurship, the Wildcat MicroFund Pitch Event awarded grants to early-stage start ups and entrepreneurs in all industries from across Utah. This was followed by Catalyst Accelerator Ogden’s Alumni Demo Day where the innovation and entrepreneurship from previous Ogden Accelerator cohorts was on full display with groundbreaking ideas and revolutionary technologies.
"Utah's Aerospace & Defense industry runs through the heart of Ogden City. With significant growth and development in recent years, this critical industry employs thousands throughout the state who are working on projects and initiatives critical to the health of our national security strategy as a country,” explains 47G President and CEO, Aaron Starks. “We are thrilled to support Mayor Nadolski and the team at Ogden City in their efforts to convene industry and position Utah as a premier destination for companies and partners in this space."
Ogden City thanks Weber County, Northern Utah Economic Alliance, EDCUtah, Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, The Mercantile, Bank of Utah, J. Fisher Companies, and Mortenson for their support and sponsorship of Acceler8 Wasatch Week events.