The Hawaii Technology Development Corporation has awarded nearly $1 million to 26 local companies through its Innovate Hawaii’s Manufacturing Assistance Program, the agency announced Friday. HTDC said in the announcement that the funding will help businesses “streamline, improve, and optimize operations” and will cover “expenses related to manufacturing to foster economic and employment growth in the state.”
According to HTDC, the funding recipients were chosen from a pool of 85 applicants. Of the 26 winning companies, 17 are based on Oahu, while Kauai, Maui and Hawaii Island each had three grant recipients. Seven of the companies were first-time recipients.
The Manufacturing Assistance Program funds expenses including equipment purchases, training, energy efficiency projects, and manufacturing feasibility studies, according to HTDC’s website.
“We were impressed by the quality of this year’s grant applications,” said Wayne Inouye, center director of Innovate Hawaii, in a statement. “The grants will allow these companies to improve their operations, create more jobs, and further diversify our economic base. We are proud to be able to work with these companies in developing the state’s manufacturing sector.”
Here are this year’s grant recipients:
- Advanced Silicon Carbide Materials, LLC
- Aumakua Holdings Inc. (dba Maui Brewing Company)
- Ba-Le Inc. (dba La Tour Bakehouse)
- Diamond Bakery Company Limited
- Euram Inc (dba Hawaiian Paradise Coffee)
- Grass Shack Industries LLC (dba Manoa Chocolate Hawaii)
- Hawaii Sea Spirits LLC
- Hawaiian King Candies, LLC
- Hawaiian Ola Brewing Corporation
- Hawaiian Sun Products Inc.
- Hilo Fish Company, Inc.
- HONBLUE
- Island Grown Foods, Inc. (dba Hawaii Food Products)
- Kauai Juice Co. LLC
- Kauai Kookie LLC
- Koloa Rum Company
- KYD, Inc.
- Lai LLC (dba Punaluu Bake Shop)
- Makai Ocean Engineering, Inc.
- Maui Wine, Ltd.
- Meadow Gold Dairies Hawaii LLC
- Oceanit Laboratories, Inc.
- Okuhara Foods Inc.
- Pacific Biodiesel Technologies, LLC
- Pacific Shipyards International, LLC
- The Patisserie Inc.
HTDC said that applications for funding for fiscal year 2024 will open later this year.
