Aid for agriculture product development

Advertiser Staff

Innovative Solutions — a program of the University of Hawai'i's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources — is administering a Hawaii Department of Agriculture grant designed to assist local businesses in developing new value-added products or new versions of existing merchandise that use goods grown in Hawai'i.

Candidates will be selected based on the likelihood of success for the new product and its sustainability beyond the assistance period, in addition to its ability to promote economic growth through job creation and increased commerce.

Products with the potential to create new industries will be given special consideration.

Three to five candidates will be selected to receive services. The selected candidate must contribute $1,500 to $2,500 in return for services valued between $16,000 to $27,000.

Innovative Solutions is part of a nationwide network of not-for-profit centers and is designed to provide Hawai'i-based businesses with operational solutions to succeed.

The centers are linked through the National Institute of Standards and Technology, an arm of the Department of Commerce.

Assistance is offered in such areas as instruction in lean manufacturing principles, marketing and business development, strategic planning, product development, process and productivity improvement, work force development and operational planning.

Details of the program: www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/downloads/isgrant.doc.

Questions can be directed to Giorgio Caldarone at (808) 383-0236 or giorgio@hawaii.edu.