Kentucky awards $748K to six startups, matching $5.9M in federal tech grants
Wicked Technologies is a Boomerang Ventures Portfolio Company
Source: Dealroom
What’s the deal? Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced that six startups will receive $748,620 in state matching grants to support high-wage jobs and grow the state’s technology sector. The awards come through the commonwealth’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Matching Funds Program.
Why the money matters: The state grants partly match $5.9 million in federal awards the six companies will collectively receive. The program, overseen by KY Innovation, provides non-dilutive capital to early-stage tech companies — funding that does not require giving up equity.
What they’re building: The recipients span healthcare, sensors, and materials. Bioptics Technology is developing a low-cost wearable imaging device to help neurosurgeons identify brain tumors; Tru Diagnostics is building a DNA methylation-based tool for early disease detection; and WiLO Networks is developing a low-power sensor network for Internet of Things applications.
Who else made the list: Spirited Inc. converts bourbon distillery stillage into bioplastics and renewable gas, while Louisville-based Wicked Technologies makes a washable smart bed pad that detects moisture and alerts caregivers wirelessly.
A relocation angle: California’s AstraQua is moving to Kentucky to develop AstraSense, a system that detects early degradation in high-voltage, high-noise environments and predicts failures. The matching program is open to companies committed to relocating to the state, giving Kentucky a tool to draw talent across state lines.
What the state says: “These companies are creating high-wage jobs for Kentuckians while addressing important issues that will save lives, improve healthcare and create a better future for our families,” Beshear said.
The signal: State matching programs are becoming a common lever for regions competing to keep and attract technical startups. By stacking non-dilutive money on top of federal grants, Kentucky is betting on early-stage bets in health and sensor tech to seed longer-term, high-wage job growth.
Source: Deal Room, July 30, 2026
