The Virginia Economic Development Partnership has chosen Prime Photonics of Blacksburg for participation in the State Trade and Export Promotion Grant program. The STEP program helps small businesses build new revenue through exports and create new jobs. A $20,000 grant will be donated to promote Prime Photonics exports. Prime Photonics is a manufacturer of sensor products used in extreme environment applications. The grant comes in part  through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Here is the press release from Prime Photonics.

December 13, 2012 – Blacksburg, VA – Prime Photonics, LC, announced today that it has been selected by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) for participation in the State Trade and Export Promotion Grant (STEP) program.

Limited to 16 participants from eligible Virginia companies, the goal of the STEP program is to help small businesses generate new export revenues and create new jobs in Virginia. The STEP grant will provide up to $20,000 in funds during the Federal 2013 fiscal year to promote export growth of Prime Photonics products in international markets. Through the STEP grant program, Prime Photonics staff will travel to Germany and Poland to market its FOCIS™ gas turbine blade monitoring sensor system and the VEDP will assist Prime Photonics in establishing an international business presence through print and digital marketing and advertising. “We look forward to working with the VEDP over the coming year to expand the available market for our FOCIS™ products in both the aerospace and energy market sectors,” says Prime Photonics Commercial Projects Manager, Chris Westcott,

“The STEP program will help us to identify international customers and business partners and will provide us the resources needed to begin establishing overseas relationships, giving us a tremendous jumpstart to our international sales efforts. We are excited about participating in the program and are looking forward to this unique opportunity,” says CEO Steve Poland.

The STEP grant is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.

About Prime Photonics
Prime Photonics (www.primephotonics.com) develops and manufactures sensor products for use in extreme environment applications within the defense, aerospace, industrial and energy market sectors. Prime Photonics was founded in 1999 and recently expanded into a 16,250 sq. ft. office, laboratory and manufacturing facility located at 1116 S. Main Street, Blacksburg, VA.