For the seventh year, The FedEx Small Business Grant Contest is awarding several small U.S. businesses more than $250,500 in grant money and services to help their business grow.
FedEx announced the 2019 grand prize winner, along with one sliver prize and ten bronze prizes, increasing not only the prizes but the winners!
The 2019 Grand Prize Winner of the Small Business Grant Contest is LUX Blox — an Illinois- based company that manufactures construction blocks to teach kids (and adults) about nature’s design principles through play.
LUX Blox will receive a $50,000 grant, plus $7,500 in FedEx Office® print and business services to help with its mission to develop programs and videos to support STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) learning, and therapeutic exercises for individuals with autism and sensory disorders.
- Manufactured near the inventors’ home in Galesburg, Ill., the LUX Blox story began when Michael and Heather Acerra set out to make a construction system that would build things the same way nature builds itself.
- The co-founders created blocks that could curve, bend, and move, without the limits imposed by stacking or sticking. This unique creation led teachers and students to use LUX Blox blocks as a “hands-on” STEAM learning tool. In fact, due to the toy’s popularity among individuals with autism and sensory disorders, it was named “2018 Top Toy” by Autism Live.
- LUX Blox are packaged and fulfilled by the skilled hands of people with disabilities through an alliance with Bridgeway Inc., a not-for-profit agency whose mission is to empower people with disabilities through training opportunities and the creation of meaningful employment.
Other 2019 prize winners include:
- Silver Prize:Qore Performance of McLean, Va. received $30,000 plus $5,000 in FedEx Office print and business services. Qore Performance is the IcePlate by Qore Performance is a personal cooling/hydrating system for first responders and outdoor workers that helps protect them from heat stroke and hypothermia.
- Bronze Prize: This year, due to the high volume of outstanding entries, FedEx added additional bronze level winners for the first time in the history of the contest.
The following ten businesses received $15,000 grants and $1,000 in FedEx Office services: (Listed Alphabetically)
o Caputo Brothers Creamery (Spring Grove, Pa.): The only cheesemaker in the United States producing a naturally fermented mozzarella.
o DetraPel (Framingham, Mass): A manufacturer and distributor of protective coating products utilizing nanotechnology to offer a non-toxic superhydrophobic solution to consumers.
o Enbois Originals (Gulfport, Fla.): Creator of hand-made quality accessories sourced from only sustainable materials that also support reforestation efforts with each purchase.
o Moka Origins (Honesdale, Pa.): Handcrafters of high quality chocolate and coffee, procured directly from source.
o Neu, Inc. (Seattle): A cleaning service for Airbnb hosts.
o Purpose The Therapeutic Box (Hermitage, Pa.): A subscription box service for the elderly in nursing homes and hospitals inspiring positivity and manufacturer and enhancing their quality of life.
o Sand Cloud (San Diego): Sellers of towels and eco-friendly accessories with a mission saving marine life.
o Something Borrowed Blooms (Lafayette, La.): Premium silk flower makers for weddings for sale or rent.
o Tall Order (Jericho, N.Y.): Makers of fashionable socks (sizes 9-20) donating proceeds to charities helping other victims of terror in memory of their father, who was killed on 9/11.
o Wear Your Music (Providence, R.I.): WYM makes guitar string bracelets with strings used & donated by the world’s best musicians – from Clapton to Metallica and over 150 more.
Click here for information about the 2019 FedEx Small Business Grant Contest
