Fall 202010 Native STEM Enterprises to Watch

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Innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit face down COVID-19 challenges
NSFThe most pervasive disaster of our new century is echoing and reechoing in Indian Country. And it’s not just the health and well-being of communities that are struggling with outsize consequences. From the onset, the pandemic’s economic effects have hit hard — and disproportionately — in tribal communities, many of which were already at an economic disadvantage.An April survey of tribal leaders, organizations, and tribal and Native-owned enterprises nationwide, conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Center for Indian Country Development, found that over 50 percent of respondents had laid off or furloughed employees. Of the enterprises alone, over 30 percent reported that they had laid off 80 percent to 100 percent of their employees, with gaming and related operations the hardest hit.What’s more, over 80 percent of tribal enterprises said they anticipated severe revenue loss along with an increase in the cost of their operations. A fundamental challenge here is that revenues from tribal enterprises help fund tribal governments, so when tribal enterprises are squeezed, it’s not just the jobs of their direct employees that are at risk. Only one of the respondents reported capital needs met by the SBA’s Payroll Protection Program, which points to concerns among enterprises in general regarding how to keep their businesses going.The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development at the Kennedy School has pointed out that the tax base many tribal governments rely on to fund services like health care and child care — both of which are under severe pressure during the pandemic — has dwindled alarmingly. And when tribal revenues from casinos and other operations decrease, the effect can reverberate in the form of taxes the tribe is not paying to states, counties, and towns.Army_Corp_EngineersBut as somber as this picture is, and will likely continue to be for some time, there is reason for hope. Native people have overcome even darker challenges. And they have done it again and again. Underlying resilience is the good news, and Indian Country has no shortage of entrepreneurs and visionary leaders ready to reignite the pre-pandemic growth that was reversing decades of economic stagnation.In fact, there are glimmers of hope in many places. Take, for example, the Native American Youth Entrepreneurship Program run by the Native Nations Institute at the University of Arizona. Through the program, which ran two virtual sessions last summer, high school students learn from experts how to build the skills they need to turn their creative ideas into actual businesses.With perseverance these young innovators will join the many creative people, like those behind the 10 enterprises listed here, who have already done just that. What they have accomplished is inspiring. It’s clear that Native-owned businesses and tribal enterprises that can benefit each other and pump money back into communities will continue to create opportunities — and fulfilling STEM jobs — in Indian Country and beyond.▸ 10 to watchThis roster of 10 Native STEM enterprises is not intended to be a definitive list. Instead, it is meant to be representative of the variety of organizations large and small that are making Indian Country an increasingly interesting place to be for STEM professionals. Enterprises on the list were chosen based on broad criteria, such as workforce and business development, philanthropy, support of education, STEM knowledge, and overall corporate values.
AkanaPortland, Ore.FIELD: Engineering, design, project managementTRIBAL AFFILIATION: Three Affiliated Tribes▸ akana.usDividing Rule 01Castle Hill TechnologiesClayton, N.C.FIELD: Project engineering for pharmaceutical manufacturingTRIBAL AFFILIATION: Lumbee▸ castlehilltech.comDividing Rule 02Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Telephone AuthorityEagle Butte, S.D.FIELD: Telephone services, fiber optic internetTRIBAL AFFILIATION: Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe▸ crstta.comDividing Rule 03Indigenous Engineering Inclusion With IndigeSTEAMCalgary, AlbertaFIELD: Youth outreach, Indigenous inclusion trainingTRIBAL AFFILIATION: Fond du Lac Saskatchewan▸ indigesteam.caDividing Rule 04Native BioData ConsortiumEagle Butte, S.D.FIELD: Biomedical researchTRIBAL AFFILIATION: Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe▸ nativebio.orgDividing Rule 05Navajo Nation Office of Diné School ImprovementWindow Rock, Ariz.FIELD: Education, developing STEM in Diné schoolsTRIBAL AFFILIATION: Navajo (Diné)▸ odsmt.orgOracleDividing Rule 06Obsidian WebsitesLitchfield Park, Ariz.FIELD: Website development and creative designTRIBAL AFFILIATION: Navajo▸ obsidianwebsites.comDividing Rule 07Project Mosaic LLCDenver, Colo.FIELD: Health strategies and communicationsTRIBAL AFFILIATION: Ponca, Ojibwe, Santee▸ projectmosaicllc.comDividing Rule 08Tinhorn ConsultingTempe, Ariz.FIELD: Digital consulting for Indigenous projectsTRIBAL AFFILIATION: Hualapai, Navajo▸ tinhorn-consulting.comDividing Rule 09Yakama Forest ProductsWhite Swan, Wash.FIELD: Lumber, sustainable forest productsTRIBAL AFFILIATION: Yakama Indian Nationxy▸ yakamaforestproducts.comFive Indigenous Canadian EnterprisesFirst Nations and Indigenous entrepreneurs are creating jobs and building communities across Canada. Here are just a few.MerckAguathuna Drafting and ConsultingPort au Port East, NewfoundlandFIELD: Engineering, geoscience

▸ nldronecompany.comDividing Rule 10Decontie MilestoneKitigan Zibi, QuebecFIELD: Construction, environmental contracting▸ decontieconstruction.caDividing Rule 11Fort McKay Industrial SolutionsFort McMurray, AlbertaFIELD: Energy, mining, protective gear▸ fmis.caDividing Rule 12Neegan BurnsideOrangeville, OntarioFIELD: Engineering and environmental consulting▸ Neeganburnside.comDividing Rule 13Qikiqtaaluk CorporationIqaluit, NunavatFIELD: Fisheries, property development and management▸ qcorp.caCoverBoeingWelcome from AISESMastheadDepartment of StateAISES NotebookU.S. Intelligence CommunityAISES NotebookThe PhD ProjectAISES NotebookFiat ChryslerAISES NotebookBristol BayAISES NotebookAISES NotebookAISES NotebookAISES PeopleAISES People10 Native STEM Enterprises to Watch10 Native STEM Enterprises to WatchSustaining Wildlife — Sustaining CultureProtecting Fisheries with Indigenous Knowledge in CanadaThe AISES Family Fights BackAISES Professional AwardsAISES Professional AwardsAISES Professional AwardsCareer BuilderCareer BuilderPaths in EducationPaths in EducationPaths in EducationOpportunities in Academia and Beyond | Ad IndexLast WordWells FargoIntelArchives