Fueling Progress and Making an Impact

Moving the Needle with the SBCA Innovation Grant

By Abby Langenberg

2025 marks the third year of the SBCA Innovation Grant. This initiative has been very successful in attracting, identifying, and showcasing a multitude of innovations and innovators within, related to, or applicable to the structural building components and framing industry. Created in 2023, the SBCA Innovation Grant spawned from the updated SBCA Strategic Plan, under one of the primary pillars, to “Innovate and Adapt.”

The SBCA Innovation Grant is a launching pad for innovators. It encourages individuals and companies to bring forward their ideas and prototypes and spur more rapid innovation within the component manufacturing industry. Over the previous two years, there have been six recipients of the Grant: Vekta Advanced Automation’s Vekta Automation Raking Framer (2023); CrowdBuild’s TwinBuild LVM (2024); MiTek’s MiTek Truss Validator (2024); Paragon’s cloud-based SaaS for wood trusses (2024); Q4US’s Universal Truss Manager (2024); and VIRTEK VISION’s Iris AI Panel Inspection System (2024). Each of these recipients received exhibit space at SBCA’s annual trade show, BCMC, in addition to publicity before and after the event, all of which provided unbeatable exposure and experience for each recipient. 

“At MiTek, we are dedicated to fostering growth in the component and building industry through innovation. Being selected as one of the 2024 SBCA Innovation Grant Recipients with our MiTek Truss Validator increased its visibility at the largest component manufacturing event, BCMC, and sparked valuable industry conversations on the advancements in technology,” says Stephen Keller, Director, Design Engagement at MiTek. “We encourage other companies to participate in the grant, as it offers significant opportunities for making an impact and collaborating within the industry.” 

With the chance for companies to showcase their innovation(s) at BCMC, this grant offers exceptional exposure and credibility. It’s also an exciting opportunity to explore what innovation can look like in this industry – whether it’s a small improvement to an existing process or an entirely new product. 

“Receiving the grant has been positive for Paragon—I feel it contributed towards the attention and buzz around our initiatives in the industry,” says John Holland, President/CEO at Paragon Component Systems, LLC. “The recognition from the grant has not only enhanced our visibility but also validated our efforts and approach in the marketplace. We definitely plan to enter again in the future due to it being such a positive experience!”

With priceless industry connections, opportunities, and visibility, valuable feedback from BCMC attendees, increased brand visibility through SBCA promotion and publications, and networking opportunities with potential partners and customers, the SBCA Innovation Grant provides a platform for innovators to really take a step into the light to show their ideas and help progress the industry forward. 

“Exhibiting at BCMC as one of the 2024 SBCA Innovation Grant Recipients helped us realize how many people knew our work and how many wanted to explore how AI can be applied to their historical data. It really ignited some interest,” says Sandun Dasanayake, CEO and Co-Founder of Q4US. “Being a grant recipient provided us the opportunity to have conversations with people, showcase our expertise, and demonstrate how we can help progress the industry, which should always be looking forward. And, it can be done in simple ways. That’s why we want to show what we can do – we want to modernize the industry and think beyond the status quo. It was very exciting to have people reach out to us after reading about it via SBCA and seeing it at BCMC.” 

Help us move the needle in the industry and keep driving it forward, with both small and large ideas. If you have an innovation or idea to improve a process, or know someone who does, visit www.sbcacomponents.com/innovationgrant to learn more and apply. There is no innovation too small or too big – even the smallest incremental change can make a huge difference in the advancement of this industry.