Engaging impacts
 Commerce and the North Dakota Trade Office explore ways to enhance trade and investment
Commerce and the North Dakota Trade Office hosted the Kenyan Parliamentary delegation this week. The delegation spent time meeting with officials, community members, and businesses across the state to explore ways to enhance trade and investment opportunities in ND.
Pictured above are Commissioner James Leiman and Representative Shannon Roers Jones being presented with authentic Maasai Shukas.
Maasai Shuka is a traditional fabric originating in East Africa, worn by the Maasai people, mainly from Kenya and Tanzania. Maasai Shuka is a cotton plaid fabric, in the form of a blanket, of bright red and blue colors. The Maasai are a semi-nomadic people of East Africa who are known for their unique way of life, as well as their cultural traditions and customs. They live in the great Rift valleys in Kenya and Tanzania. They are known as great warriors who hunt food in the savannah.
Commerce and EDND host Developer Day
More than 60 participants from across the state gathered in Bismarck for the annual Developer Day hosted by Commerce and the Economic Development Association of North Dakota (EDND) on Sept. 23.
The event covered all the programs and services that Commerce and partners offer, as well as discuss economic development objectives on how Commerce can partner with community developers to make our state more successful. At the event participants networked with local developers and heard from Commerce staff about economic and community development opportunities.
 ND Transportation Forum
Commerce Tourism and Marketing Director Sara Otte Coleman discussed transportation infrastructure and trends at the ND Transportation Forum today presented by the Greater North Dakota Chamber.
Workforce
 Watford energy business trains displaced oilfield workers in height of pandemic with Technical Skills Training Grant
Funds remain available for more opportunities to continue building a skilled workforce
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many North Dakota businesses experienced an unprecedented shift within the workforce.
Some experienced a loss of available employees while many other members of the workforce found themselves in need of a new career. Much of the shift, reflected the demand for a skilled workforce.
To address these presented challenges, the 67th Legislative Assembly allocated the North Dakota Department of Commerce funds to administer the Technical Skills Training Grant to support accelerated, skills-based and hands-on workforce training programs.
The first cycle of the Technical Skills Training Grant program opened for applications nearly a year ago in conjunction with the ND Smart Restart initiative.
During this time, Silver Fox Energy, formally known as Silver Fox Pipeline and Facility Services in Watford City, not only experienced a decrease in business, but also found that many people were not motivated to return to work or the ones who wanted to work, did not have the skillset the company needed to complete bids.
Silver Fox Energy learned about the Technical Skills Training Grant and used it to get their business back on solid ground.
U.S.-Canada land border crossing delayed
On Sept. 20, the White House announced easing entry restrictions on international air travel for vaccinated individuals. International travelers visiting the United States will have to show proof of vaccination prior to boarding a U.S.-bound flight and have proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test. Masking and contact tracing will also be required, but there will be no quarantine mandate.
However, the Biden administration just extended restrictions at the U.S.-Canada land border crossing for all non-essential travel until Oct. 21. Canada reopened its land border crossing to vaccinated U.S. travelers on Aug. 9.
Burgum statement on Biden administration delaying U.S.-Canada border reopening until Oct. 21
ED&F
LIFT Committee awards $2.25 million in funding for September: $11.5 million remains available for additional applicants
Commerce announced that the Innovation Technology Loan Fund (LIFT) Committee awarded $2.25 million to three North Dakota businesses for the month of September.
“We continue to see quality projects come before the LIFT Committee,” Commerce Head of Investments and Innovation Shayden Akason said. “There is still $11.5 million in LIFT funds to be awarded this biennium so I highly encourage companies to apply at business.nd.gov/lift/.
September LIFT recipients include:
Airtonomy, a Grand Forks unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) company, was awarded $1 million for their push-button-easy drone inspection services and autonomous, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered data analysis.
Checkable Medical, a Fargo-based company received $500,000 to further develop an end-to-end platform that allows consumers to test their symptoms at home and get a treatment plan without having to go to the doctor.
Elinor Coatings, a company commercializing solutions for corrosion and surface protection, including chromate free primers for aluminum, steel, and multi-metal applications received $750,000 for product development and sales, including applied research and experimentation, operational testing, and working capital to hire employees.
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