Celebrating 10 Years of Impact
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
2026 marks 10 years of the Kentucky APEX Accelerator advancing one clear mission: making government contracting easier.
What began in 2016 as a bold initiative within the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation has grown into an award-winning statewide economic engine funded in part by the U.S. Department of Defense and the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development that serves all 120 counties of the Commonwealth.
Kentucky now ranks 14th nationally in total defense contract spending, reflecting the strength and readiness of our industrial base. Behind those rankings is a broad range of companies including manufacturers, innovators, construction firms, cybersecurity providers, logistics companies and small service businesses competing and succeeding in the marketplace.
The Kentucky APEX Accelerator operates from 10 regional offices across the state in Lexington, Morehead, Somerset, London, Covington, Louisville, Radcliff, Bowling Green, Pikeville and Paducah to ensure our expertise has a statewide reach. Nationally, we are part of a network of more than 90 APEX Accelerators in 300 offices under the Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs focused on strengthening the United States’ Defense Industrial Base (DIB).
This progress certainly did not happen alone.
We are deeply grateful to:
The more than 3,600 Kentucky businesses that trust us with their growth strategy
State and federal stakeholders who continue to invest in this mission
Economic development partners who welcome meaningful partnerships
The dedicated team members who built this program with expertise, discipline and heart
This year, we invite you to follow along here as we celebrate a decade of the people behind the contracts and the entrepreneurs who stepped into government markets and expanded their reach across the nation and globe.
Ten years proves what strategic support can accomplish.
The next decade will demand even greater innovation, resilience and collaboration. Kentucky is ready and so are we.
Thank you for being part of this journey.