News Category: Virtual Resources
09.15.20
Education Counts Michiana – Innovation Moshpit
Click here to view this segment.
Excerpt
About this Segment: Innovation Moshpit
For small business owners, the name of the game is innovation, but learning how to innovate isn’t always easy. Through the Innovation Moshpit at the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center in Fort Wayne, small business owners are being equipped with the tools to make it through any situation.
For additional information:
- Karl LaPan, President & CEO, Northeast Indiana Innovation Center
- Sarah Lance, Program Manager, Northeast Indiana Innovation Center
- Gregg Fraley, CEO, Gregg Fraley Innovation
- Kelli Parker, Owner,Evolutions of Infinit
09.09.20
Entrepreneurial Workshops to Train to Fund, Pitch, Buy or Sell a Business
For Immediate Release
September 9, 2020, Fort Wayne, Ind.— The Northeast Indiana Innovation Center (The NIIC) will host workshops in September to equip businesses with essential skills in innovation, commercialization, and more. Registration details for all events are available at https://niic.net/our-events.
Money Matters On-Demand Workshop Series
Available through September 30, 2020
Microentrepreneurs and microenterprises gain specialized business-building support about bootstrapping; crowdfunding; friends, families, and fools; and fundamentals of angels.
First Pitch for Microentrepreneurs: Money, Mentors, and More Webinar
September 14, 2:00—3:00 p.m.
This training is available to all Hoosier business owners and is especially suited for entrepreneurs focusing on non-technical, main-street businesses with nine or less employees.
Buying and Selling a Business Panel Discussion
September 15, 8:30—10:00 a.m.
A panel of business owners, along with 1st Source Bank representatives, will provide insight into what it is like to buy or sell a business.
First Pitch for High Growth Ventures Seeking Outside Funding: Money, Mentors, and More Webinar
September 17, 5:00—6:00 p.m.
This training is available to all Hoosier business owners and is especially suited for STEM-related, academic, or third-party ventureable firms seeking outside capital and investment.
SBIR/STTR Essentials of Commercialization Webinar
September 22, 2:00—3:30 p.m.
Becky Aistrup, Managing Partner, BBCetc, will lead training on how commercialization and transition plans can be a key differentiator in the SBIR/STTR programs. The workshop will also address expectations for commercialization plans in Phase I and II projects, where to find cost effective market research, and obtaining quality support and commitment letters.
Pitch Coach Clinic
September 22, 10—11:30 a.m.
In this clinic participants get the opportunity to give their elevator pitches and receive input from Debi Kleinman, Executive Director of the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship at Babson College, the #1 school for entrepreneurship in the nation. Kleinman leads the Blank Center’s strategy, new initiatives, programs, and team to drive impact through the Butler Launch Pad accelerator and Babson’s highly-rated entrepreneur experiences, such as the B.E.T.A. Challenge New Venture Competition, Rocket Pitch, and the Summer Venture Program. She is also an adjunct professor at Babson’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business and Executive Education Programs for Entrepreneurs.
Group size is for up to 10 participants.
About The NIIC
467 new products launched, 189 patent applications submitted or granted, and 2,290 jobs created—that is what entrepreneurs have achieved through The NIIC since its inception 20 years ago. The NIIC has also connected Northeast Indiana companies to attract $91 million in grants and capital.
The NIIC is a non-profit, vibrant entrepreneurial community designed to advise entrepreneurs to plan, launch, and grow successful business ventures by moving ideas into action. The NIIC’s 55-acre campus is a U.S. Small Business Administration HUB Zone and a designated Opportunity Zone through the U.S. Treasury. The NIIC is the country’s only ISO9001:2015 registered business incubation and acceleration program. The NIIC received global recognition in 2020 as the International Business Innovation Association’s Mixed-Use Entrepreneur Center of the Year and recipient of the prestigious Dinah Adkins Award, one of InBIA’s top two honors. TheNIIC.org. Click here for The NIIC press kit.
Contact: Tammy Allen, Director, Marketing & Programs, info@niic.net, 260-407-1731
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08.26.20
Inclusive Entrepreneurship Programs Create New Opportunities for Hoosiers
For Immediate Release
August 26, 2020, Fort Wayne, Ind.— Pre-COVID-19 Pandemic, U.S. small businesses accounted for 44 percent of U.S. economic activity. Indiana-based nonprofit The NIIC believes small businesses will help to drive the Post-COVID-19 economy. The NIIC is working to narrow the opportunity gap for Indiana business owners through five inclusive entrepreneurship programs. The programs expand services to traditionally underserved groups in Northeast Indiana and across the state. These include:
- Connected Communities Breakthrough
- FAST-IN (Federal State and Technology in Indiana)
- OPENS (Optimized Path for Entrepreneurial Network Success)
- WBC EmPWR (Women’s Business Center Equity & Prosperity for Women Reimagining Businesses)
- WEOC (Women’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center)
Some examples of these groups include rural business builders, disabled individuals, ethnic minorities, immigrants, ex-offenders, and other historically unserved community segments. The goal is to cultivate hidden entrepreneurial talent and help individuals live fuller, more prosperous, better-connected lives.
“The NIIC is dedicated to economic prosperity and social well-being for Hoosiers. We want to support them to maximize their entrepreneurial potential. This past year, we have focused on equitable assistance and non-traditional support for underestimated entrepreneurs. Through the support of generous funders plus our dedicated staff, our five new targeted and focused programs will broaden networks, strengthen communities, increase access to capital, and stimulate diverse business ventures,” said Karl R. LaPan, President and CEO, The NIIC.
Stacey Poynter, District Director, Indiana District Office, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), said, “Access to capital is a barrier to entrepreneurship that the SBA strives to erase. The NIIC has partnered with the SBA for the last five years to provide the Women’s Business Center (WEOC), and I am thrilled they are recipients of our FAST, PRIME, and EmPWR grants as well. By working with partner organizations like The NIIC—who creates innovative and accessible programs for entrepreneurs—we are able to succeed in our mission of helping small businesses start, grow, expand, and recover, thus building stronger and more stable economies throughout Indiana.”
Connected Communities Breakthrough Program is a program funded by Foellinger Foundation and led by Program Manager Julie Sanchez. “There are real barriers to business ownership for many members of our community. Through innovative methods and customized curriculum, Breakthrough Program supports participants along a continuum. We help them to realize that they can be entrepreneurs and own businesses,” said Sanchez. Program participants learn how to launch a business through this program. The first cohort started in June 2020. Cohort two recruitment is in progress. Click here to apply.
FAST-IN Program is funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Federal State and Technology (FAST) Partnership Program. The program’s purpose is to increase the number of Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) proposals successfully submitted by Indiana entrepreneurs. Increased funding through this initiative could lead to more research, development, and innovation in the state.
Jeff Erickson, Principal Investigator, Engine Research Associates, Inc. benefited from the FAST-IN Program by saving valuable work time. “We worked through FAST-IN to submit a recent SBIR application. The program easily saved our company 100 hours of work time. That’s a big deal for a small company like ours. SBIR grants are essential to our company’s growth and research,” said Erickson. Engine Research Associates is developing covert, fuel-efficient engines for unmanned aerial vehicles. FAST-IN is offering various webinars to train individuals how to submit successful proposals. More information is available on The NIIC events website page. https://niic.net/our-events/
OPENS Program is funded by the U.S. SBA Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs (PRIME). OPENS focuses on connecting low-income microentrepreneurs to vital services, access to capital, and other common start-up barriers to improve new-business formation rates. “Microentrepreneurs typically have five or fewer employees. Access to NIIC resources and support, and exposure to new networks, can be fundamental to their success,” said LaPan.
This program offers no-cost business coaching and start-up training to eligible microentrepreneurs in Northeast and East Central Indiana.
WBC EmPWR is a one-year initiative funded by the U.S. SBA Office of Women’s Business Ownership (OWBO). It runs through April 2021 and focuses on women business owners adapting their businesses for success during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program empowers female founders to innovate, reimagine business models, gain resiliency through tools and resources to create more sustainable and viable ventures. EmPWR is available to Hoosiers living in Indiana who are not served by the Central Indiana Women’s Business Center. Learn more about WBC EmPWR and apply for the program by clicking here. https://niic.net/empwr/
WEOC Program achieved its five-year milestone this year and serves women business owners at all stages of their entrepreneurial journeys. Nearly 2,000 women business owners have participated in WEOC.
WEOC’s Launch Women Business Builder Program serves female-founded digital, e-commerce, app, or web-based businesses at no cost to participants. Participants build a business action plan and complete market research and strategies. They receive management assistance, coaching, strategic planning, and more. The goal is to increase business guidance and education for women of all socioeconomic statuses across 16 Indiana counties.
About The NIIC
467 new products launched, 189 patent applications submitted or granted, and 2,290 jobs created—that is what entrepreneurs have achieved through The NIIC since its inception 20 years ago. The NIIC has also connected Northeast Indiana companies to attract $91 million in grants and capital.
The NIIC is a non-profit, vibrant entrepreneurial community designed to advise entrepreneurs to plan, launch, and grow successful business ventures by moving ideas into action. The NIIC’s 55-acre campus is a U.S. Small Business Administration HUB Zone and a designated Opportunity Zone through the U.S. Treasury. The NIIC is the country’s only ISO9001:2015 registered business incubation and acceleration program. The NIIC received global recognition in 2020 as the International Business Innovation Association’s Mixed-Use Entrepreneur Center of the Year and recipient of the prestigious Dinah Adkins Award, one of InBIA’s top two honors. TheNIIC.org. Click here for The NIIC press kit.
Contact: Tammy Allen, Director, Marketing & Programs, info@niic.net, 260-407-1731
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08.20.20
Opportunity Amid Distress
Great Reimagination aims to jump-start post-COVID-19 economy by innovation
COVID-19 hijacked the American economy. Early estimates suggest more than 20% of small businesses will close permanently. Companies with underrepresented, diverse founders reportedly face even higher closure rates.
Unemployment has surged, and many of the jobs are not coming back. Companies adjust workforces and business models to adapt to new marketplace realities.
The Great Reimagination is a phrase coined at The Northeast Indiana Innovation Center. It describes what we predict is the next wave of business innovation and expansion for Indiana and the world.
It is time to cultivate and nurture a new cadre of generative, courageous, adaptive business leaders – innovators with the passion and drive to redefine business models, redevelop products and reinvent services for a post-COVID-19 economy.
COVID-19 affects companies and our daily lives. Changing consumer behavior creates economic pressure, driving businesses to change, too. The Indiana economy needs revolutionary breakthroughs from inventors and disruptors. It needs to usher in a new generation of entrepreneurs and startups. Economic distress creates opportunity. Opportunity breeds entrepreneurship.
Northeast Indiana remains a dynamic marketplace for cultivating new business growth.
Our region boasts resources to help Hoosiers to innovate through the Great Reimagination. The innovation center brings together workspace, capital, talent and expertise to fuel economic recovery driven by a resurgence of entrepreneurial spirit.
Through national, state, regional and local collaborations, The center inspires, supports and accelerates the hometown team. Over the past several years, underrepresented entrepreneurs have especially been a focus as we work to level the playing field for them. Multiple funders back these individuals through our new and existing programs.
Individuals served through these programs may include women, rural residents, immigrants, minorities, veterans, those with disabilities, the formerly incarcerated and others. Our programs encourage these individuals to overcome barriers to form and sustain business ventures.
For example, our Breakthrough Program, funded by the Foellinger Foundation, connects historically excluded aspiring business owners to sources for advising, training, business planning, assessments, coaching and more.
OPENS – the Optimized Path for Entrepreneurial Network Success – connects low-income microentrepreneurs, whose companies have fewer than nine employees, to vital services, access to capital and business coaching.
The Women’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center is one of two federal Small Business Administration-funded women business centers in the state.
Since its formation five years ago, more than 2,000 female business owners have benefited through workshops, training, business coaching and mentoring.
The center’s newest program emerged as a solution for women business owners dealing with the realities of a COVID-19 economy. WBC EmPWR (Equity and Prosperity for Women Reimagining their Businesses) empowers women to reimagine business models for success despite COVID-19.
The Small Business Administration’s Office of Women’s Business Ownership funds this one-year program that runs through April 2021.
The federally funded FAST-IN Program aids inventors, researchers, scientists and small businesses pursuing funding for research and development through Small Business Technology Transfer and Small Business Innovation Research grants.
Such funding helped Engine Research Associates, Inc. evolve from the founder’s hobby, located in the family garage, into a family-owned business that advances U.S. Department of Defense initiatives.
This statewide program targets Opportunity Zones and underrepresented scientific and professional knowledge workers. The goal is to fund key applied development and commercialization activities. Our center resides in an Opportunity Zone.
The Connected Health Lab is creating a statewide network of researchers and innovators to stimulate cutting-edge breakthroughs to apply Internet-of-Things technology to health sciences to transform health care delivery.
Hoosiers, it is time to step up, make the most of these opportunities and get our economy back on track.
Reimagine a business model to address the realities of our new economy.
Reinvent a product to transform old ways of doing things.
Create a breakthrough idea for a new service to meet consumers where they are today.
Become a business owner who hinges your company’s growth to disrupting established industries.
Start a business to free you from the frustration of your income being dependent on other people’s decisions.
Act on your passion and commitment to launch your own business.
Now is our time. The Great Reimagination offers abundant opportunities to pummel the pandemic, sow seeds of innovation and grow prosperous businesses.
Karl R. LaPan is president and CEO of the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center.
08.10.20
Workshop Series for Hoosier Small Business Owners Teach How-To of Customer Care
Reach New Levels with Customers During COVID-19 Pandemic
For Immediate Release
August 10, 2020, Fort Wayne, Ind.— Beginning this month, small business owners have an opportunity to learn how to deepen customer engagement and relationships through KARE for your Customers Workshop Series. The WBC EmPWR Program at The NIIC is offering the workshop series at no charge to small business owners. Participants will learn how to sharpen their sales processes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kelly Ambriole, Associate Partner, Sandler Sales, will lead established businesses of all sizes, with a priority to woman business owners, through the four-week workshop series beginning virtually in August and in-person in January. “KARE is an account planning tool at a 30,000-foot level. The four letters of K-A-R-E stand for Keep, Attain, Recapture and Expand,” said Ambriole. “Putting accounts into those four categories simplifies all the complexities you have when trying to balance it all and an entrepreneur.
The workshop series includes four cohorts, two virtual and two at The NIIC, and is broken into two groups based on a company’s previous annual sales.
- Virtual Cohort for Businesses with less than $100,000 in Sales, Tuesdays, 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., August 25, September 8, September 22, and October 6
- Virtual Cohort for Businesses with $100,000 or More in Sales, Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., August 25, September 8, September 22, and October 6
- In-Person at The NIIC Cohort for Businesses with less than $100,000 in Sales, Mondays from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., January 11, January 25, February 8, and February 22
- In-Person at The NIIC Cohort for Businesses with $100,000 or More in Sales—Mondays, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., January 11, January 25, February 8, and February 22
Topics of discovery will include KARE, ideal client profiles, the behavior cookbook, and immersive worksheets. Ambriole said the program is ideal for anyone responsible for lead generation, sales, and account management.
“This is a high-quality opportunity for small businesses to rethink and re-engage their customer base in a new way,” said Sarah Lance, WBC EmPWR Program Manager. “Kelly Ambriole’ s expertise is tremendously valuable as a key leader at Sandler Sales.”
This workshop series is funded by a grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Women’s Business Ownership (OWBO), and there is no cost to participate. This program is specifically for women; however, it is also open to everyone with businesses and organizations in 83 Indiana communities served by the WBC EmPWR Program. “COVID 19 is forcing all of us to take a hard look at how we’ve done business in the past, what is working now, and how we will do business in the future,” said SBA Indiana District Director Stacey Poynter. “We’re proud that SBA funding is able to support innovative programs like EmPWR, which inspire, teach, and support Indiana small business owners.”
To register for the KARE Workshop Series, visit the events page of The NIIC website. https://niic.net/our-events/
About The NIIC
467 new products launched, 189 patent applications submitted or granted, and 2,290 jobs created—that is what entrepreneurs have achieved through The NIIC since its inception 20 years ago. The NIIC has also connected Northeast Indiana companies to attract $91 million in grants and capital.
The NIIC is a nonprofit, vibrant entrepreneurial community designed to advise entrepreneurs to plan, launch, and grow successful business ventures by moving ideas into action. The NIIC’s 55-acre campus is a U.S. Small Business Administration HUB Zone and a designated Opportunity Zone through the U.S. Treasury. The NIIC is the country’s only ISO9001:2015 registered business incubation and acceleration program. The NIIC received global recognition in 2020 as the International Business Innovation Association’s Mixed-Use Entrepreneur Center of the Year and recipient of the prestigious Dinah Adkins Award, one of InBIA’s top two honors. TheNIIC.org. Click here for The NIIC press kit.
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
Contact: Tammy Allen, Director | Marketing & Programs, info@niic.net, 260-407-1731
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07.23.20
Innovation and Tech Transfer Small Businesses Have New Tools to Learn How to Secure Funding,
Virtual Webinar Series to Educate About SBIR/STTR
For Immediate Release
July 13, 2020, Fort Wayne, Ind.— Each year $2.5 billion non-dilutive grant and contract funding is awarded to qualified small businesses through the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The purpose is to advance and commercialize game-changing technologies. Winning an award is highly competitive in these federal programs. It requires strategic proposals and a thorough understanding of funding agency goals.
That’s where the NIIC’s FAST-IN Program can help through a new workshop series. Participants will learn how to write award-winning proposals. There is no charge for participating in the workshops, and registration is open. Details are available at TheNIIC.Org/our-events. “We are partnering with BBCetc experts to train business builders to write and submit successful SBIR/STTR proposals to fund their research and businesses,” said Karl R. LaPan, President and CEO, The NIIC. BBCetc is nationally recognized for its success in helping emerging companies win SBIR/STTR funding and use it strategically to propel growth.
The following are the workshops included in this series. Additional information and registration links are found at https://niic.net/our-events/.
Tuesday, July 28, 2020, SBIR Introduction and Overview—Megan Varnum, Ph.D., Principal Consultant, BBCetc, leads this workshop. Participants will learn about SBIR/STTR eligibility, the difference between SBIR and STTR, participating agencies, and critical components of a competitive proposal.
Tuesday, August 11, 2020, Contracting versus Granting—Selecting the Right Agency—Jerry Hollister, Principal Consultant, BBCetc, will lead this workshop and train about the 11 SBIR/STTR participating agencies, their missions, and what technologies they fund. Participants will also learn how to determine the best fit for their businesses. This will include where to find the topics of interest, what has been funded previously, and how to contact the agencies.
Tuesday, August 25, 2020, Formatting and Readability—Megan Marnum, Ph.D., Principal Consultant, will lead on the topic of the importance of keeping the reviewer satisfied and engaged. Participants will learn how to improve the competitiveness of proposals through tips and best practices for making it look good and read well. Participants will learn how different agencies manage the review process and how to be kind to reviewers with formatting and grantsmanship tips for success.
Wednesday, September 9, 2020, Preparing a Credible Budget for SBIR/STTR Proposal—Kris Bergman, Managing Partner, BBCetc, will train participants on how to develop a proper budget for a grant or contract proposal. This is essential. A proper budget can be a useful tool to drive the project from start to finish. This workshop covers what costs need to be included, how to write a budget justification, if the company can afford to pursue the project, what indirect rate should be used, and more.
Tuesday, September 22, 2020, Essentials of Commercialization—Becky Aistrup, Managing Partner, BBCetc, will lead this workshop. Commercialization and transition plans can be a crucial differentiator in the SBIR/STTR programs. It is essential to know what the funding agencies look for and how to develop a good plan. This workshop will cover the requirements and guide participants through where to start, what to include. Agency expectations for commercialization plans in Phase I and II projects will be covered. Participants will also be instructed and coached about where to find cost-effective market research, what quality support & commitment letters are will also be.
The FAST-IN Program is partially funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small business Administration (SBA) and The NIIC. Purdue University and The Innovation Connector are partners in the FAST-IN Program to provide locations for workshops and essential connections to potential resources.
About The NIIC
467 new products launched, 189 patent applications submitted or granted, and 2,290 jobs created—that is what entrepreneurs have achieved through The NIIC since its inception 20 years ago. The NIIC has also connected Northeast Indiana companies to attract $91 million in grants and capital.
The NIIC is a non-profit, vibrant entrepreneurial community designed to advise entrepreneurs to plan, launch, and grow successful business ventures by moving ideas into action. The NIIC’s 55-acre campus is a U.S. Small Business Administration HUB Zone and a designated Opportunity Zone through the U.S. Treasury. The NIIC is the country’s only ISO9001:2015 registered business incubation and acceleration program. The NIIC received global recognition in 2020 as the International Business Innovation Association’s Mixed-Use Entrepreneur Center of the Year and recipient of the prestigious Dinah Adkins Award, one of InBIA’s top two honors. TheNIIC.org. Click here for The NIIC press kit.
Contact: Tammy Allen, Director, Marketing & Programs, info@niic.net, 260-407-1731
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07.23.20
Innovation Moshpit Workshop Series for Hoosier Small Business Owners
Collide Ideas to Reimagine, Reinvent During COVID-19 Pandemic
For Immediate Release
July 23, 2020, Fort Wayne, Ind.—How often are the words moshpit and innovation used in the same sentence? WBC EmPWR’s Innovation Moshpit™ Workshop Series will be like concertgoers colliding in a moshpit. Yet, the moshpit is the workshop series, convening small business owners to mash-up unrelated ideas and concepts to reimagine their businesses. Registration is open for Hoosier business builders and nonprofit leaders to participate in the workshop series. Enroll on the events page of The NIIC website. https://niic.net/our-events/
WBC EmPWR Innovation Mosh Pit Workshop series begins August 12, 2020, and continues through October 7, 2020. The 10-week virtual program will be co-led by Gregg Fraley, Founder, GFi, and Sarah Lance, WBC EmPWR Program Manager. Workshop participants will move through the Innovation Moshpit’s comprehensive innovation process, which includes three phases. The first phase is exploration or research. The second phase is ideation, otherwise known as brainstorming. The last phase is project planning. Participants could create an entirely new business model, or, a necessary adjustment to the new normal. Participants will develop a solid plan to implement something new, fresh, and exciting for their businesses or organizations.
Participants will use the Innovator Mindset® tool created by Dennis Stauffer to improve their business thinking skills further. Participants will be connected with other non-competitive business peers to network, share problems, brainstorm, and develop solutions that move progress forward and upward.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the economy and our way of life in so many ways. As difficult and frustrating as the COVID-19 pandemic era may be, it provides an opportunity to shake up our businesses to reach new levels of innovation and success. Through the Innovation Mosh Pit Workshops, participants will emerge renewed, with a sense of purpose and redirection,” said Lance. “Creativity and innovation are necessary solutions to succeed now and in the future.“
Thanks to a grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Women’s Business Ownership (OWBO), the cost to participate is just $30 for the Stormz virtual meeting platform. This program is specifically for women; however, it is also open to everyone with businesses and organizations in 83 Indiana communities served by the WBC EmPWR Program. “COVID 19 is forcing all of us to take a hard look at how we’ve done business in the past, what is working now, and how we will do business in the future,” said SBA Indiana District Director Stacey Poynter. “We’re proud that SBA funding is able to support innovative programs like EmPWR which inspire, teach and support Indiana small business owners.”
Registration for the WBC EmPWR’s Mosh Pit is now open. To register, visit the events page of The NIIC website. https://niic.net/our-events/
Innovation Moshpit™ is a trademark of Gregg Fraley Innovation (GFi). Innovator Mindset® is a registered trademark of Dennis Stauffer.
Contact: Tammy Allen, Director | Marketing & Programs, info@niic.net, 260-407-1731
About The NIIC
467 new products launched, 189 patent applications submitted or granted, and 2,290 jobs created—that is what entrepreneurs have achieved through The NIIC since its inception 20 years ago. The NIIC has also connected Northeast Indiana companies to attract $91 million in grants and capital.
The NIIC is a nonprofit, vibrant entrepreneurial community designed to advise entrepreneurs to plan, launch, and grow successful business ventures by moving ideas into action. The NIIC’s 55-acre campus is a U.S. Small Business Administration HUB Zone and a designated Opportunity Zone through the U.S. Treasury. The NIIC is the country’s only ISO9001:2015 registered business incubation and acceleration program. The NIIC received global recognition in 2020 as the International Business Innovation Association’s Mixed-Use Entrepreneur Center of the Year and recipient of the prestigious Dinah Adkins Award, one of InBIA’s top two honors. TheNIIC.org. Click here for The NIIC press kit.
About WEOC
2,354 women and immigrants served, trained, and counseled—since WEOC’s formation five years ago. The Women’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center (WEOC) serves Northeast Indiana women at all stages of their business ventures. WEOC responds to the unique needs of women entrepreneurs through business growth coaching, training, and entrepreneurial education, connectivity, and access to capital. WEOC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. As the Host organization, The NIIC also provides supplemental funding and complementary resources. WEOC is an SBA designated Women’s Business Center—one of two in Indiana. For more information, visit www.inweoc.com.
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
07.10.20
NIIC Adds Two
Excerpt
The Northeast Indiana Innovation Center has hired Sarah Lance as project manager and Jennifer Romano as community engagement coordinator for the EmPWR (Equity & Prosperity for Women Reimagining) Their Businesses Program.
The EmPWR Program is a 12-month initiative funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Women’s Business Ownership. EmPWR Program guides businesswomen to innovate, reimagine business models, and gain resiliency, so they thrive and prosper. The program is available to business owners living in all Indiana counties except the 11 served by the Central Indiana Women’s Business Center.
Click here to read the full article on InsideIndianaBusiness.com.
07.07.20
July webinars for business builders, a focus on connected health and digital tools for employment
Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash
July 7, 2020, Fort Wayne, Ind.— The Northeast Indiana Innovation Center will host two webinars in July for entrepreneurs and business builders.
On July 16, from noon to 1:30 p.m. (EDT), the Connected Health Lab (CHL) of The Northeast Indiana Innovation Center will present Third Thursday Connections, featuring a virtual panel discussion on insurance technology. This is also known as insurtech and is an integral part of the booming industry of virtual health. Brian O’Hara, Strategic Engagement Advisor, FBI, Indianapolis Division, and Greg Perigo, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Indiana Tech, will serve as panelists.
O’Hara has been practicing information security for more than 20 years specializing in security, audit, and risk management in the healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing sectors. A frequent conference speaker, O’Hara is the author or editor of numerous articles and publications and is a Fellow in the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA).
“Insurance companies are using technology in the form of apps, wearables, and telehealth to provide better service and help patients manage their health. In our increasingly connected world, security and privacy are a top priority for both patients and providers,” said Jessica Carender, Partner Engagement Manager, The NIIC. “Our panelists will address what has changed due to COVD-19 pandemic, changes needed, and how innovative healthcare technologies impact individuals.”
To register for this no-cost, live stream webinar, visit https://niic.net/our-events/.
On July 22, from noon to 1:00 p.m. (EDT), the annual Digital Skills Summer School will offer an overview of digital tools for employment. “This is especially relevant for employees who have been furloughed due to COVID-19 pandemic or small business owners who have closed their businesses as a result of the pandemic. We also have clients who offer job-search services and can connect them to these businesses,” said Leslee Hill, WEOC Program Director, The NIIC. Job seekers will learn how to discover new employment opportunities using Google Search. The virtual workshop will also present tips for using G Suite tools to organize the job search experience. In addition, the program will present strategies to improve your resume, tips to help you communicate effectively online, best practices for virtual interviews, and the latest job-search resources from Google and other partners.
“Our live-streamed Digital Skills Summer School program is particularly designed for job seekers, students, and recent graduates,” said Hill. The no-cost webinar is sponsored by WEOC and SCORE Northeast Indiana. Registration is required at https://niic.net/our-events/.
About The NIIC
467 new products launched, 189 patent applications submitted or granted, and 2,290 jobs created—that is what entrepreneurs have achieved through The NIIC since its inception 20 years ago. The NIIC has also connected Northeast Indiana companies to attract $91 million in grants and capital.
The NIIC is a non-profit, vibrant entrepreneurial community designed to advise entrepreneurs to plan, launch, and grow successful business ventures by moving ideas into action. The NIIC’s 55-acre campus is a U.S. Small Business Administration HUB Zone and a designated Opportunity Zone through the U.S. Treasury. The NIIC is the country’s only ISO9001:2015 registered business incubation and acceleration program. The NIIC received global recognition in 2020 as the International Business Innovation Association’s Mixed-Use Entrepreneur Center of the Year and recipient of the prestigious Dinah Adkins Award, one of InBIA’s top two honors. TheNIIC.org. Click here for The NIIC press kit.
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07.07.20
NIIC Launches Program to Help Minority Business Creators
Exerpt
FORT WAYNE – The Northeast Indiana Innovation Center in Fort Wayne has launched the first cohort of a program intended to help people in underserved communities become entrepreneurs.
The business incubator says the Connected Communities Breakthrough Program will provide strategic preparation, implementation, and assessment to Allen County business creators.
The program offers no-cost, community-based entrepreneurship opportunities that identify and enrich talent in an otherwise underserved market.
NIIC says the program is being funded by the Foellinger Foundation.
“It provides opportunities for equity, prosperity, and social well-being,” said Cheryl Taylor, President, Foellinger Foundation.
It is expected each participant will complete the program in three to six months. The program includes eight paths, from awareness of entrepreneurial mindset to how to thrive as a small business owner.
“I would like to gain information to help me start my business and learn more about obtaining resources that would help me get my business off the ground. I need to get it out of my head and into reality,” said program participant Vanessa Hayden.
Click here to read full article on InsideIndianaBusiness.com.