New Startup Program to Assist Community Members in Launching Big Ideas
Published: August 31, 2022 | Author: Ellie Wheeler | Read Time: 2 minutes
For local entrepreneurs and innovators, the new SUU Startup information hub recently launched to provide an easy-access starting point and connection center for boosting and aligning resources, pitch competitions, and business-minded people in Iron County. Funded by the Economic Development Administration Build to Scale (B2S) Program grant, SUU Startup brings local university and college partners, networking groups, financial resources and support agencies together for the sole purpose of accelerating locals with big ideas.
We are excited that our region has been selected to receive this federal funding for fueling entrepreneurship in southern Utah,” said Craig Isom, Director, Accelerating Innovators at SUU Startup. We already know that our community is a great place to launch a business, and this grant further correlates and encourages the kind of collaboration and synergy that benefits anyone hoping to start a business, expand a business or launch a new product here in Iron County.”
Partnering with SUU Startup are the new Cedar City Business and Innovation Center (CCBIC) located just down the road from Southwest Technical College’s main campus, the SUU Larry H. and Gail Miller Center for Entrepreneurship located in the Dixie L. Leavitt School of Business building on SUU’s campus, the State Bank Business Challenge pitch competition held each year in October at One Utah Summit, and several local networking and think tank groups including Tech Up Southern Utah (TUSU), Teen Science Cafe, Thinkubator and Nerd Up.
Part of the effort to align resources is to provide an entry point and easy access to the large and varied entrepreneurial resources that exist here,” said Isom. Many opportunities and events have been taking place in isolation and have not previously been easy to find. SUU Startup is going to change that. As we correlate, we learn from each other's experiences and we become stronger and more dynamic as a community of innovators.”
SUU Startup is offered through the university’s Office of Regional Services and is designed to support community business and workforce development initiatives. Visit our Startup Page for more information.
SUU Startup Partner Highlight
SUU Startup aims to be a resource for connecting entrepreneurs to prototyping opportunities, entrepreneurial mentors, conference and brainstorming rooms, studios and production equipment, 3-D printers and shared office space. The CCBIC is one SUU Startup partner that offers many resources for local entrepreneurs of all ages. With onsite trainings and classes, ranging from medical (such as CPR) to software (including Quickbooks), the CCBIC makerspace is designed to help turn ideas and concepts into legitimate prototypes and business concepts. The SUU Startup website offers the ability to schedule tours of the CCBIC, reserve equipment and conference rooms, and links to CCBIC social media pages.
Tags: Entrepreneurship Startup School of Business