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ARC NEWS ROUNDUP | OCTOBER 12, 2017 | VOLUME 2, ISSUE 41
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The winner of the Shoals Idea Audition is presented with his award. Left to right: Macke Mauldin, President of Bank Independent; Carl Holden, Shoals Idea Audition winner of Vicinidi; Caitlin Holland, President of the Shoals Chamber of Commerce; Greg Carnes, Dean of the College of Business at University of North Alabama.
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Auditioning Ideas In Alabama
This week, 30 entrepreneurs from northern Alabama pitched their business ideas to a panel of area professionals at the 4th annual Shoals Idea Audition. The top scoring entrepreneur who pitched Vicinidi, a geo-targeted social media app, was awarded a $5,000 cash prize, with $2,500 going to the second place winner, a local food delivery business, and $1,000 going to the the third place winner, who is rethinking the vending machine. This Shoals Idea Audition is sponsored by the University of North Alabama, Bank Independent, the Shoals Chamber of Commerce, and organized by Shoals Shift, an initiative of the Shoals Entrepreneurial Center funded by ARC. Shoals Shift is a creative effort to attract, nurture and promote the creative and tech economy in the Shoals area of Alabama through collaborative meet-ups and mentorships to support sustainable growth.
The University of North Alabama College of Business, the Shoals Chamber of Commerce and the Shoals Entrepreneurial Center are partnering to host another business pitch event, Shoals Alabama Launchpad. This event is the first regional expansion of the statewide Alabama Launchpad, which helps high growth companies start, stay and grow in Alabama while supporting, advocating, and recognizing entrepreneurship. Applications from entrepreneurs in the Shoals area are due November 1, 2017 to compete on February 20, 2018 to win a share of $100,000.
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The LIGHTS (Leveraging Innovation Gateways and Hubs Toward Sustainability) program catalyzes the creation of companies to create high-wage jobs, and attract greater private investment in the coal-impacted regions of Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky.
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Shining LIGHTS On Innovation in Ohio
The Ohio University Innovation Center is partnering organizations across southern Ohio to strengthen an “Innovation Ecosystem” through the Leveraging Innovation Gateways and Hubs Toward Sustainability (LIGHTS) program, supported by an ARC POWER grant. The Innovation Center is a leading technology-based business incubator offering: access to seasoned professionals who can coach and provide advice for startups; business training including board governance, intellectual property protection, export assistance, finance options, and social media marketing; and office space, biotech labs, and meeting space for professional use. Currently, the Innovation Center provides Southeast Ohio's most advanced additive manufacturing equipment with state of the art 3D design, scanning and printing technologies, and plans to increase capacities in prototype development, design, and testing. Through partnerships with innovation hubs, like The IDEA Lab at Zane State University and the Muskingum County Business Incubator, now known as Spark Five Sixty, the LIGHTS program is expanding the impact of these services.
So far, as of early this summer, LIGHTS staff and partners cumulatively assisted 35 startup and business clients with a combined 121 employees. These businesses have leveraged over $10 million in investment. In August, as part of the LIGHTS program, 25 businesses participated and 12 pitches were made at the inaugural Startup Weekend Zanesville. This weekend, the eighth Startup Weekend Athens will be held at the Innovation Center for students, professionals and community members interested in learning new skills in fields including business, development or marketing.
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Universities buzzing about new collaboration, Your Erie, Erie, Pennsylvania
ICC to open new facilities in Fulton, Belden, Daily Journal, Tupelo, Mississippi
Sprouting Farm renters find comfort in their growing experiences, The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia
Community Colleges and the Creation of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, Entrepreneur
Can Local Food Help Appalachia Build a Post-Coal Future?, The Nation
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On Wednesday, Oct. 18th, from 4:30-5:30PM ET, ARC will host a Twitter chat discussing themes from our #TransformingAppalachia conference. Follow us, @ARCgov, and join the conversation using #ARC2017.
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