Looking to scale up your
small business? Deadline is January 15 to apply for new ScaleUp WNC program to
help entrepreneurs take their ventures to new heights
Successfully starting up a new business is one thing; scaling up that business
is quite another.
Now a new initiative designed
specifically for growth-oriented companies that are past the startup phase, but
before maturity, is available to Western North Carolina entrepreneurs. Called ScaleUp
WNC, the program will offer a select group of small-business owners
intensive training, one-on-one management support, assistance in connecting
with growth capital, and the opportunity to strengthen connections and
networks.
Applications are now being
accepted for the first ScaleUp WNC cohort, which begins in February. The
deadline to apply is January 15. Visit ScaleUpWNC.com for more information and
to apply.
Fifteen founders or executive
managers of growth-oriented small businesses will be selected through a
competitive, merit-based application process for each ScaleUp WNC class.
Businesses must be based in Western North Carolina, have annual revenues
between $150,000 and $750,000, have at least one full-time employee, and have
identified opportunities for business expansion.
Six-week sessions will be offered
twice a year for five years; in total, 150 Western North Carolina businesses
with strong potential for growth and job creation will be selected to
participate in this highly competitive program. There is no cost to participate
in ScaleUp WNC, thanks to funding from the U.S. Small Business
Administration, but companies chosen are expected to make a firm commitment of
time to participate in the program.
AdvantageWest, the nonprofit
economic development organization serving the 23 counties of Western North
Carolina, was selected by the SBA as one of only eight organizations in the
country to develop the project as part of SBA’s ScaleUp America
initiative. Training and technical assistance partners include the Ascent
Business Network, based in Boone, N.C., the Asheville-Buncombe Technical
Community College Entrepreneurial Development Foundation, and the Cherokee,
N.C.-based Sequoyah Fund.
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