Oregon Business Incubator Receives Grant To Expand Efforts

The Oregon Technology Business Center - the Beaverton-supported tech start-up incubator - has received a $60,000 grant to expand its efforts helping entrepreneurs in rural parts of the state. The grant, which will be paid over the next three years, comes from the Oregon Community Foundation Fund.

The center, which has helped around 80 businesses over the past 12 years, will use the money to expand its Virtual Incubation Program.

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"We know in Oregon that we have rural communities with the entrepreneurial spirit but they may not have the same opportunities as larger cities," said Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle. “The Virtual Incubation Program that OTBC operates is vital to helping these companies succeed."

The center says that the program is open to any early stage rural Oregon company that has an objective to grow and a business model that supports growth.

The Virtual Incubation Program consists of eight live webcasts broadcast from OTBC headquarters that address key entrepreneurship topics, followed by mentoring services. Services include:

• Helping you understand your customers/market
• Finding out what your customers will pay
• Developing a budget/forecast
• Creating a funding plan
• Building a team
• Designing a marketing/sales plan and
• Learning what legal steps can help protect your company.

The center will offer programs through the VIP that have been developed over the last 12 years that assist entrepreneurs in starting and building their businesses. The first sessions are planned to start in early April. For more information on how to apply visit www.otbc.org/vip.

Photo Colin Miner