Business performance. Innovation. Financial literacy. Time management. Leadership skills.
The to-do list and pathway to creating a successful startup is a long and arduous process, especially without the right connections, funding and community support.
For individuals, prospective entrepreneurs and existing business incubators looking for that essential support, can help.
The CIE, which opens Oct. 3, 2024, in the newly renovated building on campus at the corner of Compton and Olive, is designed to foster the growth of entrepreneurs and cultivate the next generation of innovative leaders and business owners throughout the Ƶ region. Participants do not have to be enrolled as a Harris-Stowe student to access the programs offered at the CIE.
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Area facilitators and instructors will provide hands-on training in all areas of business management including marketing, financing, innovation and more. The curriculum also complements formal classroom learning for those Harris-Stowe business majors working on an entrepreneurial degree.
“This is a year-round community-based venture that will inspire, educate and support our students and new businesses looking for the tools to succeed,” said Stacy Gee Hollins, Ph.D., interim associate provost of academic affairs and dean of the School of Business. “The programs we offer are a result of us consistently and purposely listening to members of our community telling us what they need to succeed.”
In Harris-Stowe’s CIE, individuals can participate in one of seven entrepreneurial programs.
- The Minority Entrepreneurship Collaborative Center for Advancement program
- IgniteHxr, an executive leadership program for women leading in innovation and technology industries
- Nxt Lvl Small Business Incubator, a multi-week course covering all things business
- Facilitator Training, which is an upskilling program for speakers or facilitators for various industries
- InnovateX, an emerging technology training program including esports
- Global Ventures, a trade readiness program in which individuals go abroad to learn about trade and entrepreneurship in other countries and cultures
- Funding for Founders, an early-stage incubator for non-profit businesses
Community members can also enroll in Harris-Stowe’s 18-credit hour Entrepreneurship certificate for college credit.
Nicole Bishop was a participant in the second cohort of Funding for Founders.
“As a new founder, I was super nervous and not even confident that I could do this. This class has guided me, boosted my confidence and provided the tools necessary that I needed to get started,” Bishop said. She is the co-founder of Omni Express Health Community, a nonprofit organization that specializes in in-home care.
Under the direction of Hollins over the past three years, the once-deserted building at the Northeast corner of the campus has been completely gutted and renovated to feature a convertible space for large and small group meetings and classes. There’s mobile furniture to accommodate different spatial needs, state-of-the-art technology, ground-floor and rooftop patios for events.
Beginning in October, these programs will all be offered in the new CIE building under the leadership of Kristy Jackson, executive director of the CIE. Hollins and her team are currently seeking ongoing funding from the business community to support a build-out of the first floor to eventually house the incubators and startup leaders who graduate from the program.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the CIE will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3. Facility tours will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. that day.
“Positive feedback about our programming has blown up beyond our wildest dreams,” Hollins said, “and now with the completion of our new CIE facility, we have established ourselves as a leader in entrepreneurship and innovation for black and brown individuals in our community, and that’s really exciting.”
Individuals interested in learning more about the CIE programs can visit the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at . Join their virtual , where you can keep up with upcoming events and connect with fellow leaders and entrepreneurs.