Delta Entrepreneurship Network

The

D E N

Developing an entrepreneurial eco-system for Northeast Arkansas

• Community Capital Collaborative

•Marketing Community Capital

• Technical Assistance

• Sustainability

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

• Identify and qualify communities

• The Network

• The Delta Center

•Goal - create a strong regional economy

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community CapitalTechnical AssistanceSustainability

1. Identify and qualify communities• Interest• Assets• Capacity• Desires and expectations

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community CapitalTechnical AssistanceSustainability

1. Identify and qualify communities2. The Network

Leverage resources from private, public and non-profit sectors• Local• Region • Across the state

Connect with new business opportunities Working in new ways to increase and support -

Number of idea generation events and venues

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community CapitalTechnical AssistanceSustainability

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

1. Identify and qualify communities2. The Network

3. The Delta Center

• Neutral, well known and respected reputation in the region

• University-based resources• largest staff of economic development

professionals in the region

• Lead role for development of the Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community CapitalTechnical AssistanceSustainability

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Goal - create a strong regional economy

• Investment capital

• Aggressive appetite to support a successful entrepreneurial eco-system in eastern Arkansas.

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community CapitalTechnical AssistanceSustainability

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Goal - The Delta Center:

• Catalyzing connections

• between entrepreneurial qualified communities and innovators

• Raising the level of expectation

• among creative/innovative entrepreneurs

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community CapitalTechnical AssistanceSustainability

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community CapitalTechnical AssistanceSustainability

Through…

1. Online Marketing / Connecting

2. Existing Events in Arkansas/Region

3. New Venues for Events

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community CapitalTechnical AssistanceSustainability

1. Online Marketing / Connecting

• Entrepreneur/Startup/Innovation

• Events

• Networks

• Coming Home Delta

• ASU Alumni

• Local – Alumni and former residents

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community CapitalTechnical AssistanceSustainability

1. Online Marketing

2. Existing Events in Arkansas/Region

• Startup weekend type events

• Inventors meetings new business ideas fast pitch contests

• Business plan competitions

• Virtual events held via the Internet

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community CapitalTechnical AssistanceSustainability

1. Online Marketing

2. Existing Events

3. New Venues for Events

• Startup Weekend in Jonesboro

• Entrepreneur/Inventors Networking Events

• Community level

• Local library venue where feasible

• New G60 and Bar Camp venues

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community Capital Technical AssistanceSustainability

Goal – For interested entrepreneurs, the Delta Center will serve as the DEN’s hub and neutral zone where

• entrepreneurs can obtain assistance and be “pitch ready”

• communities will be assisted in establishing standards

• In investment decision-making process

• For their business targets

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community Capital Technical AssistanceSustainability

1. ASU-Centric Services

2. Community Colleges

3. Communities

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community Capital Technical AssistanceSustainability

1. ASU-Centric Services

• Who• SBTDC• Alt.Consulting, Inc.• Catalyst Innovation Center• Faculty and other Centers of

Excellence

• What

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community Capital Technical AssistanceSustainability

1. ASU-Centric Services

• Who

• What• Business plan development• Market research• Value chain development• Evaluating capital investment need• Conducting site specific feasibility

studies• Preparing project-specific economic

impact analysis

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community Capital Technical AssistanceSustainability

1. ASU-Centric Services

2. Community Colleges

• Maximize the potential of community colleges

• Strengthens the DEN’s regional collaboration

• Strengthens capacity of area communities

• [One method: Alumni]

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community Capital Technical AssistanceSustainability

1. ASU-Centric Services2. Community Colleges

3. Communities - Increase local communities’ (individual members of the collaborative) ability to cultivate homegrown entrepreneurs

• Local libraries

• Alumni and Former Resident Initiatives

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community Capital Technical AssistanceSustainability

1. ASU-Centric Services2. Community Colleges

3. Communities – • Local libraries to serve as “idea centers”

• Identify the relevant resources they already have; establish a dedicated space in the library• Arkansas State Library

• Train librarians in how to assist these patrons,• Patent and Trademark Resource Center

• Makers Space• Access/entry to all other DEN services

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community Capital Technical AssistanceSustainability

1. ASU-Centric Services2. Community Colleges

3. Communities – • Local libraries• Alumni and former resident initiatives

• Recent webinar series• Subscriptions and other lists• Relatives• Events

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Community Capital Collaborative

Marketing Community Captal Technical Assistance Sustainability

Sustainability Plan

• Insure program continues as may be needed

• a replication report to provide roadmap for other universities to follow

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Delta Center for Economic Development

Funding support provided by the U.S. Economic Development Administration

For more information, contact:Jerry L. Smith 870-680-8273jerry@astate.eduFollow us: