Posts Tagged ‘Entrepreneurship Institute’

Release courtesy of NMSU News Center

Writer: Justin Bannister, 575-646-5981, jbannist@nmsu.edu

Contact: Sara Pirayesh Sanders, 575-646-7036, npirayes@ad.nmsu.edu

New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Center Entrepreneurship Institute is looking for entrepreneurs and innovators in need of business assistance. Clients selected will receive specialized support as well as relevant, timely and practical business research.

“It is vital that we focus on enhancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in New Mexico by investing in entrepreneurs and small businesses,” said Sara Pirayesh Sanders, entrepreneurship director for the Arrowhead Center. “It is the only way we are going to compete as a state. At the Entrepreneurship Institute, we provide business assistance to help entrepreneurs take that leap.”

Services are customized to fit start-up businesses as well as established ones. Assistance is available to all business types. Businesses are chosen on a variety of factors, including the degree to which they contribute to economic development in New Mexico.

The deadline for project submissions is May 20. The submission form is available online at http://arrowhead.nmsu.edu/arrowheadcenter/entrepreneurship/documents/entrep-institute-project-submission-form.pdf.

The Arrowhead Center promotes economic and business development in New Mexico through a wide range of services, including entrepreneurship development, technology-based business incubation, policy analysis, assistance with intellectual property, and by managing NMSU’s Business and Research Park. Since its inception in 2004, it has completed more than 300 business research projects involving more than 300 graduate and undergraduate students.

For more information, call 575-646-7036 or visit http://arrowheadcenter.nmsu.edu.

Release courtesy of NMSU News Center

WRITER: Justin Bannister, 575-646-5981, jbannist@nmsu.edu

CONTACT: Sara Pirayesh Sanders, 575-646-7036, npirayes@ad.nmsu.edu

New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Center Entrepreneurship Institute is looking for entrepreneurs and innovators in need of business assistance. Clients selected will receive specialized support as well as relevant, timely and practical business research.

“Entrepreneurship is a key component of reinvigorating the economy,” said Sara Pirayesh Sanders, entrepreneurship director for the Arrowhead Center. “Business research is critical to the success of small businesses because it allows you to have a better understanding of where you are and where you’re going.”

Services are customized to fit start-up businesses as well as established ones. Assistance is available to all business types. Businesses are chosen on a variety of factors, including the degree to which they contribute to economic development in New Mexico.

The deadline for project submissions is Jan. 15, 2011. The submission form is available online at http://arrowhead.nmsu.edu/arrowheadcenter/entrepreneurship/business-assistance.html.

The Arrowhead Center promotes economic and business development in New Mexico through a wide range of services, including entrepreneurship development, technology-based business incubation, policy analysis, assistance with intellectual property, and by managing NMSU’s Business and Research Park. Since its inception in 2004, it has completed more than 200 business research projects involving more than 300 graduate and undergraduate students.

For more information, call 575-646-7036 or visit http://arrowheadcenter.nmsu.edu.

The September meeting of the MVEDA Business on the Border Forum will be held on Tuesday, September 7, 2010 from 11:30 AM until 1:00 PM at the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces, 705 S. Telshor. The meeting will begin with a hot entree buffet followed by a brief update by MVEDA staff.

Dr. Garrey Carruthers

Dr. Garrey Carruthers, Dean of the NMSU College of Business and Vice President for Economic Development, and Dr. Kevin Boberg, Associate Dean of the NMSU College of Business and CEO for the Arrowhead Center, will speak at the luncheon.  The focus of the presentation will be on the growth and opportunities for small businesses in the Arrowhead Business and Research Park and Arrowhead Center’s Entrepreneurship Institute and TECHSTART Incubator.

Luncheon cost is $20.00 per person, payable by cash, check or major credit card. Due to space limitations, reservations are required. Please confirm your attendance no later than Thursday, September 2nd by sending an email to rsvp@mveda.com or by calling the office at (575) 525-2852. The meeting is open to the public.

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Bulletin

By Gabriel Vasquez

The dedicated staff of business research consultants at New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Center is patiently waiting for new assistance proposals to start arriving before the institution’s May 31 deadline.

Arrowhead’s Entrepreneurship Institute is a one-stop resource for people looking to start or expand a business. Each summer, consultants at the institute work on eight to 10 projects from potential entrepreneurs, existing business owners and nonprofit organizations. The institute’s goal is to launch successful startups, help existing businesses expand or make financial adjustments and help nonprofits better manage their assets.

“At this point, we need to get some more interest in our business assistance programs so we can begin to funnel some of these projects in the door,” said Matt Elgersma, Arrowhead Center business research and outreach coordinator. “If our clients’ goals are feasible, we can further their efforts in either creating or expanding their business.”

Elgersma said potential clients should be ready to invest time, money and hard work into their business plan, beyond “the hobby stage.” “Every project we get is custom – it’s unique in the sense that we’re addressing individual needs and questions,” he said. “In order to be more effective, we must solve problems through research-based strategies and recommendations.”

That means potential clients who submit an application to receive business assistance should have already done the preliminary legwork, “at least a minimal amount of research so we can better understand their needs,” Elgersma said.

In December 2009, the Entrepreneurship Institute launched its full-service Entrepreneurship Laboratory, which includes a library of entrepreneurship-related publications and journals, computers equipped with business simulation software and step-by-step workbooks that serve as “how to” manuals for starting a business in New Mexico. The laboratory is free and open to the public.

Arrowhead’s consulting services are sometimes offered for a fee, but Elgersma and the Arrowhead staff encourage clients to invest more into their own business in order to implement the recommendations of the staff.

“It’s not about revenue-generation for us,” Elgersma said. “We have access to all the subject matter and expertise the university affords, along with industry professionals in just about every field. We’re here to help.”

The institute also offers consultation services free of charge to one nonprofit each summer.

Arrowhead’s consultants consist of industry professionals and graduate students, each working in their respective fields or business sectors, who collaborate to work on the summer projects.

Last summer, Elgersma said he received about 30 applications, 10 of which were accepted. He said the more information a client provides and the more knowledgeable he is about his particular business or industry, the better the chance of Arrowhead taking on the project.

“We particularly look for the projects that look like they have a lot of promise – we evaluate them with the resources we have available and make a joint decision,” Elgersma said. “We then start with our own general research, from industry, to type of business, to the local market. We focus heavily on local market research because that’s where most businesses will be the most competitive.”

Aside from helping launch and expand businesses, Arrowhead’s staff can also help with internal operations trouble­shooting such as human resource management, employee recruitment, cash flow management, streamlining inventory and even exporting or importing particular products.

“And if the owner is interested in selling, we can help him or her find a potential buyer and use the proper negotiating strategies to ensure they protect their position throughout the entire process,” Elgersma said.

The institute can also create marketing plans to launch new products or revamp existing ones, or create a different brand for a company altogether, Elgersma said.

Project submissions are open to any local business, potential entrepreneur or nonprofit organization and are due by May 31. Project submission forms can be accessed by visiting www.arrowheadcenter.org and clicking on the Entrepreneurship Institute tab.

For more information, call Elgersma at 646-7832 or email melgersm@nmsu.edu.

Article Courtesy of The Las Cruces Bulletin

Help is on the way for anyone looking to start a business, but not quite sure how to start.

The Entrepreneurship Institute at New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Center will hold a grand opening for its Entrepreneurship Laboratory from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at NMSU’s Academic Research Building A, located on the south end of campus.

“This is an incredible community resource and it’s available for anyone interested in exploring the option of starting or running a business in New Mexico,” said Matt Elgersma, business research and outreach coordinator for Arrowhead Center. “We want to help spur economic development by helping potential entrepreneurs in beginning the process.”

The lab includes a library of entrepreneurship resources, computers equipped with business simulation software and a step-by-step workbook written for anyone interested in starting a business in the state.

The lab is part of Arrowhead’s Entrepreneurship Institute, which also focuses on fostering emerging entrepreneurs and establishing an entrepreneurship network within the state. The institute is funded by a three-year, nearly $1 million grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration and made possible by New Mexico’s congressional delegation.

There will be free finger foods and beverages, and a raffle will be held with the winner taking home a piece of jewelry provided by Boudreau’s Glenn Cutter Jewelers and Gallery, located at 2001 E. Lohman Ave., Suite 125. Entrants must be present to win. The drawing is at 4 p.m.

For more information, email Elgersma at melgersm@nmsu.edu, call 646-7832 or visit www.arrowheadcenter.org.