A new online platform has been created to connect northwest Arkansas entrepreneurs with supportive organizations and other resources.
The StartupNWA Hub has been built in partnership with EcoMap Technologies, an ecosystem intelligence AI software company. It will link entrepreneurs to accelerators, business associations and investors in a comprehensive, searchable and up-to-date package, all with the goal of helping the next generation of businesses grow and increase innovation in the region.
A grant from the Walton Family Foundation will allow the Northwest Arkansas Council to use EcoMap’s infrastructure, while the University of Arkansas Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation will provide support to assist users and ensure the website’s information is continually updated.
Past attempts to combine the region’s resources into one place have struggled to keep up with the real world, with printed resources often going obsolete as soon as they’re created, the Northwest Arkansas Council said in a news release. The new partnership behind the StartupNWA Hub hopes to create a gateway into the entrepreneurial world, while also supporting organizations to spend time and effort where it’s needed most.
“Northwest Arkansas needs new businesses and innovations to keep its place as one of the nation’s most dynamic and thriving regions, and we need to do all we can to get the needed tools into entrepreneurs’ hands,” Nelson Peacock, Northwest Arkansas Council president and CEO, said in a the release. “These innovative founders are ultimately the ones who will chart our economic future.”
The entrepreneurship support ecosystem around the region aims to meet a wide range of needs, whether someone is considering becoming an entrepreneur for the first time or is looking to grow and improve an existing business. StartupNWA Hub will help connect entrepreneurs to relevant support features in the ecosystem.
“Our mission at EcoMap is to make ecosystems accessible at scale, and the StartupNWA Hub exemplifies this vision,” Sherrod Davis, co-founder and CEO of EcoMap, said in the release. “By leveraging our AI-driven platform, Northwest Arkansas is creating a dynamic, always up-to-date resource that will connect entrepreneurs with vital support systems. This hub will not only streamline access to resources but also foster a more cohesive and vibrant entrepreneurial community, setting a new standard for ecosystem development.”
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