Gov. Asa Hutchinson, flanked by Arkansas tech pioneer James Hendren and Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Jay Chesshir (far right), waits his turn to speak at a recent Venture Center event.
The Venture Center has joined the Startup Federation, a global network of entrepreneur centers, it announced Friday.
The partnership provides members of the Venture Center with access to co-working space, resources, mentorship and connections to capital, according to a news release.
The Venture Center was launched in May 2014 and in January moved into space it shares with the Little Rock Technology Park in downtown Little Rock. It’s launched a host of startup and entrepreneurial services, including the Pre-Flight pre-accelerator program, a mentor training program, the Build IT and Code IT series and the Pitch ‘N Pint elevator pitch contest which will debut Saturday, July 25, at the Flying Saucer in the River Market District.
Plus, it hosts the Little Rock edition of the weekly 1 Million Cups program.
Venture Center President and CEO Lee Watson said the center’s programs and resources have supported the creation of 53 jobs, 41 active startups and $1.5 million in investment capital to member companies.
“We are thrilled to continue this growth with an invitation to join Startup Federation and provide our members with access to a global network of the top incubator programs,” he said.
Startup Federation is a program of the 1776 global incubator in Washington, D.C.
“As startup communities have emerged all around the world, there is enormous potential in getting the cities and top tier startup hubs collaborating,” said Donna Harris, 1776 co-founder and co-CEO, in the release. “I’ve enjoyed watching the Venture Center emerge from an idea to become a major influence in helping Arkansas startups scale.”
Sign up for Daily E-news
