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Venture Center

Education / Health Care / Industry

Mimi San Pedro Announces Retirement from the Venture Center (Movers & Shakers)

She will continue in a senior advisory role through December to ensure a smooth transition. read more >
Participants in the Venture Center's fall Spark! accelerator program
Construction / Restaurants & Food / Retail

Venture Center Welcomes 7 to Spark! Accelerator Program

The program provides a sales, marketing and business finance curriculum to help founders grow their small businesses. read more >
Erin Simpson, left, and Allan Rayson of Encore Bank. The two shared growth tips in a presentation on the final day of the VenCent Fintech Summit in Little Rock.
Banking & Finance / Business Services

Encore Bank Shares Growth Tips on Final Day of Fintech Summit

The bank decided to focus on using technology to eliminate manual processes not only for its staff, but for its clients. read more >
FIS CEO Gary Norcross, left, and Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson discuss the state's rise as a fintech leader at the VenCent Fintech Summit in Little Rock on Aug. 16, 2022.
Banking & Finance / Business Services / Government & Politics

Day 2 of Fintech Summit: Regulatory Advice, Data Strategy and Arkansas’ ‘Microhub’ Status

FIS CEO Gary Norcross and St. Louis Fed VP Allen North were among the speakers. read more >
The floor of the trade show on the first day of the VenCent Fintech Summit hosted by the Venture Center of Little Rock.
Banking & Finance / Small Business

Fintech Startups and Banking Veterans Share Trade Floor on Summit’s First Day

One of several standouts was Arcanum Technology of Athens, Georgia, which demoed a secure, four-character password that never has to be changed by the end user. read more >
(From left) Wayne Miller, executive director of the Venture Center; Mimi San Pedro, chief strategy officer for the Venture Center; and Larry Wilson, CEO and chairman of the board of First Arkansas Bank & Trust.
 
Banking & Finance / Small Business

Bankers, Fintech to Connect at August Summit

The conference, hosted by the Venture Center of Little Rock, aims to be a networking opportunity and a place for Arkansas fintech companies to showcase their products. read more >
Stone Ward filming an ad for Sport Clips. The Little Rock-based marketing firm's work for the haircut chain won silver at the Telly Awards competition.
Media & Marketing

Stone Ward Strikes Gold for G&FC, Among Others

The Little Rock marketing firm also won silver medals for work with the Little Rock Venture Center and Sport Clips, the national chain of hair cutters. read more >
Small Business

Venture Center, Apptegy Launch New Startup Program

A kickoff event is set for Aug. 2. read more >
Mimi San Pedro, chief strategy officer for the Venture Center of Little Rock, says she hopes Woman Achieve will not only grow in Arkansas, but eventually be a nationwide program.
Banking & Finance / Business Services / Education

Business Guidance, Woman To WomanLock Icon

Mimi San Pedro, the chief strategy officer for the Venture Center in Little Rock, says the creation of the Woman Achieve mentorship program was a long time coming. read more >
Banking & Finance / Nonprofits / Small Business

Venture Center Reschedules VenCent to August, Announces More Speakers

Keynote speakers now include Arvest Bank’s new transformation executive and executives with ICBA Bancard as well as TCM Bank. Tina Giorgio (keynote), president and CEO of ICBA Bancard; Damon Moorer (keynote), president and CEO of TCM Bank; read more >
Banking & Finance / Small Business

Venture Center Announces Speakers For First VenCent Fintech Summit

Ron Shevlin, chief research officer for Cornerstone Advisors and a senior Forbes contributor, will headline the event. read more >
Banking & Finance / Nonprofits / Small Business

Independent Community Bankers of America, Venture Center Name 2022 Accelerator Companies

The program will kick off with a Jan. 11 event. read more >
Mimi San Pedro
Nonprofits

Woman Rise Mentorship Program Launched

The year-long program is the first partnership of the Venture Center, Venture Noire, Wright Lindsey Jennings, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and Arkansas Capital Corp. read more >
Banking & Finance / Investments

Companies Pitch Fintech Products to Investors at Demo Day

Hundreds of investors, bankers and others interested in financial technology hear pitches from the 10 most recent graduates of the FIS Fintech Accelerator program. read more >
Banking & Finance / Business Services / Construction

Report: Metro Little Rock Continues to Recover From Pandemic

The Little Rock metropolitan statistical area is struggling to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, as some aspects of economic life return to normal while others change for good. read more >
April Roy is the founder and CEO of FemPAQ in Bentonville.
Small Business

Arkansas Businesses Win $31K in Pitch Contest

Four Arkansas small-business owners win a total of $31,000 at the 2021 Pitch ‘N Pint pitch competition. read more >
Banking & Finance / Small Business

ICBA, Venture Center to Kick Off Accelerator 0n Jan. 6

The Independent Community Bankers of America and the Venture Center, in partnership with the state, will kick-off the ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator 2021 at noon on Jan. 6 with a virtual unveiling of the 10 companies selected to participate in it. read more >
Gary Norcross
Banking & Finance / Investments

Companies Show Off Fintech Ideas at Demo Day

FIS of Jacksonville, Florida, formed a new office this year to “further accelerate innovation and growth” for the company, CEO Gary Norcross announced Wednesday during the virtual 2020 FIS Fintech Accelerator Demo Day. read more >
Spencer Jones, FIS enterprise product officer, flanked by the 2019 VC Fintech Accelerator participants, walks over to the Venture Center's ceremonial gong. He rang it Wednesday night to signal the end of the program, at the conclusion of its demo day event.
Nonprofits / Small Business

Venture Center, Alumni Net International Awards

The Venture Center took home the top prize in the Best Fintech Accelerator/Incubator category at the second annual Finovate Awards, an international competition. read more >
Banking & Finance / Nonprofits / Small Business

ICBA to Sponsor Accelerator in Little Rock Through 2024

The Independent Community Bankers of America announces that it will sponsor for another three years its ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator program. read more >