Northern Nevada Development Authority incubator helps hatch businesses

When Rob Hooper took over the reigns of the Northern Nevada Development Authority, he had to take stock of what the organization had to offer to the business community.

The obvious asset was the long list of resource providers they work with, like Nevada Small Business Development Center (NSBDC) and Nevada State Development Corporation, that can help businesses big or small get started in Nevada.

The less obvious asset was the empty office space next to the NNDA office on West Nye Lane.

Hooper is now working to put those two assets together to create a new business incubator for the region.

"We have office space, computers, copiers, telephones for early-stage development of small businesses," Hooper said. "An individual or a couple of people can come in and occupy an office and make use of the services of the agencies here, and have a place to start their business for a very low cost without a long-term commitment.

"It's an easy transition to go through an incubator and get accelerated and have your business come out better."

Hooper said that the first thing startup businesses need is a business plan, and the NNDA incubator can help with that. Source partners like Service Corps of Retired Executives and NSBDC can help entrepreneurs craft plans to get their ideas off the ground.

"We have access to the mentoring and expertise that can make that happen," Hooper said. "That's why this one-stop shop is so effective at helping businesses."

The incubator can serve many different types of businesses, according to Hooper, from online startups to manufacturing operations.

Entrepreneurs wanted

Economic pressures and job losses have led to a flurry of entrepreneurial activity that Hooper said NNDA can help with.

"We want to get businesses going with a better chance of success," Hooper said. "Most people have heard the statistic that half of all new businesses fail. The National Business Incubator Association statistics show that by being in an incubator, you increase your chances of success up to about 80 percent."

Joe McCarthy, director of business development for Carson City, is excited about what the incubator can do for local business.

"It's a tried-and-true method communities have used to help businesses get started," McCarthy said. "It's consistent with what our economic development plans are, to diversify our economy."

McCarthy said that statistics of businesses started in incubators show that most do not stray far from where they started, which is good for the local economy.

"And what's cool about that concept is there comes a time when that startup goes out into the world, and you can bring in new startups to take their place," McCarthy said.

Northern Nevada Development Authority Resource Partners

provided by NNDA

Management Assistance Partnership

Management Assistance Partnership (MAP) is the industrial extension program of the Nevada System of Higher Education and its partners. Its primary purpose is to work directly with Nevada companies to strengthen their global competitiveness by providing information, decision support, and implementation assistance in adopting new, more advanced technologies, techniques, and best business practices. Since MAP's founding in 1995, over 500 small to mid-sized Nevada companies have improved their productivity, reduced their costs, and enhanced their businesses with the assistance of MAP. Simply stated, MAP opens new doors for the Nevada industrial community. MAP does this by addressing companies' individual needs and providing both direct and referral services. MAP partners with companies to determine what will work best for each particular company and situation. MAP provides: assessments and evaluations; direct consultation; employee development; specialized worker, supervisory and managerial training; technology development; business systems improvement; and field engineers.

Contact - David Steiger

2201 W College Pkwy

Carson City NV 89703

Phone (775) 445-3328

Fax (775) 445-4488

david_steiger@nshe.nevada.edu

http://www.mapnv.com

Nevada's Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology

NCET, Nevada's Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, helps Nevadans starts new businesses and connects them with the resources they need to succeed. NCET, an independent 501(c)3, conducts three major programs:

1. The "Entrepreneur Expo" - one held each spring in Reno and in Las Vegas.

2. The "Donald W. Reynolds Governor's Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition," provides Nevada's college and university students with real-world experience in creating actionable business plans.

3. The "Silver & Gold Venture Capital Conference" is held each fall in Reno, and provides Nevada's early stage businesses with access to risk capital.

NCET also offers monthly Wi-Fi Wednesday and Tech Tuesday networking events.

Unlike many other organizations, NCET does not provide one-on-one counseling. Instead, it serves as a clearinghouse for the many resources already available.

Contact - Dave Archer

10315 Professional Cr Ste 100

Reno NV 89521

Phone (775) 315-7635

Fax (775) 229-8409

dave@ncet.org

http://www.ncet.org

Nevada Microenterprise Initiative

Nevada Microenterprise Initiative is a private non-profit community development financial institution founded in 1991 to provide business tools to assist companies in overcoming barriers to starting or expanding their business. NMI's mission is to enhance the economic self-sufficiency and quality of life of low to moderate-income individuals through entrepreneurial training, technical assistance and access to loans for new and expanding businesses throughout the State of Nevada.

Contact - Deborah Prout

113 W Plumb Ln

Reno NV 89703

Phone (775) 324-1812

Fax (775) 324-1813

dprout@4microbiz.org

http://www.4microbiz.org

Nevada Rural Development Council

Nevada Rural Development Council's mission is to enhance the capacity of rural communities in Nevada. NRDC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that develops and expands collaborative alliances among local, regional, state, and federal efforts and advocates for and enhances Nevada's human, economic, and natural resources and assists rural communities in achievement of locally determined objectives. The NRDC will help promote self-determination, foster cultural values within the community, and strengthen rural communities through action, advocacy and leadership development.

Contact - Clint Koble

704 W Nye Ln Ste 201

Carson City NV 89703

Phone (775) 883-4413

Fax (775) 883-0494

nrdc@gbis.com

http://nevadardc.org

Nevada Small Business Development Center

The Nevada Small Business Development Center is a statewide business assistance outreach program of the University of Nevada, Reno and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. NSBDC is Nevada's premier economic development resource with a network of facilities throughout the state providing the expertise, knowledge and innovative training necessary to help start-up and ongoing businesses succeed with free, confidential consulting, free workshops, and low cost training to smart entrepreneurs and business owners who understand the importance of a good plan and sage advice. The Center also provides custom market analyses through our Geographic Information Services (GIS) department designed to help a business select a location for operations, understand current market trends, and predict where the local economy is headed. NSBDC also offers free and confidential environmental and energy efficiency assistance accessed through its Business Environmental Program (BEP) to assist with compliance and waste reduction issues.

Contact - Kathy Halbardier

704 W Nye Ln Ste 201

Carson City NV 89703

Phone (775) 848-2864

Fax (775) 267-4722

khalbard@earthlink.net

http://www.nsbdc.org

Nevada State Development Corporation

Nevada State Development Corporation (NSDC) is a non-profit Nevada corporation which provides loans to businesses for commercial real estate and equipment through the SBA 504 Loan Program. As a Premier Certified SBA Lender, NSDC offers speedy approvals and personal attention to applicants in all areas of Nevada. Other favorable points of the loan program include 10% down payment; below-market fixed rate of interest, and 10 to 20 year fully amortized loan terms. NSDC has been working with small businesses in Nevada since 1981 and has received numerous awards for being SBA's highest volume lender in the State.

Contact - Bobbi Bennett

6572 S McCarran Blvd

Reno NV 89509

Phone (775) 826-6172

Fax (775) 826-6398

bbennett@nsdc-loans.com

http://www.nsdc-loans.co

Nevada Department of Business & Industry

The Nevada Department of Business & Industry Financial Institutions Division's purpose is to maintain a safe and sound financial institutions system that promotes a conducive business environment, protects consumers and defends the public interest through the efficient, effective and equitable licensing, examination and enforcement of depository, lending, debt collection and money transmission activities. The Industrial Development Revenue Bond Program assists in administering the state's share of volume cap (bonding authority) for issuance of tax exempt private activity bonds. It also help administer the director's bond programs as described in NRS Chapter 348A and 349.400 to 349.670, inclusive, including the industrial development revenue bond (IDRB) program to improve access to improve access to capital and promote business development and expansion in the state.

Contact - Lon DeWeese

788 Fairview Dr Ste 100

Carson City NV 89701

Phone (775) 687-2032

Fax (775) 687-4266

nhd@nvhousing.state.nv.us

http://www.fid.state.nv.us

U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration offers programs and services that facilitate small business participation in the government procurement process, and additional services that include: loan guarantees for working capital, hard assets, exporting and seasonal lines of credit; surety bonding; training and counseling; disaster assistance and advocacy.

The SBA also works with four major Resource Partners who provide access to free one-on-one counseling and low-cost group training that supports SBA's outreach efforts to entrepreneurs and small business owners. These partners include the Small Business Development Center network, the Women's Business Center network, the SCORE network and the Veteran Business Outreach Center network.

Contact - David Leonard

745 W Moana Ln Ste 375

Reno NV 89509

Phone (775) 827-4923 x24

Fax (202) 481-0999

david.leonard@sba.gov

http://www.sba.gov

Service Corps of Retired Executives

Service Corps of Retired Executives - SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" is a non-profit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Both working and retired executives and business owners donate time and expertise as business counselors. Score is America's premier source of free and confidential small business advice for entrepreneurs.

Contact - Bob Larson

c/o NSBDC UNR College of Business

Reno NV 89557

Phone (775) 784-4436

Fax (775) 784-4337

skanevik@aol.com

http://www.score.org

U.S. Commercial Service

The U.S. Commercial Service is the trade promotion unit of the International Trade Administration. USCS promotes economic prosperity, enhanced job creation, and strengthens national security through a global network of the best international trade professionals in the world. It promotes and protects U.S. commercial interests abroad and delivers customized solutions to ensure that U.S. businesses compete and win in the global marketplace. U.S. Commercial Service trade specialists work with companies to get started in exporting or increase sales to new global markets.

Contact - Bill Cline

1 E First St 16th floor

Reno NV 89501

Phone (775) 784-5203

Fax (775) 784-5343

bill.cline@mail.doc.gov

http://www.ita.doc.gov/cs

USDA Rural Development

USDA Rural Development's mission is to deliver programs in a way that will support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents. As a venture capital entity, USDA Rural Development provides equity and technical assistance to finance and foster growth in business development, homeownership, and critical community and technology infrastructure. Business programs are delivered through business and industrial loan guarantees, the intermediary relending program (IRP), the rural business enterprise grant program ( RBEG), the rural business opportunity grant (RBOG), and through the cooperative program.

Contact - Herb Shedd

1390 S Curry St

Carson City NV 89703

Phone (775) 887-1222

Fax (775) 885-0841

herb.shedd@nv.usda.gov

http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/nv/

Western Nevada Development District

In 1983, Western Nevada Development District (WNDD) was designated by the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) as the only Economic Development District in Nevada. The original forming counties included: Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey. Since then, Churchill, Mineral and Pershing counties have also been added to the District. WNDD works with counties and cities to utilize U.S. Economic Development Administration funding to provide infrastructure for publicly owned industrial parks leading to economic diversification and job creation in the seven-county regional district. WNDD has worked primarily with EDA to provide infrastructure funding for publicly owned industrial parks. WNDD partially funded the NorthernNVision economic planning grant and secured funding to conduct an economic feasibility study for the reconstruction of the V&T Railway leading to the start of its reconstruction in 2005. WNDD also writes and administers grants for its members.

Contact - Ron Radil

704 W Nye Ln Ste 201

Carson City NV 89702

Phone (775) 883 7333

Fax (775)883-0722

rjradil@wndd.org

http://www.wndd@wndd