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The Stark Entrepreneurship Alliance is a one-stop shop for early-stage and start-up companies in Stark County, OH. The alliance provides assistance in all aspects of creating and growing a business including business consulting, recruiting management, financing, real estate, product innovation, mentoring and coaching, legal and accounting, and more.

What makes us different from other programs is that we have the resources to assist more complex start-ups involving technology, capital investments and national or global sales opportunities.

We welcome you to browse our Website, get acquainted with our partners, check out our calendar of events and spend some time getting to know our services and what we’re all about. Then call us at 330-453-5900 or use our convenient application form to connect with us for assistance. We look forward to hearing from you.

SEA is funded primarily by a three-year charitable grant from the Stark Community Foundation out of the Credit Bureau of Canton’s Small Business Fund and by a contribution from Innis Maggiore.

About

The Stark Entrepreneurship Alliance is a virtual network to assist start-up, early-stage and small/medium-sized companies in the Stark County, OH area.

The partner organizations include Stark State College, Walsh University, Small Business Development Center (Kent State University at Stark), University of Mount Union, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, North Canton Chamber of Commerce, Impact Angel Fund, Incubox, ystark!, JumpStart, Braintree Business Development Center, Score, Junior Achievement of East Central Ohio, Inc., and Stark Economic Development Board.

Our goal is to be a single point of entry for companies seeking assistance in their formation, growth and sustained viability. The alliance provides assistance in all aspects of creating and growing a business including business consulting, recruiting management, financing, real estate, product innovation, mentoring and coaching, legal and accounting, and more.

What makes us different from similar programs is that we have the willingness, experience and resources to assist more complex start-ups involving technology, capital investments and national or global sales opportunities.

Mission
To support development of entrepreneurial activity in Stark County that includes development of start-up businesses and growth and improvement of existing small businesses. Our ultimate objective is to create new employment opportunities and economic growth in our region.

Vision
The alliance will use its administrative and financial resources to build a virtual network of key organizations and professionals to fulfill its mission by leveraging existing programs and services offered to support entrepreneurship, and by building new resources and offerings with partners when these capabilities are not currently available.

Our Partners

Stark Economic Development BoardStark Economic Development Board

The Stark Economic Development Board, Inc., is a private, nonprofit corporation engaged in economic development activities in Stark County. The Board’s mission is to retain, expand and attract business investment in the area. HCDC, Inc. is now offering SBA 504 and Ohio Regional 166 loans through a partnership with Stark Economic Development Board to help small businesses in our community.

Impact Angel FundImpact Angel Fund

Impact Angel Fund is a venture capital fund with over 30 private investors from eight counties and matching funds from the Ohio Third Frontier Program. We will invest in early-stage technology companies in our region and throughout Ohio.

Canton regional Chamber of CommerceCanton Regional Chamber of Commerce

– The Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization of nearly 1,600 institutions and individuals dedicated to the advancement of the economic, industrial, professional, cultural and civic welfare of Stark County. The mission of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce is to serve our members through partnerships, programs, services and events to advance the economic growth of Canton and the Stark County region.

North Canton Chamber of CommerceNorth Canton Area Chamber of Commerce

– The Since 1959, the North Canton Area Chamber of Commerce has been the leading business organization in our area, collaborating, facilitating and advocating for our members and community. We’re dedicated to promoting development, retention and expansion of local business while also devoting significant time and resources to community programs and projects.

JumpstartJumpStart

JumpStart is a nationally recognized nonprofit serving to accelerate the success of diverse entrepreneurs, their high growth companies, and the ecosystems supporting them. JumpStart’s vision is to increase the economic impact and sustainability of Northeast Ohio’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, while leveraging JumpStart’s experience and expertise to catalyze entrepreneurship.

Small Business Development Center Kent State University StarkSmall Business Development Center, Kent State University at Stark

– The Small Business Development Center, Kent State University at Stark is a fully funded, nonprofit organization devoted to helping small businesses grow and individuals start new, small businesses. The SBDC does this through training programs and consultation sessions which are scheduled in advance.

Stark State CollegeStark State College

Stark State College provides quality, high-value associate degrees, certificates and professional development in a diverse, student-centered learning environment. The College is dedicated to lifelong learning, affordability, transferable higher education and career success. Quality of life is advanced through access, inclusion, stewardship and business and community partnerships.

Incubox AllianceINCUBOX

– Established through a cooperative effort between the City of Alliance, University of Mount Union and Alliance Area Development, INCUBOX is a local business incubator program to launch ideas and accelerate the growth of businesses. With offices on the campus of the University of Mount Union, INCUBOX incubates all kinds of companies while connecting both student and local entrepreneurs to the real world environments of startup, early stage and successful business operations. Incubox also oversees an intense mentor-driven program.

University of Mount UnionUniversity of Mount Union

– Students at the University of Mount Union actively engage in a deliberately dynamic private university setting featuring a remarkable campus and facilities. Students benefit from preparation that is personal, practical and pertinent for the 21st century—an education that combines relentlessly relevant academic offerings with experiential and research-focused learning. Mount Union has an Entrepreneurship minor available to all students.

Walsh UniversityWalsh University

Walsh University is an independent, coeducational Catholic, liberal arts and sciences institution. Founded by the Brothers of Christian Instruction, Walsh University is dedicated to educating its students to become leaders in service to others through a values-based education with an international perspective in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Walsh offers an MBA in Entrepreneurship as part of its graduate business program.

yStarkystark!

ystark! is an organization that is committed to improving our community through knowledge, leadership and participation. ystark! is here to develop a young, involved and educated workforce for area businesses. We want our business partners to know that we’re out there, attracting and retaining diverse young professionals to this area. For our business partners, ystark! represents unlimited access to a pool of the sharpest, most engaged YPs around.

Junior Achievement of East Central OhioJunior Achievement of East Central Ohio

– The programs offered by Junior Achievement of East Central Ohio help prepare young people for the real world by showing them how to generate wealth and effectively manage it, how to create jobs which make their communities more robust and how to apply entrepreneurial thinking to the workplace.

Braintree Business DevelopmentBraintree Business Development Center

– The Braintree Business Development Center is a non-profit regional entrepreneurial assistance organization (often called a business incubator) supporting small businesses in Northeast Ohio. Since 1986 over one hundred start-up companies have found their first home with us. We focus on advanced manufacturing, alternative energy, information technology, bioscience, and agriculture/food processing.

ScoreCanton SCORE

– The Canton, OH Chapter provides free and confidential business advice and counseling tailored to meet the needs of your small business and personal objectives. We also offer workshops for both start-up and in-business entrepreneurs.

Our Services

The Alliance will assist early-stage or start-up companies and small to medium size businesses in the Stark County area. The goal of the Alliance is to create a “one stop” or single point of entry for these companies seeking assistance in their formation, growth and sustained viability. The Alliance will provide assistance in all aspects of creating and growing a business including, but not limited to, the following:

Business Consulting

– Providing professional or expert advice is important to entrepreneurs growing a company. No-cost services from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) or from the Stark Economic Development Board (SEDB) can be leveraged initially. For more complex start-ups involving new technologies, subject matter experts and mentors will be engaged to assist entrepreneurs in company growth.

Equity or Debt Financing

– The Alliance Partners have access to both regional and local funds for select entrepreneurs who can grow their companies significantly through new products or processes developed in many cases with new technologies. Conventional loans and federal, state and local financing programs can also be explored by the Partners to assist with company growth.

Management Recruiting

– Recruiting management for early stage companies is a service that is critical to the growth of young companies. Several of the Alliance Partners can directly assist in this function or have contacts that can assist in recruiting efforts.

Product Innovation

– Several regional and local organizations can assist in services relating to product development. Alliance Partners also will have access to subject matter experts who can also coach the entrepreneur in product innovation.

Legal and Accounting

– Especially with new technologies, legal services are needed to assist with procuring patents to protect entrepreneurs in growing their companies. The Partners will be able to suggest attorneys or accountants who can provide professional services to early stage companies.

Incubation Space

– Several of the Alliance Partners provide incubation space to select new technology companies (office and product development space). As part of this service, several of the Partners keep accurate, up-to-date listings of buildings and sites available for lease or purchase.

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