...I have a personal mission to help entrepreneurs with their business, growing their business, growing their sales … coincidentally that seems to be the same mission as the venture center... I like to work with people of like minds who also have the same mission: to grow businesses.
- Al Lautenslager, Author Guerrilla Marketing in 30 Days
… Entrepreneurs, dreamers, folks who are looking to take something they come up with in their head put it on paper and turn into reality – it’s what the folks at the venture center do well…
- Kevin Eismann, Epiphany Law
The Venture Center equipped me with the resources and information
I needed to prepare myself for launching and growing my small business. Having not availed myself of that vital resource would have been a great disservice to Home Things!
- Andrea Hogan, Owner of Home Things!
I found the program beneficial for two reasons, you learn by preparing a
thorough strategic business plan and by being able to interact with quality
resources who are credible business owners. You are what you think….think
big with E-Seed!
- Lori M. Thiel, Vice President
Open Road Harley-Davidson
… One of the success factors of a regional economy is to have successful small businesses start up and continue to grow. The venture center is critical because it’s showing people who want to develop businesses the path they need to take for success.
The Venture Center unites hands-on programs and instructional series to grow and harvest INNOVATION within business and industry. Please use our website to learn how you can get on the innovation on-ramp to tomorrow.
Starting a business
- the Entrepreneur's partner
Thinking of taking that big step and starting your own business, but some of the risks might be too great? The Venture Center offers the highly successful E-Seed program that shows entrepreneurs how to take their dream into reality. More than 150 graduates are in business today thanks to this innovative and results-oriented program.
Improving your business
- sharpen your tools with the Venture Center
If you're already working in a small business, maybe some of your tools aren't as sharp as they once were. The Venture Center's seminars, workshops and classes link you to the experts who can help you develop and grow your existing business to the next level.
Corporate innovation
- Where did all the good ideas go?
Sound like a discussion item on your department agenda? If so, join some of the nation's top brand-names who have already partnered with the Venture Center to integrate the passion, risk-taking and creative thinking characteristic of entrepreneurs into their companies. We call it "intrapreneurship," but you might call it your strategic success.
Attention Inventors!
- Visit the Midwest's premiere FAB LAB
Imagine if you had the tools and technology you need to quickly create a product prototype without spending tens of thousands of dollars. Imagine if that "workshop of the future" was connected to inventors across the globe and supported by experts in engineering, product development and marketing. The FAB LAB at the Venture Center is the region's only product fabrication laboratory and it's available to you through the Venture Center.
Resources & Membership
- Learn from the EXPERTS
What's the latest tip in business trends? How can an entrepreneur troubleshoot legal issues? How is the millennial generation changing our work world? What are the latest developments in institutional innovation? Find out from our panel of innovation experts from across the nation. Click here for more resources.
