Organization supporting entrepreneurs expands its mission to include entire community

REXBURG — A longtime business improvement nonprofit is transforming its ngo from serving assemblage students to nan full community.

The Idaho Entrepreneur Center was founded successful 2006 arsenic nan Eastern Idaho Entrepreneurial Center. It supported Brigham Young University-Idaho and Idaho State University students successful moving successful investigation teams to service clients.

Another nonprofit, nan Southeast Idaho Research Institute, started successful 2010 to facilitate collaboration betwixt researchers astatine BYU-Idaho and different organizations.

In 2014, Kim B. Clark, then-president of BYU-Idaho, influenced nan merger of some organizations into nan Research and Business Development Center. RBDC was a nonprofit that BYU-Idaho contracted pinch to supply in-house internships conducting investigation for mini businesses.

Now, it is transitioning into different phase. The Idaho Entrepreneur Center is dedicated to bolstering entrepreneurs, mini businesses and municipalities, and it will service anyone successful nan community, not conscionable students.

Social media room successful nan Idaho Entrepreneur Center | Courtesy IEC

“Really our attraction is now connected eastbound Idaho communities,” said Ryon Brewer, nan Idaho Entrepreneur Center CEO.

The Idaho Entrepreneur Center, which is unaffiliated pinch BYU-Idaho, offers 3 programs for budding entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneur Edge gives entrepreneurs entree to a wide scope of resources, including a coworking space, an assigned manufacture mentor and a “boot camp.”

Entrepreneur Bootcamp is a six-week people taught by seasoned entrepreneurs who guideline clients done finances, marketing, income and everything successful between.

“More than conscionable offering them a coworking space, we’re really focused connected nan thought of ‘What resources do they request to beryllium successful?’” Brewer said.

Anyone who has tried starting a business knows you request money to get started. The Entrepreneur Launch Program helps retired by connecting entrepreneurs pinch investors.

“We look astatine what they’re willing successful investing in, and erstwhile we find an entrepreneur aliases mini business that meets that, we spell done a process of doing immoderate owed diligence and make judge it’s a awesome opportunity and finance for nan investor,” Brewer said.

In summation to serving start-ups, nan halfway offers investigation projects for established businesses needing marketplace research, trading plans, competitory study and more.

The halfway besides helps municipalities tally their entrepreneurial programs. It provides mentor support, entrepreneurial training and backing competitions.

“We thief nan metropolis of Rexburg and different municipalities retired location that whitethorn not person nan resources to do their ain entrepreneur program,” Brewer said. “We tin travel successful and thief tally those programs.”

The halfway will besides clasp monthly networking nights unfastened to nan full community.

“That is unfastened to everybody whether you’re a mini business, an entrepreneur, personification pinch an idea, an investor, large business, whoever,” Brewer said.

A ribbon-cutting ceremonial for nan Idaho Entrepreneur Center will beryllium Thursday, Aug. 22 astatine 5 p.m. astatine nan Rexburg City Hall, wherever nan halfway is located.

Afterward, nan nationalist is invited to an unfastened location from 5 to 8 p.m. wherever visitors tin circuit nan convention rooms, inquire questions and bask refreshments.

“Investors, entrepreneurs, mini businesses and municipalities are each invited to come,” Brewer said. “Anybody from nan organization — conscionable travel and spot what we’re about.”

For much accusation astir nan Idaho Entrepreneur Center, visit its website.

Idaho Entrepreneur Center | Courtesy IEC