City Partners with TechColumbus for Entrepreneurial Engagement

Earlier this summer, the City partnered with TechColumbus, Central Ohio’s regional entrepreneurial program, in order to spark ideas and create momentum for local entrepreneurs. At its core, the program helps advance technology-oriented ideas generated by entrepreneurs and small business owners in the Westerville community.

As part of the TechColumbus TechStart program, the effort focuses on accelerating successful development of startup and fledgling technology companies located or considering establishment in Westerville. By engaging local entrepreneurs with an array of targeted services and professional resources, the partnership expects to produce successful companies that create high-quality jobs in the community – all part of the City’s economic development goals.

“It’s a ‘contact sport’ to improve the chances of establishing successful technology businesses,” said Jason Bechtold, Westerville’s Economic Development Administrator. “This phase of the partnership takes us through 2012, so the time is right for residents to bring their ideas to the table and find out to how to take them from concept to reality.”

The partnership also provides a local TechColumbus representative to ex- clusively serve Westerville opportunities. This provides direct business assistance through one-on-one coaching, marketing consultation, business plan development and guidance through capital investment and financing opportunities. Local entrepreneurs who engage are then integrated into the larger entrepreneurial ecosystem in Central Ohio.

Access to the program requires no cost to the entrepreneur. The first six months of the partnership has yielded technical assistance for 28 local technology-based startup companies, of which 21 have generated opportunities for expanded support. The sectors of these companies include applied materials, information technology, health care/bioscience and clean energy/clean technology. In addition, entrepreneurs have had access to multiple networking and education programs.

Westerville and TechColumbus together intend to be a “one-stop” resource for business startup and development opportunities. To get connected with resources and services, contact Jason Bechtold at (614) 901-6403 or e-mail Jason.Bechtold@westerville.org. For more information about TechColumbus, visit www.techcolumbus.org.