The West Virginia Small Business Development Center (WV SBDC) announced today that their Huntington Center will relocate to the Brad D. Smith Business Incubator, located on the first floor of the Marshall University Visual Arts Center at 927 Third Ave., across from Pullman Plaza.
The Incubator, which opened in 2019, provides space for entrepreneurs to cultivate new ideas aimed at growing the local and regional economy. The facility offers mentorship and support to startups, and gives entrepreneurs access to Marshall’s innovation ecosystems, including subject matter experts and student interns.
“We are excited to be a part of Marshall University’s business incubator initiative. The WV SBDC’s statewide network provides the professional expertise and guidance that every small business owner needs to flourish in today’s competitive and ever-changing business world,” said WV SBDC State Director Debra Martin. “This partnership seamlessly aligns with our mission.”
The Huntington WV SBDC office provides service to Cabell, Lincoln, Mason and Wayne counties and is part of a statewide network of SBDC offices working with business owners and entrepreneurs to facilitate business growth and improvement, and to launch successful new companies.
If you are an inventor with a great commercial idea, an entrepreneur with a business startup or an established business looking to sustain or ready to expand your success, then WV SBDC has services to match your needs. Business owners and entrepreneurs are encouraged to visit the SBDC’s website at www.wvsbdc.com to view training opportunities or contact a business coach.
“I am thrilled to have the WV SBDC join us as our first anchor tenant at the Brad D. Smith Business Incubator,” said Tricia Ball, associate director of the Marshall University Brad D. Smith Business Incubator. “We have a shared mission of strengthening our economy through entrepreneurial support and development so this partnership is a natural fit.”
Anchor tenants are businesses or organizations located inside of an incubator who do not require incubation services but provide business assistance to the other clients.
“Having direct access to the expert business coaching, training, and resources provided by the SBDC will be invaluable to our clients,” said Ball. “We can also connect with SBDC clients as they come to meet with their business coach so they can access other services that are available to them at the Incubator and maximize their companies’ potential.”
WV SBDC services are available at no cost through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and support from the West Virginia Development Office.
To learn more about WV SBDC, please visit the website at www.wvsbdc.com or reach out to a business navigator by calling the Business Ask Me Line at (888) WVA-SBDC or email askme@wv.gov.
WV SBDC has remained the premier resource for small business creation and expansion in the Mountain State for more than 35 years. As a key economic driver, the WV SBDC offers a variety of services to entrepreneurs and small businesses to increase their profitability and customer base, enabling continued growth and prosperity for West Virginia’s diversifying economy.
