New Business Incubator Planned for Wabash Valley Fairgrounds
A first of it’s kind Business Incubator and Educational Center is being planned for the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds located South of U.S. 41 in Terre Haute. The Wabash Valley Business Incubator and Educational Center is aimed at attracting and supporting new businesses focused on agriculture.
The former ISU Drivers Education building will be transformed into the business incubator. The Wabash Valley Fair Association board has approved a planned developed by Edge Marketing Inc. to market and manage the property.
The building was constructed in 1969 on the fairgrounds property. In recent years the building has been empty. “We approached the fair board with a business plan to develop a business incubator and educational center that would help spur economic growth and business development,” stated Doug Edge with Edge Marketing Inc. “We have already secured support for the project from the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce, West Central Indiana Small Business Development Center and the Indiana Department of Agriculture, so we are excited that this project can get off the ground and play a viable roll in growing the local economy,” Edge commented.
The Wabash Valley Business Incubator and Educational Center will not have any direct ties to higher education research institutions that are usually associated with business incubators. Instead, the incubator will focus on helping early stage companies that are beyond the research and development stage and that are ready to “go to market” and begin promoting their products and services. “The fairgrounds facility offers many unique possibilities for promoting a companies product or service. We have a lot of buildings and land that can be used for demonstrations, expos and other events that could enhance a company’s chance of making it,” said Dave Hartmann Fair Board President.
Companies accepted into the incubator will be offered office and shared work space at a bundled rate. Five office suites and shared conferencing, training and informal meeting space will be available. The remodeled facility will provide a professional setting for start-up companies and includes office furniture and access to communications technologies. The services of professional mentors, SBDC advisors and Chamber Membership will also be available to participating companies. All early stage companies will be able to purchase an incubator membership to utilize the shared meeting spaces and access services without locating a physical office at the facility. The actual business suites will be dedicated to agribusiness start-ups. The Educational Training Center will be available to rent by any business or group for conducting meetings, sales training, and seminars.
RCI Designs has been selected to lead the remodeling project. The design plans call for an emphasis on going green. RCI Designs is investigating pursuing a “Green Awareness” approach to the remodeling and may seek “Green Certification” from the federal government. The Wabash Valley Business Incubator and Educational Center will operate under the Wabash Valley Fair Association’s nonprofit status and will begin a fundraising campaign to raise $200,000 in capital to fund the project. Edge Marketing will lead the fundraising efforts seeking support from private businesses that could reap the benefits of local economic growth. Grant funds and other funding options are also being pursued. Construction on the project is anticipated to begin by this fall.
Businesses interested in the supporting or locating at the incubator should call 812-201-3058.
Email us at info@wabashvalleyincubator.com
The former ISU Drivers Education building will be transformed into the business incubator. The Wabash Valley Fair Association board has approved a planned developed by Edge Marketing Inc. to market and manage the property.
The building was constructed in 1969 on the fairgrounds property. In recent years the building has been empty. “We approached the fair board with a business plan to develop a business incubator and educational center that would help spur economic growth and business development,” stated Doug Edge with Edge Marketing Inc. “We have already secured support for the project from the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce, West Central Indiana Small Business Development Center and the Indiana Department of Agriculture, so we are excited that this project can get off the ground and play a viable roll in growing the local economy,” Edge commented.
The Wabash Valley Business Incubator and Educational Center will not have any direct ties to higher education research institutions that are usually associated with business incubators. Instead, the incubator will focus on helping early stage companies that are beyond the research and development stage and that are ready to “go to market” and begin promoting their products and services. “The fairgrounds facility offers many unique possibilities for promoting a companies product or service. We have a lot of buildings and land that can be used for demonstrations, expos and other events that could enhance a company’s chance of making it,” said Dave Hartmann Fair Board President.
Companies accepted into the incubator will be offered office and shared work space at a bundled rate. Five office suites and shared conferencing, training and informal meeting space will be available. The remodeled facility will provide a professional setting for start-up companies and includes office furniture and access to communications technologies. The services of professional mentors, SBDC advisors and Chamber Membership will also be available to participating companies. All early stage companies will be able to purchase an incubator membership to utilize the shared meeting spaces and access services without locating a physical office at the facility. The actual business suites will be dedicated to agribusiness start-ups. The Educational Training Center will be available to rent by any business or group for conducting meetings, sales training, and seminars.
RCI Designs has been selected to lead the remodeling project. The design plans call for an emphasis on going green. RCI Designs is investigating pursuing a “Green Awareness” approach to the remodeling and may seek “Green Certification” from the federal government. The Wabash Valley Business Incubator and Educational Center will operate under the Wabash Valley Fair Association’s nonprofit status and will begin a fundraising campaign to raise $200,000 in capital to fund the project. Edge Marketing will lead the fundraising efforts seeking support from private businesses that could reap the benefits of local economic growth. Grant funds and other funding options are also being pursued. Construction on the project is anticipated to begin by this fall.
Businesses interested in the supporting or locating at the incubator should call 812-201-3058.
Email us at info@wabashvalleyincubator.com
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