Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Foster robust entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems to drive future economic growth.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Strategies

• Develop the region’s entrepreneurial hubs and connect them with industry clusters, assets, services, networks, facilities, tools, and expertise.
• Establish commercialization tools and programs connected to the region’s national security research and technology assets.
• Increase access to capital for Northwest Florida entrepreneurs and develop a formal mechanism to access funds.
• Encourage local entrepreneurs and innovators to tap into federal funding in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants.
• Promote rural entrepreneurship.
• Market regional entrepreneurial success stories.
• Support entrepreneurial programs and curriculum in the K-20 continuum to foster a culture of innovation and cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit in the region.

Upcoming Entrepreneurship and Innovation Events

• Enlightened Entrepreneur: It all started when...
  September 5, 2018, 6:00 pm–7:00 pm - Gulf Coast State College Advanced Technology Center, Panama City

   Register

  Speaker: Allan Branch, Co-Founder of Less Everything

  Allan has built and sold several software companies, hosted conferences and conference vacations, ebooks & last year filmed a TV show for Lowe's Home Improvement.  Now he's buying downtown real estate and starting a brewery.   Allan is a person who is not afraid to fail or look silly.  When he wants something, he goes for it. 

  Come hear his story!

   
• 1 Million Cups Pensacola
  September 12, 2018, 9:00 am–10:00 am - Cowork @annex (13 Palafox Place - 2nd Floor) Pensacola, 32502

  1 Million Cups is a Kauffman Foundation [kauffman.org] program that is ran across the country designed to bring together entrepreneurs, support organizations, and service providers to build entrepreneurial communities over one million cups of coffee. The format is simple, 2 entrepreneurs present their business model and we, the audience, provide feedback.

  This event is held on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of each month. 

  More Info…

  See complete details here https://www.1millioncups.com/pensacola [1millioncups.com] or on our FB Event page [facebook.com].

• Coffee & Conversation in the Community - Social Media: Let's Talk about sharing
  September 28, 2018, 7:30 am–9:00 am - Vinny & Bay's 310 Harrison Ave. Panama City

   Register

  Join in the discussion to find out the importance of keeping social media interesting, helpful, real, and most importantly shareable. 

  Speaker will include: Holly Pituch, Marketing Manager at Sweet Bay
• SMART Business Series in the Community
  October 9, 2018, 5:30 pm–7:30 pm - Vinny & Bays, 310 Harrison Ave., Panama City

   Register

  This four-part educational workshop series is perfect businesses looking to enhance all parts of their business. Sessions are every Tuesday from October 9 - October 30.  Sewill discuss business strategies in critical areas of business including but not limited to Operations, Finance, Human Resources, Marketing & Sales. Guest speakers include representatives from Applied Research Associates, Inc.; Bay EDA, Hand Arendall Harrison Sale, LLC - Panama City; Holiday Inn Select; Grow HVAC; Bay County SHRM; and Tipton, Marler & Chastain Accounting Firm.
• 1 Million Cups Pensacola
  October 10, 2018, 9:00 am–10:00 am - Cowork @annex (13 Palafox Place - 2nd Floor) Pensacola, 32502

  1 Million Cups is a Kauffman Foundation [kauffman.org] program that is ran across the country designed to bring together entrepreneurs, support organizations, and service providers to build entrepreneurial communities over one million cups of coffee. The format is simple, 2 entrepreneurs present their business model and we, the audience, provide feedback.

  This event is held on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of each month. 

  More Info…

  See complete details here https://www.1millioncups.com/pensacola [1millioncups.com] or on our FB Event page [facebook.com].