PEMBROKE — The University of North Carolina at Pembroke’s Entrepreneurship Incubator is ready to hatch.
A ribbon-cutting will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday at the facility. Following the ceremony, guests will be given tours of the building, which will serve as “an engine for job creation and innovation for the region,” according to a statement.
Located at 202 Main St. in Pembroke, the Entrepreneurship Incubator was funded by $1.2 million in grants and gifts from the U.S. Commerce Department, the Golden LEAF Foundation and private donors. The 17,000-square-foot facility will support fledgling business owners across Robeson County by providing startup space, consulting services, educational seminars, workshops, mentorships and networking opportunities.
“The incubator is equipped with dedicated business consultants to help entrepreneurs answer their questions and help them grow a successful business, leading to job creation,” James Woods, director of the Entrepreneurship Incubator, said in a statement. “Why struggle to start a business alone? The EI’s trained professionals and educational resources can answer a wide range of common start-up questions to allow new businesses to focus on the core aspects of their businesses.”
The Entrepreneurship Incubator shares resources with the state’s Small Business and Technology Development Center, as well as the university’s Thomas Family Center for Entrepreneurship and its School of Business. According to the statement, the facility will benefit from “strategic partnerships” with InnovateNC at North Carolina State University and NCGrowth at the University of North Carolina.
Cammie Hunt, the college’s associate vice chancellor for Engaged Outreach, was instrumental in getting the project off the ground.
“It took state, federal and community support to get to this day, and we are very excited about opening the doors of this beautiful facility to facilitate businesses’ success,” Hunt said. “The Entrepreneurship Incubator will be a significant job creator for the region.”
Three types of memberships are available for entrepreneurs who set up shop at the incubator. A breakdown of the options can be viewed at uncp.edu/ei. Applications can be downloaded from the website.
“We welcome all start-up entrepreneurs to apply to the Entrepreneurship Incubator,” Woods said. “We look forward to serving our local entrepreneurs and helping them succeed in the business goals.”
The Entrepreneurship Incubator will serve a “10-county region from the coast to the sandhills,” according to a statement from the university.
“This is a big service region, but in a virtual world, distance is less of an obstacle. Our virtual program can reach any entrepreneur that has a computer and a decent Internet connection,” Woods said. “We have valuable tools and resources for any business to help them succeed.”
The university is calling on established business owners to become mentors. It is also seeking donors to support the incubator’s programs and services.
For information, call 910-775-4639 or visit uncp.edu/ei.
