For immediate release

ORLANDO, Florida – InBIA is honored to present our IMPACT Awards for May. These incredible entrepreneurship centers are creating economic impact in their communities through a variety of programs, spaces and services that serve the entrepreneurs and early-growth companies that are the engines of job creation. The five award categories include Technology; Mixed-Use; University; Rural; and Specialty.

The winner of May 2018’s InBIA IMPACT Award in Technology is the Technology Innovation Center at Research Park. Since 1993, more than 165 companies have called the Technology Innovation Center’s 80,000-square-foot facilities home. Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Technology Innovation Center is the region’s largest community of entrepreneurs. The Technology Innovation Center has engaged over 190 businesses with a combined valuation of more than $560 million. https://technologyinnovationcenter.org/

The winner of May’s InBIA IMPACT Award in Mixed-Use is the Santa Fe Business Incubator (SFBI). During its 20-year history, SFBI has fostered the creation of more than 165 businesses with over 1,200 jobs created. The original 10,000-square-foot business incubator facility opened in December 1997 and in 2002 expanded to 30,000 square feet. SFBI has built a network of over 60 collaborative partners to help serve client businesses and the larger entrepreneurial community. https://sfbi.net/

The winner of May’s InBIA IMPACT Award in University is the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) Innovation Lab. Since 2002, ETSU Innovation Lab, a high-tech business incubator, has supported the regional startup community—not only at the university, but also throughout Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Based in Johnson City, Tennessee, the ETSU vision of “transforming the future through innovation” guides the Innovation Lab in assisting entrepreneurs and researchers in developing emerging technologies from concept through commercialization. https://www.etsu.edu/ilab/

The winner of May’s InBIA IMPACT Award in Rural is the SEED Center Business Incubator. Located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, The SEED (Southwestern Louisiana Entrepreneurial & Economic Development) Center Business Incubator serves the five parish areas of Calcasieu, Beauregard, Allen, Jefferson Davis and Cameron. The SEED Center serves the region as the economic catalyst to facilitate the development and sustainability of early-stage ventures and existing businesses. In 2017, the SEED Center celebrated these key metrics: 18 client businesses; 5,692 jobs created; and $42 million in client business revenues.

The winner of May’s InBIA IMPACT Award in Specialty is Innovate Springfield. As a social innovation and business incubator, Innovate Springfield believes that everyone should have the opportunity to participate in the innovation ecosystem—that it should be a right and not a privilege. To that end, an incubator was started in 2016 to address the whole system through Innovate Springfield’s flagship programs, business incubation and social innovation. Innovate Springfield’s business incubation program provides entrepreneurs resources and services to support the growth and sustainability of successful businesses in the Springfield region. www.innovatespringfield.org/

ABOUT the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA)

InBIA is a global nonprofit with over 2,200 members that lead hundreds of entrepreneurship centers in 62 countries. For over 30 years, InBIA has provided industry best practices through education while enabling collaboration, mentorship, peer-based learning and the sharing of innovative ideas for developing entrepreneur centers and ecosystems across the globe. InBIA is the premier organization for business incubators, accelerators, coworking spaces and other entrepreneurship support organizations.

For general press related questions, please contact Andrea Wesser-Brawner at [email protected].