In recent news, the Broward County Office of Economic and Small Business Development (OESBD) has expanded its existing collaboration with the Levan Center of Innovation to offer scholarships and on-site business backing. This new agreement and expansion could be an exceptional start to enhanced entrepreneurial opportunities within the bustling Broward community.
Broward County and Levan Center’s Partnership Timeline
Broward County and The Alan B. Levan NSU Broward Center of Innovation (Levan Center of Innovation) have announced plans to expand their collaborative endeavor. The Broward County Board of County Commissioners approved funding for corporate partnership efforts with the Levan Center on April 16, 2024. The approval would additionally reward 20 scholarships to the 2024 Kauffman FastTrac® NewVenture™ Entrepreneurship Program graduates of the 100 Startup Project. As the county aims to offer supplemental on-site support to aspiring business owners, this decision in April served as a sizable step in the right direction. These scholarships were awarded to the graduates on October 16, 2024, at the Levan Center of Innovation. With an expansion on the horizon, the two entities can build upon their goals of cultivating entrepreneurial excellence within the community.
Why the Broward County and Broward Center Partnership Matters
Kelley Shanley, Levan Center of Innovation’s Interim Executive Director, states, “This collaboration with Broward County’s OESBD is a testament to our shared pledge to nurture entrepreneurial talent and foster economic growth.”
The county’s OESBD boasts a history of prioritizing the development and enhancement of the community’s economic status, making the recent expansions seemingly inevitable in Broward’s broader vision. By recruiting new and existing expertise among its contributors, the county’s OESBD is positioned to significantly enhance the business acumen of its youth in the years to come.
Shanley also noted: “By providing these startups with the resources and support needed, [they] are empowering individual entrepreneurs while also contributing to the overall prosperity of the community.”
All About OESBD Technical Assistance Fridays
This Broward County and Levan Center partnership is a strategic method to boost the chances of success for Broward-based small businesses while extending specialized services from the county’s satellite office. The OESBD will host a recurring “Technical Assistance Fridays” initiative to spotlight the offerings and resources accessible to businesses through the governmental center.
Developing companies interested in Broward County’s guidance can partake in local and federal small business certification programs. Alongside the OESBD, the county’s Innovation Team plans to utilize the facilities rotationally.
Commencing this December, the OESBD Technical Assistance Fridays will occur at the satellite office on the first and third Fridays of each month. The hours will run from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. For interested Broward County residents, the office is in the Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center at the Levan Center of Innovation.
Upcoming Collaboration Expansion Goals
County Administrator and Levan Center Board of Governors member Monica Cepero additionally shared her thoughts on what this expanded partnership hopes to achieve. “Our County Commission goals of Connected Community and Economic Opportunity are supported through the provision of essential services through collaborations [cultivated] with key partners embedded in the community,” she passionately notes. Cepero also explained that the partnership aims to offer “a range of programs to support entrepreneurs from ideation through successful execution.”
With these optimistic aspirations in mind, Cepero and the rest of the board can “promote a more inclusive community of entrepreneurs better equipped to succeed” by expanding “those offerings with even greater access to government contracting as well as local and federal certification.”
What are the Next Steps for Broward County and The Levan Center of Innovation?
Sandy-Michael E. McDonald, the OESBD Director, states that the “establishment of a satellite office represents an innovative means of outreach to Broward County local businesses and entrepreneurs.” The strategic collaboration expansion between Broward County and the Levan Center of Innovation exhibits the OESBD’s continuous dedication and “intention to maximize synergies of well-cultivated partnerships.”
Looking ahead, Broward County’s persistent support of the Kauffman NewVenture™ Entrepreneurship Program brings forth 20 scholarships to the 100 Start-Up Entrepreneurship Project for the initiative’s 2024 graduates. Backing both startup and scaleup businesses with a one-year scholarship further facilitates the development and success of all graduates. The program offers access to resources such as easy entry into various programs, entrepreneurial event invitations, a committed community desk, wraparound services, potential funders, and other professional networking opportunities.
