Fort Wayne is bridging new companies to veteran businesses
FORT WAYNE (Inside INdiana Business) — Fifteen budding Fort Wayne-area businesses are being teamed up with more established companies to help the young companies bridge the gap from startup to success.
Greater Fort Wayne Inc. announced its first round of entrepreneurs which will be paired with “bridge investors.”
“For Bridge Investors, this is a way to give back to the business community and help smaller companies succeed. For Bridge Entrepreneurs, it’s a step toward realizing their dreams,” said Renata Robinson, director of small business development at GFW Inc.
As part of the program, the veteran partner will sponsor a startup business’s GFW Inc. membership dues for a five-year period. The startup receives full investor benefits, according to GFW Inc. Entrepreneurs also will have the opportunity to take part in educational and networking programs tailored specifically for startup founders.
The new companies include a variety of businesses, like a bottled water company, a candlemaker and a digital media company. Their partner businesses are in a different line of work.
GFW Inc. says about 50 entrepreneurs completed applications to be part of the program. Of the 15 selected, ten of the businesses are woman- and/or minority-owned.
The Bridge Program will officially kick off October 1.