• Knowlege and Labor Access
• Mission Critical Expertise
• Ohio Hubs of Innovation and Opportunity
• Enterprise Appalachia: Access Knowledge and Labor White Paper

Mission Critical Expertise

Perry County Ohio (photo provided by FirstOhio.com)

Take Advantage of Most Successful Business and Entreprenurial Programs in the U.S.

Within the Ohio Appalachia Region, entrepreneurs can access workforce development resources, business incubation, business assistance and support services and entrepreneurial networks that are critical for new and growing businesses.

Workforce Development Resources

Ohio’s Appalachia’s myriad higher education and technical training programs build the region's workforce to meet the needs of businesses. Signature workforce development programs build skills in a number of industries including:

• Energy

• Digital technology

• Engineering and industrial technologies

• Business technology

• Heritage/tourism

• Health services

• Hospitality

Business Incubation and Assistance

A number of regional resources, including the:

• Ohio University's Innovation Center
• OSU South Centers and OSU Endeavor Center
• Muskingum County Business Incubator
• Ohio University's Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs
• Small Business Development Centers
• Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACENet)

These resource provide state-of the-art business incubation and assistance services, including:

• Business Incubation

• Product development

• Business Planning

• Marketing and distribution consultation

• Business financing advice

• Peer technical assistance

• Business financing and small business advice for entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurial Networks and Support

Businesses locating in Ohio Appalachia have access to unique entrepreneurial networks and support that allow them to leverage resources, share success stories, stimulate learning and overcome geographical isolation.

• The Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (AceNet) brings together businesses to share ideas, reduce operating expenses, produce joint marketing, and increase market exposure

• Ohio University's Innovation Center, with the help of business experts, assists entrepreneurs in accessing leading edge technology and flexible space in a smart facility. From networking contacts to university resources, the Innovation Center works to ensure the success of businesses locating in the Ohio Appalachian Region.

• The Appalachian Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) offers free small business services to entrepreneurs and businesses in 29 counties through face-to-face and e-mail counseling and business workshops. The chapter's 25 volunteers have an average of 27 years of business experience per person. encompassing a wide range of expertise, including accounting, budgeting, finance, operations, customer service, marketing, public relations, strategic planning, and numerous other specialties.

• The Central Appalachian Network (CAN) is a multi-state network of rural organizations working to build a healthy regional economy in central Appalachia. CAN promotes economic justice through ecologically sustainable rural development strategies, local self-reliance and innovative community building.