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James J. Zuiches

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On February 27, at the 2007 Entepreneurship Summit in Raleigh, NC, I announced the new NC State initiative, “Catalyzing Entrepreneurship Statewide”, and the new web site for Entrepreneurship at NC State University. Below is the text.  For more detailed information click "Summit" above.

When I arrived in North Carolina last March, I found an array of talent and program innovation across the state, and an opportunity to align these resources, to build stronger partnerships and to strengthen the assets of communities through a focus on entrepreneurs.  I am announcing today the “Catalyzing Entrepreneurship Initiative”.

Purpose -To provide entrepreneurial educational, technical assistance and training for businesses across the State, creating and retaining jobs in urban and rural communities. 

Who is eligible – The focus is on entrepreneurs and microenterprises, who employ one to five persons, and who have the potential for start-up or growth.

How will it work? – This focus on entrepreneurship educational programs builds on the commitment within NC State University to strengthen its classroom educational program and its outreach programs to new stakeholders in community economic growth. 

It builds on the presence of NC State University field faculty in every county through Cooperative Extension, the 21 locations of the Industrial Extension Service, and the close partnership of the Small Business and Technology Development Center with all UNC campuses.   This presence in the counties, and access to the resources of higher education, can be mobilized in support of economic development.   A strong local economy can support and attract new businesses and people to the community; a weak one forces people, especially young people, to move away.   This program commits to educational support, technical assistance, training, providing access to capital, and a thriving network of community support for small and microenterprise businesses.  

NC State is committed to expanding its team of community economic development field faculty.  The Small Business Technology Development Center (SBTDC) will train this team to provide that initial educational contact, prior to the intensive counseling and support of SBTDC professionals.   These programs will provide business and financial literacy to entrepreneurs and assist them in qualifying for loans and investment capital. 

The Small Business and Technology Development Center statewide is targeting business services in low-wealth counties, identifying Tier 1 counties for intensified levels of support.   The regional service centers of the SBTDC will work through county leadership to identify and reach out to businesses in the county.  Extensive counseling and management education services will focus on enhancing strategic performance and competitiveness.   This project will also heighten the visibility of UNC partner campuses in the counties.   Additionally, the SBTDC is partnering with the private sector to create new capital funds in five regions of the State, increasing the access of small businesses to seed money investments and early-stage investment capital.

The Industrial Extension Service has launched its new focused campaign to have a $1 billion impact for North Carolina (1B4NC) by expanding its Lean Manufacturing offerings. The College of Textiles and IES are expanding the reach of the Six Sigma programs to improve production quality processes.   This expansion has been extremely well received by the health care industry, a service sector whose productivity has lagged behind the manufacturing sector. 

The IES also supports the NC State Centennial Campus Technology Incubator where 26 firms, employing from one to five persons, are thriving through access to SBTDC counseling, the research and educational programs of NC State, and the creation of an entrepreneurial ecosystem.  

The University-wide entrepreneurship initiative is a combination of leadership and entrepreneurship programs that we expect will result in diverse enterprise development.   The “enterprise” concept applies entrepreneurial principles to the private, non-profit, and public sectors.   A new major in entrepreneurship, and an expanded minor in entrepreneurship, plus more courses in innovation, new product development and marketing both internationally and domestic, create a new environment in which the concept of “Innovation in Action” is applied.  

A new website for the Entrepreneurship Initiative will serve as a portal to the University resources and connect entrepreneurs in high technology industry clusters to university research and extension support, both on and off campus: http://ncsu.edu/enitiative/

Additionally, the Office of Extension, Engagement and Economic Development is dedicating $50,000 a year for the next three years of its Seed Grant program to new initiatives in entrepreneurial education and extension activities on and off campus.

Finally, NC State University is proposing a $2 million legislative expansion budget request.  This entrepreneurship and regional cluster-based economic development proposal focuses on high priority regional industry clusters: nonwoven and other advanced textiles, medical devices and advanced medical care, value added agricultural and aquacultural products, and advance manufacturing of aerospace, automotive and marine products.

Entrepreneurship, technical assistance, technology commercialization, as well as focused recruitment and retention within targeted industry clusters, offer individual regions of the State clear opportunities for growth and jobs and investment. 

With its presence and partnership statewide, NC State will align its networks and foster microenterprise entrepreneurs, secure the location of new high technology based firms, expand international marketing export trade opportunities, and pursue focused recruitment and retention in target clusters.    

Contact:

James J. Zuiches, Vice Chancellor
Office of Extension, Engagement and Economic Development
Campus Box 7012
NC State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7012
919-513-0388

James_Zuiches@ncsu.edu
www.ncsu.edu/extension/
http://ncsu.edu/enitiative/

-March 2, 2007-