Accelerator and IDA recognized statewide with awards, emulation

We’re proud to hear that the Orange County Industrial Development Agency has won two awards from the New York State Economic Development Council for its economic development efforts over the past year!

The awards, announced at NYSEDC’s annual meeting last week in Cooperstown, N.Y., were received for the IDA’s recently produced promotional video, titled “Do You Know About the Orange County IDA?” as well as one for the Accelerator’s January 2011 newsletter.

The Accelerator, under the direction of Orange County IDA Chairman Jim Petro, Executive Director Jim O’Donnell, Orange County Executive Ed Diana and others, also has the distinguished honor to be emulated by other incubators across the region.

A recent Business News Daily article acknowledges the Accelerator as an inspiration for the new business incubator in Yonkers, N.Y., appropriately named Y-Enterprise.

The article reads, “Y-Enterprise offers what has become standard incubator services, including office space, infrastructure, business development, legal and accounting support and advice on accessing capital. Office rents range from $1,000 per month to up to $2,500 for space with Hudson River views. The center opened for business this spring.”

“The program, (Lou) Kirven (Commissioner of Planning/Development, Yonkers) said, is modeled after a number of similar programs, including ones in New York City and the Orange County Business Accelerator farther upstate.”

Over the past year, we’ve had several meeting with Yonkers officials regarding Orange County Business Accelerator and we are humbly flattered that they choose us as a prototype of sorts and emulated similar programs and processes at work here in Orange County.

With the economy slowly swinging in a positive direction once again, incubators like OCBA and Y-Enterprise are playing a key role in facilitating business development, harnessing great ideas, and helping dreams become reality.

Maybe your idea could be the next big one. Help us help you!   845.220.2208. or ocaccelerator.com

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Congresswoman Nan Hayworth meets with Small Business Task Force at the Accelerator

Last week, Congresswoman Nan Hayworth showed her concern for small business and entrepreneurs in meeting with the recently conceived Small Business Task Force here in Orange County. Small businesses continue to struggle with rising taxes and overregulation by state and federal government. It was great having Rep. Hayworth at the Accelerator, as she too has realized the competitive advantage of the Accelerator.

Business insurance no laughing matter

Peter Gregory here from the Orange County Business Accelerator to announce the next event in our lineup that is designed to give knowledge edge to our region’s business owners. One of the biggest expense businesses have these days is insurance- for the operation and its employees. It is crucial for employers to understand the different types of insurance coverage in the marketplace today, as well as other important information on how to protect a business and its best assets- the employees.

That is why this Wednesday, May 18, at noon, the Accelerator is hosting a seminar with Marshall & Sterling’s Meghan McGarry to give business owners some insight into business insurance and the pitfalls of ineffective insurance management.  Meghan is a specialist in incubator, early-stage, and small business insurance solutions.

A wide variety of insurance is available to businesses: property & casualty, liability, fleet truck & auto, workers compensation, loss control, errors & omissions, as well as industry-specific insurance.

Entitled “Business Straight Talk: Perils of the Un- or Under-Insured in 2011,” the discussion will focus on everything insurance related- equipment, human resources and other assets. To register for the event, contact us at (845) 220-2208 or pgregory@advertisingandpr.com

Click here for more info on business insurance and the products offered by Marshall & Sterling.

A recent Entrepreneur Knowledge Series seminar at the Accelerator

Also, join us next Wednesday, May 25, at noon for an Entrepreneur Knowledge Series discussion on human resources with returning guest speakers Tom Lemmey and Ed Kowalski, of Ethan Allen Personnel Group.

Feel free to email us at pgregory@ocaccelerator.com to get important updates on upcoming, exciting events at the Accelerator! For more info on future seminars, please visit our events page.

“Smart Money Follows Smart People” at the Accelerator

As we’ve always said: Smart Money Follows Smart People.

Now in its 75^th week in entrepreneurial education, the Accelerator continues to attract critical thinkers who harbor ambitious dreams and innovative minds.

Just beyond our doors, a plethora of characters strive toward entrepreneurial excellence, day in and day out: former Dow Jones executives, IBM Ph.D.’s, past ESPN producers, West Point graduates, senior scientific researchers and more.

Aquaponics firm Continental Organics anxiously awaits the construction of its headquarters on a 90-acre site in the Town of New Windsor. CymoGen Dx is currently working on several patents that could revolutionize the cancer screening equipment industry. Array Optronix is enhancing its portfolio with new optoelectronics technology. The list of Accelerator clients raising the bar in their respective fields goes on.

A recent event at the Accelerator announcing the residency of 4E PRODUCTIONS, a multi-media education-based productions firm, drew nearly 100 business men and women, public officials and small business owners from around Orange County.

Through the efforts of the Orange County Industrial Development Agency and Orange County Government, Orange County has become a hotbed of brainpower in the Hudson Valley and New York State. It has become the epicenter of early-stage business development – the place to be for growth and prosperity.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs once said, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”

With the Accelerator currently at 15 client and tenants, and growing, we are proving Orange County to be a great leader in entrepreneurism.

We must maintain a steady drum beat and continue our campaign to take our businesses and our residents to new heights by staying proactive and ambitious in our efforts to bring real jobs, real close to home in Orange County.

Accelerators proving worth amid recent economic stats

Since the fourth quarter of 2010, national economic indicators have shown the United States continues to slowly recover.

Nationwide unemployment is down .2 percent. The gross domestic product increased by 1.8 percent in the first quarter of 2011 from 2010 Q4 and is up 3.8 percent from fiscal year 2010. Manufacturing is up for the 20^th straight month. Consumer confidence and retail sales continue to slightly increase.

Many will argue the fruitful, although slowly-increasing, success of commerce in this country owes a debt of gratitude to small businesses. According to the Kaufman Foundation’s 2007 Entrepreneurial Report, roughly 6 million small businesses were started in the United States that year – the apparent beginnings of the recession.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small firms with fewer than 500 employees represent 99.9 percent of the 29.6 million businesses currently operating in the United States today.

The statistics speak for themselves. Early-stage startups, like many of those at the Accelerator continue to drive the economic engine in our country and play a vital role in recovery efforts.

The Accelerator is currently in its 75^th week of operation, with 15 clients and tenants employing more than 60 innovators. With more than 1,400 business incubators throughout the country, it’s no wonder small businesses are becoming the driving force behind our growing economy.

Since opening in October 2009, more than 1,500 entrepreneurs, businessmen and women, along with others, have stepped through our doors for business development seminars, interest in seeking the advantage at the Accelerator, or simply to find our more on how the Accelerator is making a difference.

A recent Entrepreneur Knowledge Series seminar at the Accelerator

Check out our events page for upcoming, exciting events at the Accelerator this week!

We hope you join us soon at the Intersection of Capital, Talent…and Innovation as we continue to Motivate, Innovate and Accelerate!