innovate arkansas

Jeff Erramouspe, practice director for Austin, Texas-based TIP Strategies, has been coordinating efforts for the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center at Fort Smith.
He said the center has collected $300,000 in seed money that will cover operations through 2007 and into 2008.
The next steps include choosing a location for the center, and Erramouspe said it would be great to have the center in downtown Fort Smith. One possibility could be locating the center in an off-campus building of the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith.
“The goal is to have it downtown and visible with a storefront so that we’re there and available to whomever needs our help,” he said.
Having an office isn’t worth much without an executive director. Erramouspe said the board is currently interviewing three candidates for the position. He hopes to make an announcement naming a director and location in April.
The board of directors also looks to expand from the current five members. Erramouspe said the board looks to round itself out with entrepreneurs and financial analysts. While there are four empty seats, the board may not fill all those spots.