innovate arkansas

Arkansas is very fortunate to have an organization like IA to foster the development of its early stage, tech-based companies. To date, IA's experienced consultants have assisted Orlumet in so many ways, from strengthening our business strategy to connecting us with all the right people... I strongly believe that through its support, IA will contribute greatly to the long-run economic growth of Arkansas.
 

Innovate Arkansas, what can I say but thank you for everything. The resources placed at my fingertips have been priceless. I consider it an honor to have been selected as a client. In the amount of time spent with IA, my company has progressed to a whole new level of planning for the future. I have been introduced to several professional groups that I plan on using to gain an advantage in my industry. Without IA, my company would not have had access to the people needed for funding and marketing that we desperately needed to survive in such a competitive market.

CollegeTokens.com has benefited tremendously from Innovate Arkansas in more ways than I could have imagined when we first heard about it. Networking with potential investors, business strategy consultanting, and general advice from experienced business leaders are some of the benefits we have received through Innovate Arkansas the past year.  I highly recommend businesses check out Innovate Arkansas and all it has to offer.

"Innovate Arkansas inspires us. It lets us know that entrepreneurship can happen anywhere. They connect us with venture capitalists and grants, and they make sure MeritBuilder can fourish here in Arkansas."

"Innovate Arkansas has been a great resource. They really understand the challenges that face small companies, their guys know finance and how markets function, and that has improved our presentations to investors."

"Innovate Arkansas has helped us develop our story and helped give us exposure in the marketplace. They do a great job of taking you from an idea to a product that can actually be sold in the market."

"Innovate Arkansas has proven to be a tremendous resource for EquityNet in helping us to refine our product development roadmap, product placement and related marketing. The breadth of expertise at Innovate Arkansas and a responsive attitude has enabled EquityNet to achieve real, tangible results in a relatively short amount of time."

"As an economic developer and entrepreneur, I was pleased when I learned that Arkansas was establishing Innovate Arkansas with a mission similar to successful programs such as i2E in Oklahoma. The efficiency with which Winrock has ramped up the program is impressive, and I am honored that Balm Innovations has been selected as a client company. We look forward to tapping into the expertise of the Innovate Arkansas staff as we expand the Omnibalm product line and distribution throughout the U.S. and internationally."

"The hardest part was actually getting [the business plan] on paper. They helped us put it into a language that investors can understand. They're kind of like translators, and they're also motivators. And they're going to be with us as long as we need them so we can tap into this resource down the road."

"In the process of starting up a business or starting a new company, you spend a lot of time educating people on what it is you do. If you've got a group like Innovate Arkansas behind you, then it adds another level of credibility and legitimacy to your business. Having a group like Innovate Arkansas involved in your business – that knows your business at some level – also can help…increase the exposure that a company has to capital and resources in the state."

"It's all networking. It's like being invited to the party with all the right movers and shakers. Most companies wait years to get where we’re at, and we’ve done it in three or four months."

"I'm extremely excited about the idea of Innovate Arkansas. I think that what they're doing is absolutely needed, and it's something that, looking back, I wish I'd had when I started. I think it's going to be wonderful for the state and for new business ventures. Most people who start a business – especially if you're a technical entrepreneur – have to learn the hard way a lot of the basic facts about getting a business started. I think they can provide that help to a lot of young companies."

"We feel like it's going to be a very good program and that they have so much to offer. We've got a product with a patent pending on the technology, and we've identified a great need for the product. We're at the point now where we're ready to commercialize that product. We contacted Innovate Arkansas to get assistance with…the commercialization process – marketing, advertising, raising capital – to take it to the next step."

"Just having someone there so you're not alone, it keeps you on track. They've offered all kinds of assistance in trying to make this thing a viable business. They're doing things that are going to make it easier for this company to succeed and, of course, save time. In addition to the emotional support, it's going to cost me less to get into business. When I first met with Innovate Arkansas, I had the technology working, and now I have it ready to use."