Hamilton's BizTech Center Celebrates Five Years of Success and Announces BizTech 2.0: a SmartStart™ for the Future

Hamilton, Ohio - BizTech Center, Butler County's business incubator, is celebrating its fifth anniversary with the announcement of BizTech 2.0, the next generation of support for entrepreneurship in Southwest Ohio. In celebration, BizTech Center will host an open house on November 20, 2008 from 5 - 7 pm to showcase its successes and demonstrate its new initiatives.

Hamilton, Ohio (PRWEB) November 20, 2008 -- BizTech Center, Butler County's business incubator, is celebrating its fifth anniversary with the announcement of BizTech 2.0, the next generation of support for entrepreneurship in Southwest Ohio. In celebration, BizTech Center will host an open house on November 20, 2008 from 5 - 7 pm to showcase its successes and demonstrate its new initiatives.

"We have accomplished what many people thought could not be done - we have established a competitive program and created a central business address for new businesses to call home. Now it's time to take the next step and proactively respond to the needs of twenty-first century start-ups to incubate businesses into a technology-savvy world," said Marilyn Collmer, BizTech Manager and business consultant. "We are positioning BizTech to demonstrate the value we can provide to young businesses and to the Butler County community."

In the five years since it's own start-up, the business incubator officially named Greater Hamilton Center for Business and Technology, Inc., which is housed in the former Hamilton Municipal Building at 20 High Street, has done what it set out to do. The historic building has been successfully preserved as a home to growing young businesses. Nearly 40 start-ups have received training, coaching, mentoring, shared resources and office space in a premium location at reduced or minimum cost, making it possible for them to become firmly established. So far, twelve of these businesses have graduated from the BizTech program and its facility, successfully moving into the local and regional economy. These 40 new businesses have created 150 jobs that have generated a payroll of approximately $3.8 million for an economic impact of about $5.6 million for the Hamilton/Butler County economy.

For the next five years, BizTech has established an aggressive agenda to upgrade its appeal to the growing number of technology startups in Southwest Ohio. BizTech 2.0 is already underway with a series of exciting new programs.

SmartStart™ your business at BizTech

Focusing on the critical first steps in establishing a new business, BizTech announces the SmartStart campaign to call attention to its key services.

" 'SmartStart your business' really emphasizes what we are all about," says Collmer. "We want to make it as easy as possible for entrepreneurs to do all of the complex steps of start-ups in the right order."

The SmartStart campaign includes SmartStart Certification, a BizTech proprietary recipe for success. SmartStart Certification is a non-academic certification that will offer entrepreneurs an alternative method of demonstrating strategic decision-making and,

with the help of BizTech Business Resource Partners, can help streamline the start-up process. Many upgraded workshops and technology primers will be delivered online to make it easier for start-ups to get the basic skills that many need. These new initiatives will be launched during the first quarter of 2009.

Technology upgrades

Various critical technology upgrades are also underway at BizTech including wi-fi, upgraded training and resource technology in the form of online resources, upgraded training and conference equipment, an interactive new web site, and an interior upgrade for the building with a fresh new look.

About BizTech

Located at 20 High Street in Hamilton's historic former Municipal Building, BizTech has immediate availability for start-up space featuring shared resources and a comfortable environment for new businesses. The full menu of business counseling and training programs is open to any entrepreneur on a first come, first served basis. Established in 2003, BizTech is also home to the Ohio Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The experienced BizTech and SBDC staff offer a wide range of business counseling, training and mentoring opportunities that help young businesses get the solid start they need to remain successful.

For a tour of the BizTech facility and more information on how BizTech can SmartStart your business, contact Marilyn Collmer, BizTech Manager, at 513.737.6543 or visit www.biztechcenter.com

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