Source: TechColumbus Connections Member Newsletter, October 29, 2009

The Dublin Entrepreneurial Center as a geographic extension of a collaborative business community located in the heart of Innovation ParkTechColumbus partners with the City of Dublin to provide: in Dublin.

• Resources targeted to meet the needs of Innovative start-up companies
• A creative atmosphere encouraging idea-sharing and collaborative problem-solving
• Access to industry-specific experts offering unique solutions
• Close proximity to a wide-ranging variety of industry clusters

Since early 2008, Rick Coplin, Venture Development Director, TechStart, has worked with the City of Dublin to start, promote and run The DEC. The first major event was an open house in March 2009 that attracted 425 people and a broad mix of small businesses has been moving into The DEC ever since.

TechColumbus provides coaching and mentoring; and various DEC collaborators provide a variety of services to the entrepreneurs. The City of Dublin has also hired two DEC small business owners to assist with promoting The DEC, planning events and managing day to day operations.

“The City of Dublin is a tremendous partner with TechColumbus,” said Rick. “I arrange for TechColumbus resources to assist the businesses in The DEC and in Dublin. I am also constantly evaluating what we should do next to keep The DEC an effective growth component in the Dublin community.”

The DEC currently has 16 small business tenants, plans for a Green initiative, and a waiting list for offices.

“The networking events sponsored by TechColumbus and other groups such as TechLife, the International Bootstrapping Association and the twice a month DEC jellies (casual coworking) have really helped to build a sense of community and generate interest in The DEC,” said Rick.

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TechColumbus Wins SSTI Award for Building Entrepreneurial Capacity

TechColumbus, the region’s catalyst for technology-based economic development, and Central Ohio were honored this week with a top award from the State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI), a national organization with broad membership and influence.

TechColumbus was named recipient of SSTI’s 2009 Excellence in TBED Awards for Building Entrepreneurial Capacity on Oct. 22 during its 13th Annual Conference in Overland Park, KS. The award celebrates the exceptional achievement of TechStart, TechColumbus’ entrepreneurial coaching and funding program, and Central Ohio in technology-based economic development (TBED).

“This recognition of the groundswell in Central Ohio around technology entrepreneurship reinforces the great outcomes occurring here and throughout Ohio,” said Ted Ford, TechColumbus’ president and CEO. “The Ohio Third Frontier program, from which our program is primarily funded, is creating jobs, new innovative companies and attracting venture capital from around the country.”

Awards were also issued to other initiatives around the country in five additional categories. The awards are the result of a yearly nationwide competition of initiatives that emphasize impact and strategic value as well as TBED transferability for others.

“TBED fosters a climate where new and existing companies that develop technology and continuously innovate will thrive,” said Dan Berglund SSTI president and CEO.

For more details, click here for the October TechColumbus newsletter published in Business First.

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What every entrepreneur can learn from Toobla

Here's a great article on one of Columbus' rising startup stars.

Source: Startup Business Examiner - John Edwards

In late September in Columbus, Ohio an innovative new web application launched that promises to change the game for online bookmarking tools. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

If you follow startups then you know that the journey can be just as important as the destination. That’s because the path to most successful new businesses is through a desert that lacks transportation (ideas), cash (water), and guideposts (local resources and the press). For that reason too many never make it out alive. One company that has made it through is Toobla, and the rewards could be significant.

to read the rest of this article, click here.

Follow Toobla progress via Twitter: @blinkdaddy and @Toobla

Learn more and sign up at toobla.com

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