IGNITE the FUSE Accelerator is an entrepreneurial program that helps fledgling businesses grow up fast. This immersive program is designed to lift small production businesses to greater heights while generating momentum for the region’s entrepreneurial and economic development efforts.
The selected companies will get to take advantage of services that include: up to 30 hours of one-on-one business coaching through SCORE and SBDC; 10 hours of business workshops; 30 hours of intense business training; access to co-working space at the Workforce Training Center throughout the 10-week program; access to the FUSE Makerspace to help with prototype development if needed; support in developing a 100-day tactical plan for the business after the Accelerator is over; and additional coaching after the program to help with implementing the 100-day tactical plan.
The IGNITE the FUSE program includes 10 program days of entrepreneurship curriculum that includes:
- Entrepreneurship 101 and Starting Your Business
- Lean Entrepreneurship and “Elevator Speech”(Pitch Practice)
- Business Model Canvas (Customers, Opportunities, Value Proposition)
- Business Financing and Raising Capital, Pitch Practice
- Manufacturing options and processes (Practical Exercises)
- Manufacturing Process Improvement and Pitch Practice
- Production Management, Bottlenecks & Quality Concepts
- Financial Literacy and Building a Network
- Demo Day Practice
- IGNITE the FUSE Day, when businesses pitch their products to the community.
Hands-on Exercises will be a key part of each session. For more information and to apply, click here.
