Western Massachusetts Business Resources
Mentorship
- Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (MSBDC) Network, www.msbdc.org/wmass. The MSBDC's Western Regional Office provides free and confidential one-on-one business advisory services to prospective and existing small businesses.
- SCORE, www.scorewesternmass.org. Non-profit dedicated to entrepreneurial education. Provides face-to-face and email counseling.
Networking
- Regional Technology Corporation, www.rtccentral.com. Catalyst for growth and development of technology-based industries.
- Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield, www.myonlinechamber.com. Representing about 1,600 businesses. Do check out links to local chapters.
Private Capital
- Long River Ventures, www.longriverventures.com. Invests in seed and early stage companies in technology, healthcare and related sectors. Typical initial investment ranges from $500,000 to $1MM. Partner fund of The Berkshires Capital Investors (www.berkshirescap.com). Both are part of the Village Ventures network (www.villageventures.com). Long River Ventures has a managed fund of $50MM.
- Longmeadow Capital Partners, www.longmeadowcapital.com. Typically invests between $2 and $20 million. They sponsor financial transactions including management buy-outs and provide post-transaction operational assistance.
- Pioneer Valley Capital, www.PioneerValleyCapital.com. Invests in profitable and growth companies with revenues in excess of $3MM.
- River Valley Investors, www.rivervalleyinvestors.com. Group of individual investors. Contact is Paul Silva of Angel Catalyst (www.angelcatalyst.com).
- Meadowbrook Lane Capital, www.meadowbrooklane.com. An advisory and investment firm formed by serial entrepreneurs and professionals.
Government
- Western Massachusetts Enterprise Fund, Inc., www.wmef.org. Loan requests up to $250,000 are reviewed by WMEF and considered for funding based on community benefit, business viability and risk considerations. WMEF offers a variety of loan products for a range of credit needs with loan amounts beginning at $1,000. Borrowers may be individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations. WMEF funds both start-up enterprises and established businesses. WMEF serves businesses in the First and Second Congressional Districts in Massachusetts, which include Franklin County, Berkshire County, Hampshire County, Hampden County and parts of Worcester County.
- State Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance, www.somwba.state.ma.us. Promotes the development of business enterprises and non-profit organizations owned or operated by minorities and women.
- Small Business Administration (SBA), www.sba.gov. Aids with starting, building and growing businesses. Branch office is located in Springfield.
Prototyping
- Page Product Design, www.pagepd.com. From prototyping to production tooling. Launched products worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
- Greentech Skunkworks, www.greentechskunkworks.com. Design, prototyping and engineering of green technology solutions.
OtherA group of small companies scattered throughout the Pioneer Valley. Excellent resource for finding regional talent and obtain expert advice.
EDC, www.westernmassedc.com. Private, non profit corporation that is leading region's economic development by helping businesses to expand, relocate and succeed in Western Massachusetts. Check out the "partners" link to learn about additional resources and organizations.
University of Massachusetts Library, www.library.umass.edu. Free access to reports and databases from the library. Other libraries at state colleges (such as Springfield Technical Community College and Holyoke Community College) also provide free access and resources.
Springfield Business Incubator, www.springfieldincubator.com. Provides comprehensive support services and a professional office environment for new business initiatives, enhancing and accelerating their growth and stimulating economic development in Western Massachusetts. Includes affordable, customized leases from 400 to 2500 square feet.
WISERTrade, www.wisertrade.org. Nationally recognized resource for international trade. Provides detailed trade statistics, reports and company listings to identify new global market locations and suppliers. WISER is located at Holyoke Community College and is part of the College's new Kittredge Business and Technology Center.
Internhere, www.internhere.com. Helps students looking for internships connect with Connecticut and Massachusetts employers.
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