Business Incubator: Do you have a business idea?
OVERVIEW
The Los Alamos Public Library is partnering with projectY and the Creative Startups' Libraries as Launchpads initiative to host a free 6 week business incubator program for aspiring business owners to test the viability of their ideas.
Whether it's a new business, or a business looking to pivot, or deliver a new offering this course can support decision making on how to move forward. The course is intended to bring an idea, a skill, or a talent into business focus by providing a market research framework. The course will also connect participants to established, local small business and start-up resources, services, and programs including offerings from the New Mexico Small Business Development Center at Los Alamos and Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation.
The six week program consists of two weekly sessions: an online class on Monday nights for a nationwide cohort and a weekly in-person meet-up at projectY in Los Alamos where local participants work with an educator, expert guests, and each other.
IMPORTANT DATES
Registration open now through October 1st, 2023
Welcome Meeting: Wednesday, October 11th, at 5pm MST
Course: October 11th - November 13th
2 Weekly Meetings:
EXPECT TO SPEND A TOTAL OF 30+ HOURS ON THE PROGRAM
Mondays at 5:00pm virtual w. national cohort (can join in library if needed)
Wednesdays at 6:00pm in person w. local cohort @ projectY
Click here or visit LosAlamosLibrary.org for more info/registration.
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
The Libraries as Launchpads business incubator is for:
small business owners looking to grow and find more customers aspiring entrepreneurs with an idea, a product or prototype they want to turn into a business
Anyone who would like to prepare for the Los Alamos Business Accelerator, managed by Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation (more information about the accelerator program can be found at www.losalamosmainstreet.com/business-accelerator)
Anyone from Los Alamos and surrounding Northern New Mexico communities with a business/idea is welcome to apply. However, businesses in the creative industries will be given priority:
Advertising
Animation
Architecture
Art/crafts
Culinary/Food from agriculture, prepared foods, restaurants, food based apps
Education Tech
Fashion
Film
Graphics/Design
Industrial/Product
Design (all types)
Planning/Urban Design
Music
Museums
Performing arts
Photography
Publishing
R&D
Software
Studio and Fine Arts
Toys and games
TV and radio
Video games
Virtual and Augmented
Reality
Click here or visit LosAlamosLibrary.org for more info/registration.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
ONBOARDING: WELCOME & WHERE ARE YOU: MARKET SPACE?
Participants learn about market research and secondary research such as reports, industry trends, articles online and web investigations.
M1: CONNECTING YOUR VALUES
Participants identify the values they’d like to uphold through their business and how they impact business operations and company culture.
M2: IT HAS TO BE FULL OF PAIN
Participants learn how to do customer data gathering. How do startups know there is a pain? They learn to separate “what they like and want to do” from what the market demands.
M3 : WHO? - CUSTOMERS
Participants identify their customers, end users and anyone else involved in the process. They define both the process of buying and the process of using their product or service.
M4: BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME: TIME TO PROTOTYPE YOUR PAINKILLER
Participants identify the painkiller, “build” a first prototype, and critically examine the prototype
M5: SHOW US YOU WILL GET PAYING CUSTOMERS: FUNNEL, SALES CYCLE, AND CoCA
Participants determine how many doors they need to “knock on ” to get one sale and the length of their sales cycle. They estimate the cost of acquiring customers.
OPTIONAL FOR MORE ADVANCED ENTREPRENEURS:
Participants identify the delight (what sets them apart, why do customers choose them over other options?) they are offering customers.
Click here or visit LosAlamosLibrary org for more info/registration
ABOUT THE LIBRARY
The library is a trusted source of information and uniquely positioned to serve as the first touchpoint for potential business owners who may not otherwise have easy access to existing business resources. Partnering with projectY and Creative Startups, the Los Alamos Public Libraries are offering this free program with the intention of guiding prospective business owners and entrepreneurs in creative fields to the resources they need.
ABOUT PROJECTY AND YOUR LOCAL EDUCATOR
The weekly meetings with the local cohort will be hosted by Alice Holtzclaw, the Membership and Program Manager at projectY cowork Los Alamos She studied Political Science at Miami University before moving to Los Alamos in 2022.
Alice now works to connect business owners, entrepreneurs, and remote workers to resources in the community, as well as providing support during their day-to-day operations
As a branch of the Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation, projectY cowork is the only non-profit coworking space in New Mexico and aims to provide an affordable, productive work environment for Northern New Mexico. In addition to memberships and day passes, projectY functions as a meeting and event space for the public.
Learn more about projectY at projectYLosAlamos.com
ABOUT CREATIVE STARTUPS
Creative Startups is a Santa Fe, New Mexico based 501c3 non-profit that believes in the power of creative entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions and create unique places that transform our communities for the better. That’s why the mission at Creative Startups is to accelerate the success of creative entrepreneurs and strengthen creative economy ecosystems.
The Creative Startups Accelerator is the leading accelerator for creative entrepreneurs and the first of it's kind dedicated to entrepreneurs in the creative industries. They've hosted program for entrepreneurs all over the world, from Baltimore to Kuwait, Peru to Portugal, Denver to Singapore, Moldova to Duluth. Entrepreneurship is what they know best.
500+ $300+ 70% 820+
entrepreneurs accelerated million raised in investment post-program women and/or people of color jobs created post-program
Learn more about Creative Startups at CreativeStartups.org
CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BUSINESS INCUBATOR
Sr. Librarian, Eva Jacobson: 505.663.1812 or eva.jacobson@lacnm.us
Local educator, Alice Holtzclaw: 505 661 4862 or alice@losalamos org
REGISTRATION QUESTIONS
Your name, email and phone number:
Briefly describe your business idea. What product or service are you/would you provide?
What is the vision or goal (beyond monetary) of your company?
What main creative industry does your business/idea fall into?
What is different, interesting, or new about your business/idea?
What phase is company in? Idea - Prototype - Users - Paying Users - other?
Why are you applying? What do you hope to get out of this program?
Are you able to dedicate 30+ hours and meet at the times of the two weekly meetings
If you have already started a business (not required):
What is the name of your company? If you don’t have an official name yet, what can we call your company in the mean time?
Do you have others working on this business with you? How many?
When did you start the business?
Have you set up any online presence? +links to social media and/or web pages
What recent accomplishments with your business are you most proud of?
Click here or visit LosAlamosLibrary org for more info/registration
