Wherever you are, there’s a next step from here.
The Grant County Economic Growth Council helps Grant County founders and small business owners move from a first idea to a viable business with coaching, capital, and connections to match your stage.
Where Are You Right Now?
From the Spark of an Idea to a Viable Business
Every founder moves through the same milestones. We stay alongside you at each one.
Where are you right now?
Explore how your idea can become a business.
Test the concept before you commit.No idea is too early to bring to us. Before you spend a dollar or leave a steady paycheck, we help you find out whether your idea has legs, with honest feedback, a clear-eyed look at the market, and people who have started from exactly where you are.
Prepare to set up and launch your business.
Turn the plan into first moves.You've decided to go for it. Now let's build on solid ground. We turn your idea into a real plan, get your day-one operations right, and put experienced founders in your corner so the first moves aren't the hardest ones.
Access capital to start or stabilize your business.
Build a case funders can say yes to.Capital shouldn't be the wall that stops a good business. We help you build a case funders trust and connect you to real local lending and investment pathways, so the money follows the merit of your idea.
Take your established business to the next level.
Scale with people who've done it here.You've built something that works. Let's make it bigger. We connect you with capital to expand, peers tackling the same challenges, and mentors who have already scaled a business right here in Grant County.
“An entrepreneurial ecosystem is a network of people supporting entrepreneurs, and a culture of trust and collaboration that allows them to interact successfully.”
Four Ways into the Ecosystem
About the Pathways
However you arrive, the same countywide network of support opens up behind you.
Four ways into the ecosystem
Organic Entry
Emerging entrepreneurs pursuing a business idea on their own initiative.Who this isA person with an idea, or a business owner, who found us online and stepped forward on their own.
We answer when you reach out. Coming to us on your own takes initiative, and we meet it with a real response: a person to talk to, a clear next step, and no cost to begin. You do not need a formal plan or a referral to start.
Higher Education
Academic training, technical certification, or university degree programs.Who this isA student, faculty member, or recent graduate at Ivy Tech, Indiana Wesleyan, or Taylor University who wants to engage with the community.
We connect campus and community. Grant County is home to strong business and entrepreneurship programs, and we help students and graduates turn coursework into local ventures and relationships that outlast graduation.
Community Sponsored Programs
Sponsored training built with local partners, i.e., the Impact X initiative and NearSpace Education pitch preparation.Who this isSomeone taking part in a sponsored local program, such as the Impact X class or a NearSpace Education program.
We support the programs our partners run. When a local organization sponsors training, we help you carry what you learn into a working business and connect you to the wider network of Grant County support.
GCEGC Passport
Sponsored training, coaching, and mentoring delivered through the ESO, in partnership with the East Central Indiana SBDC.Who this isSomeone already working with the Growth Council or the East Central Indiana SBDC through sponsored coaching and mentoring.
We walk with you the whole way. The Passport is our sponsored path of training, coaching, and mentoring, delivered through the ESO in partnership with the East Central Indiana SBDC. One relationship connects you to the full network.
Series for Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners
Competency Sessions
Free, hands-on sessions on the skills that move a business forward. Come to one or come to them all.
Your Journey. Your Choice. Our Support.
Tell us where you are. We'll point you to the next right step.
Use our simple contact form below to connect with our team. You may also sign up for our monthly news and updates delivered straight to your inbox.