In just a few weeks, Â鶹ԭ´´’s mixed-business incubator at Daytona Beach International Airport will have its June grand opening. This $1.4 million renovation project was three years in the making.

The 8,000-square-foot building will house 20 companies with two meeting-style consultation rooms, and Volusia County will pay Â鶹ԭ´´ $775,000 to manage the incubator under a three-year contract.

Gordon Hogan, director of the Â鶹ԭ´´ Business Incubation Program, is optimistic that, once launched, more companies will be anxious to apply.

“Once things pick up steam and people come in and see for themselves, they will get interested,” Hogan said. “We have a great network system, one-on-one counseling, with lawyers ready to sit down and support our future clients.”

To date, one tenant has already signed on: Innovation-Research Engineering & Development, a small firm based in Edgewater. This company, although still growing, is technology-based, pioneering a new type of wind-turbine generator.

Currently, there are two other businesses interested in the location and several others considering.

Â鶹ԭ´´ has nine other business incubators up and running within the Central Florida region; all have triumphed.

Hogan stressed the importance of the location with the neighboring Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Â鶹ԭ´´ Daytona Beach and nearby Stetson University.

Aside from the ready-made accessibility of Daytona itself, a solid infrastructure will guarantee this business incubator longevity. The community is excited about this project and especially the tallying of new jobs.

According to the Volusia County Department of Economic Development, the unemployment rate for Volusia County currently stands at 10.9 percent.

Hogan is also anxiously awaiting the new signage that will soon direct traffic from the already-busy Speedway Boulevard directly into the Daytona International Airport.

Phil Ehlinger, the county’s economic development director, has overseen the construction planning of the building from day one.

Ehlinger is pleased with the team who brought this business incubator to reality, emphasizing that they were not only on time, but under budget.

Potential tenants that are approved will be able continue to flourish in the mechanical and engineering sectors.

“Perhaps we may also prospect from a few entrepreneurs? I’m ready to hand this off to Â鶹ԭ´´, as they are such professionals,” Ehlinger said. “They know what they’re doing. Â鶹ԭ´´ has a great track record and is No. 1 in the county as far as we’re concerned.”

Paul Mitchell, a business specialist who also works for the Department of Economic Development, has seen the incubator come to fruition since its first draft.

“I’ve watched and cultivated this incubator plan since the drawing board. I am so proud that it is happening here, and especially with Â鶹ԭ´´. Everyone, even the construction workers, have taken a little bit of ownership.”

Mitchell likes to describe himself as the man who has handled the “nuts and bolts” of the original blueprint.

“The construction is almost complete and we’re finally adding the finishing touches,” Mitchell said. “Â鶹ԭ´´ will be managing the furniture, office supplies and the entire application process. This really is an awesome adventure, and I think we are ready.”

Source: Central Florida Future, Volusia energetic over new Â鶹ԭ´´ incubator, by Andrea Keating, contributing writer. Published: Sunday, May 29, 2011;  Updated: Sunday, May 29, 2011 18:05

On May 6, the Volusia County Council approved a proposal to establish a business incubator that would nurture newborn ideas to grow into profitable companies with large payrolls. The incubator will also lure and cultivate high technology, Daytona Beach International Airport Director Rick Karl said.

“We spend a lot of effort trying to get manufacturing companies. Why don’t we spend time trying to get software companies?” Karl asked.

The new venture will be known as Startup Volusia.

The proposal envisioned by Karl and the County Council involves setting aside space inside the Daytona Beach International Airport terminal for small and promising companies that meet the standards for locating in the rent-free facilities.

The county will spend as much as $1.2 million of its economic-development funds to refurbish approximately 11,000 square feet of the terminal as the flagship site. Karl would not rule out having the space ready for occupancy by the end of the year.

The business incubator could spread out, according to Karl, and add satellite or branch facilities.

“It’s not a place; it’s a program,” he said. There may one day be affiliated operations in DeLand, Deltona, Ormond Beach or New Smyrna Beach.

The county will contract with the Â鶹ԭ´´ to operate the business incubator. In exchange for Â鶹ԭ´´’s services in managing the incubator and helping its clients, the county will pay the school $250,000 to $300,000 per year.

Â鶹ԭ´´ has managed business incubators elsewhere, and Karl rates the university’s expertise quite highly.

“Â鶹ԭ´´ has one of the top in the country,” he said.

Part of Â鶹ԭ´´’s management of Startup Volusia will be screening applications, “not just giving somebody free office space in a corner to do something,” Karl said.

As well as spurring local business efforts, the incubator may lure out-of-state or even foreign businesses to start small in Volusia County and grow.

“It’s a phenomenal opportunity for us to do something,” Karl said. “You’re creating jobs that are above-average.”

Â鶹ԭ´´ will not be the only institution of higher learning involved. Other big-name schools — Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona State College, and Stetson University, as well as Â鶹ԭ´´ — will have a role, helping to train the next generation of high-tech and high-skilled workers.

“The idea is to start small,” Karl said. “We would hope those people who are entrepreneurial would join the effort. There’s nothing like having your own business.”

The universities and colleges could also take advantage of the opportunity to develop and test a product or a service in the incubator.

“If Stetson has an idea that they want to promote, if it’s something that can help the community create jobs, they can develop a business plan and apply,” Karl said.

The county will request additional aid from Washington.

“Phil Ehlinger and I have also met with Congressman [John] Mica and Congresswoman [Suzanne] Kosmas. We’re pursuing federal economic-development money,” Karl added. “When you consider the layoffs at the Cape, we may have a good opportunity.”

Ehlinger is the director of the county’s Department of Economic Development.

County Chair Frank Bruno is optimistic about Startup Volusia, as a step toward broadening the county’s tax base.

“That’s really what we need more of. We need more of the commercial development to offset the residential because our residents are paying more in taxes than people in Orange and other counties, where there is more commercial and industrial,” Bruno said.

“I really do think we’re poised for growth,” Karl noted. “I don’t think it’s going to be exponential in the beginning … but I think we can get on the map.”

Source: West Volusia Beacon, Volusia County Council approves proposal to establish business incubator, by Al Everson, BEACON STAFF WRITER,  posted May 17, 2010 – 8:34:48am— al@beacononlinenews.com