Small Business Center Signs Agreement to Collaborate with Shanghai Incubator
A-B Tech's Small Business Center (SBC) and Incubator has entered into an agreement with the Yangpu Science and Technology Venture Center in Shanghai, China, to assist business clients by evaluating markets outside their traditional areas.
"The goal of this project is to enable small- and medium-sized enterprises, who produce products and services that are desirable to the international market, to be able to establish distribution points in other countries," said Russ Yelton, director of the SBC.
Other objectives include providing direct consultation to clients, and demonstrating the feasibility of a cooperative joint community outreach effort.
"We, in conjunction with other incubators around the world, will identify specific products or services that are in demand in an international market," he said. "Once we determine those products or services, the cooperating incubators will assist us in locating appropriate end-users and distributors for these goods. "
The pilot program, which started Jan. 1, will last for one year. "This agreement represents a wonderful opportunity for our small- and medium-sized businesses to sell products in an international market," said Yelton. "Simply because labor may be cheaper overseas does not mean there is not substantial demand for high-quality products. We hope to expand this program to a number of other countries in the upcoming year, including a pending agreement with a biochemical incubator in South Africa, as well as groups in Mexico."
Incubator Client Featured in New York Times Article
Embedded Processor Designs, Inc. (EPD), a client of A-B Tech's Small Business Incubator, was featured in an article in the Business Section of the Jan. 5 edition of The New York Times and the Jan. 6 edition of the Charlotte Observer.
Titled "The 'Build a Better Mousetrap' Path to Growth," the story describes EPD's InfoCube, a paging system that not only alerts restaurant patrons when their table is ready, but entertains them during their wait with games, trivia, movie show times, house menu specials, and more.
"We are excited that EPD's technology has received attention from all over the United States," said Russ Yelton, director of the Small Business Center and Incubator. "The technology that has been developed by EPD can be utilized in many different markets and we are proud to have them as a client in our business incubation program."
The New York Times interviewed President David Thompson about his product and how running a small business helped him get the Infocube to the market. Many small business owners have recently taken existing ideas and improved on them, according to the article. Thompson operates the company with Lisa Roberts, the chief financial officer for EDP.
EPD has worked with A-B Tech's Small Business Center since September, developing a business plan and looking at ways to commercialize its product and obtain venture capital. The company received the 2005 Innovative Product/Process Leadership Award from the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and Western Carolina University at the Chamber's Industry Appreciation Event in November.
Ramsey Speaks To Garden Club
Brinda Caldwell Ramsey, Director of Community Services for Continuing Education, speaks at the Asheville Garden Club in November. She discussed the floral design program at A-B Tech and promoted the Community Service program. She also did a floral demonstration and spoke about design.