January 5, 2006

A-B Tech’s Small Business Center (SBC) and Incubator has entered into a joint venture with the Yangpu Science and Technology Venture Center in Shanghai, China, in order to assist business clients by evaluating markets outside their traditional areas.

“The goal of this project is to enable small- and medium-sized size 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 to demonstrate 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.”