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The Venture Center Announces 2019 Pitch ‘N Pint Details

The Venture Center Announces 2019 Pitch ‘N Pint Details

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. November 4, 2019 – The Venture Center today announced South on Main as the location for its 2019 Pitch ‘N Pint competition to be held December 10, 2019, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Pitch ‘N Pint is a 60-second pitch competition that pits entrepreneurs in a real-time "Shark Tank" style pitch competition where winners leave with cash and connections. Read More

Posted on: November 4, 2019
Meet Us at the Cutting Edge

Meet Us at the Cutting Edge

As Program Manager, my role is building The Venture Center's fintech accelerator program, of which ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator and ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator 2.0 are part. Read More

Posted on: October 29, 2019
Spark! Founder Feature with Katrina Smith

Spark! Founder Feature with Katrina Smith

As a minority and woman construction business owner, I have experienced hurdles with the lack of professional mentors in a typically male field. It took time building relationships and taking small jobs, patiently waiting to build trust for larger jobs. Another hurdle was difficulties accessing loans and working capital, which are key components in a strong business future. I’m driven and motivated to succeed in business, though, as I’m a single mom of two young sons. I would like to build a successful business they can inherit in the future. And as an Arkansas native, I want to grow and help create jobs in my community. Read More

Posted on: October 24, 2019
Alumni Update: What’s New with Joe Ehrhardt?

Alumni Update: What’s New with Joe Ehrhardt?

We’ve had so much great news lately! We won the Banker’s Choice Award for Most Impactful Solution at ICBA Live 2019, and ICBA went on to invest in our company bringing our total seed capital raise to $2 million. Tricia Hopkins, CFO of ICBA, also joined our board of directors, which is certainly exciting. We’ve extended our geographic reach and signed new banks with headquarters in Florida and West Virginia. Read More

Posted on: October 24, 2019
The Importance of an Innovation Strategy

The Importance of an Innovation Strategy

The recruitment period for ICBA ThinkTECH 2.0 has officially ended and the Selection Committee is in the process of evaluating the incredible applicants. We are particularly excited about the opportunities that exist with this Accelerator because in this 2nd year, we are primed to experience a tremendous level of growth. Read More

Posted on: October 22, 2019
Where Entrepreneurs from Little Rock to Vietnam Meet: The Venture Center

Where Entrepreneurs from Little Rock to Vietnam Meet: The Venture Center

At The Venture Center, we're often thrilled by the number of program applicants we get from across the globe. It's exciting to know that the work we are doing makes an impact from Little Rock to Australia, Israel, and beyond. But, we haven't had a chance to take our mission beyond Little Rock and to other areas of the world that could also benefit from our experiences. That changed when we learned that our friend Xuan Do, a YSEALI (Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative) Outbound Fellow from Vietnam, had a project selected for funding. Read More

Posted on: October 21, 2019