Hello Greater Cincinnati,
As a community that loves to punch above its weight class, we did it again!
At the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Annual Conference being held this week, HCDC Business Center was honored to be named the 2019 Entrepreneurship Program of the Year. IEDC is the largest economic development professional organization in the world with over 5000 organizations being members.
After 30 years of being a difference maker in the world of business incubation, entrepreneurship, and innovation, HCDC Business Center was selected as a global leader in the craft of business incubation. As a full service business incubation program that provides coaching and mentoring services, programming, access to a variety of space, and an engaging environment, HCDC Business Center has been a place for over 400 innovative start-ups to launch. IEDC chose HCDC Business Center due to our consistently strong track record of excellence in helping clients attain capital, grow revenue, and add employment.
Over the past decade, HCDC has seen its clients generate revenues of over $225 Million and gather over $125 Million in risk capital. All this from an urban renewal project started in 1989 with the refurbishment of an old paint factory on Mentor Avenue in Norwood, Ohio. As one of the pioneers that blazed a path forward for what has become #StartupCincy, HCDC Business Center is proud of the people, organizations, stakeholders, and clients who made this program special. Without the help of the State of Ohio Third Frontier Entrepreneur Signature Program, Queen City Angels, University of Cincinnati, CincyTech, Hamilton County, and so many others, we would not be where we are today without those special collaborations. Without our clients, who trusted us to help them, we would not have over 200 successful graduate companies in our alumni list that annually produce revenues exceeding $400 Million. And to the many HCDC Board and Team members who provided the vision and execution needed to make this program a world renown incubation location, we thank you for the passion and knowledge shared that gave this incubator the special atmosphere that was needed to make a difference in the eyes of the entrepreneurs we serve.
The HCDC team and I are over the moon with excitement and incredibly grateful for this award from IEDC. We look forward to being a start-up pillar in the Greater Cincinnati region for years to come! Let us be a difference maker to all entrepreneurs who come our way! Onward & Upward!
Very truly yours,
Patrick Longo
