The Delaware County Commerce Center, in addressing one of its key roles of assisting in the formation and attraction of new businesses contributing to the vitality of the economy within Delaware County, has partnered with HeadRoom, a Aston, Media and Wayne-based small business incubator, and SCORE, an organization of highly skilled and experienced volunteers dedicated to providing free counseling and seminars to help small businesses start, grow and prosper.

The Commerce Center will sponsor qualifying start-ups and small businesses to use HeadRoom facilities to incubate and develop their businesses, with the ultimate goal of creating employment in Delaware County.

How to apply

Complete the application below, which will be reviewed by a committee composed of members of the Commerce Center, HeadRoom and SCORE. The goal of the program is to create sustainable employment in the small business sector in Delaware County; therefore, companies most likely to be successful in their application will have a focus on job creation and making a contribution to the local economy.

Applicants will be required to make a 20 minute presentation followed by a 10 minute Q&A session as part of the qualification process.

What will successful applicants receive?

Successful applicants will receive full use of all HeadRoom facilities in Aston, Media and Wayne for 50 hours per month. They will have 24/7 access for themselves, their team, advisors and clients.

State of the art offices and conference rooms allow for one-on-one meetings, team meetings, workshops and presentations. Most importantly, participating businesses will have access to the very broad range of local businesses currently using HeadRoom, which can act as a source of subject matter expertise, additional business, local knowledge and direct referrals. They will also receive mentorship and assistance from SCORE and Headroom staff.

How long does the sponsorship last?

Companies can remain in the program for a maximum period of 36 months, provided that they demonstrate on-time and successful completion of key milestones in their business plan as presented in their original application. Such plans will be reviewed on a quarterly basis by the application committee.

Requirements

Companies’ primary source of income must come from the production of a tangible or identifiable product or service. This can include software or web-site development. Companies involved principally in coaching and consultancy services would not be eligible.

On being accepted into the program, participants are entering into an agreement to continue to operate their principal place of business in Delaware County throughout the period of the sponsorship, and for a period of 5 years subsequent to their completing the program. If they should choose not continue to operate in Delaware County, they will be obliged to return the total sponsorship amount to the Delaware County Commerce Center.

Companies will be required to report on progress and compliance with submitted business plans on a quarterly basis.

 

Delaware County’s visionary leadership is committed to creating a collaborative business environment where your business can grow and thrive. To effectively facilitate collaboration, the Delaware County Commerce Center has been established as the central location for business and economic development information and assistance in Delaware County. Whether you’re a business looking to relocate or expand, an entrepreneur looking to start a business, or an existing business looking to maintain your competitive edge, let us help you explore your edge in Delaware County.