CAN DO creates business incubator
Center would help launch new companies
Jan. 19, 2005
Hazleton Standard-Speaker
By Jim Dino
CAN DO's multi-tenant building 7B in the Valmont Industrial Park was built as a speculative building to provide smaller spaces for businesses or industries to be born.
A number of government officials were on hand Tuesday morning for the dedication of the Greater Hazleton Business Innovation Center in the building along Rotary Drive.
CAN DO President W. Kevin O'Donnell said the area's industrial and economic development organization has to expand the ways new jobs are attracted to the area.
"CAN DO has attracted 22,000 jobs to this community and we will continue to do that," O'Donnell said. "But it is no longer guaranteed that new business from outside the area wants to come here. Manufacturers are going offshore, where regulations are practically non-existent.
"To be competitive for jobs tomorrow we have to support the ideas of local entrepreneurs and make sure they are successful," he continued. "If they are rooted in this area, I'm pretty sure they'll stay here."
O'Donnell said an incubator gives a business just starting out a much better chance of succeeding.
"Four out of five new businesses fail in the first three years," O'Donnell said. "It's just the opposite if an incubator is involved. Four out of five that start in an incubator succeed."
O'Donnell said the incubator was located in the Valmont building because it is close to the Hazleton Campus of Penn State – making it a Pennsylvania Keystone Innovation Zone, or KIZ, meaning projects will get first priority for state funding. Penn State faculty and personnel will also provide assistance to the incubator.
O'Donnell said the Hazleton incubator has an advantage over other incubators because it provides both office and manufacturing space. A firm can rent either one or both, if needed.
The incubator is divided into office and manufacturing sections. There are five office and manufacturing sections. There are five office sections, which range in size from 460 to 640 square feet and can be further subdivided or put together as the tenant wishes, O'Donnell said.
The offices will be served by a common receptionist/secretary and conference room.
The manufacturing spaces range in size from 2,299 to 2,400 square feet, and each has one loading dock.
CAN DO Chairman Bob Moisey said CAN DO has had other help in setting up the incubator.
"We've received $270,000 in construction money from the Luzerne County Office of Community Development," Moisey said. "PPL Electric Utilities has provided Blue Ribbon marketing grants to develop a Web site at www.canbe.biz and for other marketing help. And the Ben Franklin Technology Partnership has provided funding for the director."
Gerry Ephault, regional manager for Ben Franklin Technology Partners, said the incubator will be a success because CAN DO has managed to partner with so many organizations to make it happen.
"CAN DO has done an outstanding job with the manufacturing base and is now entering into a new activity to support entrepreneurs and their ides," Ephault said.
"The center will support technology-based companies that will create good paying jobs. You have a very effective manager with a good board. I strongly believe this is going to succeed."
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