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CAN BE could be a can't miss

July 30, 2004
Hazleton Standard-Speaker

With a name like CAN BE, the Hazleton area's first business incubator can't miss.

With the acronym Community Association for New Business Entrepreneurship, CAN DO's incubator proposal - like the businesses it will house when it is finished - is now in its infancy.

A potential site has been chosen, and if all goes well - and CAN DO's board of directors approves the idea - the incubator should be in operation before the end of 2004.

A partnership would also be launched with Penn State Hazleton to assist with technical needs of new businesses locating in the incubator.

The incubator will be set up in a 15,000 square-foot section of an existing, multi-tenant industrial building CAN DO owns in the Valmont Industrial Park.

It will be set up somewhat like a typical incubator. Each fledgling business will get its own office. There will be a central receptionist who will answer calls for all of the offices. And all of the businesses will have access to a conference room where business presentations can be made, as well as the use of other equipment, including a T-1 line for fast Internet service.

In addition, CAN BE will provide industrial space - which means the start-up business does not necessarily have to be an office-type business.

"Now, we know it is needed," said CAN DO President W. Kevin O'Donnell. "We are seeing throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania other incubators are starting up and being successful. Northeastern Pennsylvania has a lot of opportunities for new businesses."

O'Donnell said CAN DO wanted to locate the incubator in Valmont because it is close to one of the community partners in the venture, Penn State Hazleton.

A program that could easily dovetail into the incubator is the Great Vvalley Technology Allliance.

The Alliance, of which CAN DO is a founding partner, was formed to transform the area into a high-tech, knowledge-based area that will provide white collar employment opportunities.