A group of entrepreneur support organizations has launched a new platform to help businesses start and grow in northeast Indiana. The website, FuseNEI.com, was developed as a networking hub with the financial support of the Indiana Economic Development Corp., American Electric Power, Greater Fort Wayne Inc., the Knight Foundation and SEED Fort Wayne.
FUSE NEI is an online resource hub and directory, designed to help entrepreneurs connect with Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) in Northeast Indiana.
FuseNEI.com is designed to connect founders and owners of local businesses to a network of resources. The site offers a searchable directory of 13 options that are specific to a need, whether it is business planning, funding or mentorship.
The Fuse calendar feature includes workshop options and other startup education opportunities.
The website’s partners say they designed the site to provide a focused and consistent voice to the region’s entrepreneurship movement.
“We believe that the more people who have access to this type of information and resources, the more equitable the opportunities are for entrepreneurship,” said Director of SEED Fort Wayne Trois Hart. “Starting a business often runs in families, so where to go for information and help is baked into the startup effort. Providing everyone access to the strong ESO community brings us closer to what we call equitable entrepreneurship, which drives a lot of what we do as your local entrepreneur ecosystem.”
FuseNEI.com is being launched and supported by the following Northeast Indiana entrepreneur support organizations:
- 1 Million Cups, John Richards
- 1517 Fund, Nick Arnett
- 212 at Artlink, Matt McClure
- Believe in a Dream, Steve Franks
- Brightpoint Development Fund, Sherry Early-Aden
- Build Institute (powered by SEED), Trois Hart
- Electric Works, Crystal Vann Wallstrom
- Elevate Ventures, Erica Schweyer
- Elevate Northeast Indiana, Marilyn Moran-Townsend
- Fort Wayne Community Development Corp., Cheryl Blackman
- Fortitude Fund, Steve Franks
- Founders Spark, Aaron Robles
- ISBDC, Wes Shie
- Indiana Procurement Technical Assistance Center, Robert Warner
- Junior Achievement, Lisa Kern
- Ocean NEI, Ben Westfall
- Own Your Success, Andie Hines
- Penta Minority Entrepreneurship Center, Cozey Baker
- SCORE, Mona Dewart
- SEED Fort Wayne, Trois Hart
- Start Fort Wayne, Dave Sanders
- The Build Guild, Abraham S. Parra
- The NIIC, Tammy Allen
- The Workbench Fort Wayne, Jon Rehwaldt
- WEOC, Leslee Hill
- Wunderkammer, Dan Swartz