SOREDI Receives $45,000 Grant for Launch Activities

Oregon Community Foundation Allocates Funds to Drive Entrepreneurism Statewide

Medford OR – Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development, Inc. (SOREDI) has received a $45,000 grant from the Oregon Community Foundation as part of a larger statewide initiative to fund venture catalysts and associated business launch activities. The grant is being made to two other Oregon regions, as well, and will be managed by the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network.

SOREDI’s Venture Catalyst Tim Root joined the SOREDI staff in September 2015 to pursue and support scalable startups, coordinate the Southern Oregon Angel Investment Network, and enhance the entrepreneurial environment in Southern Oregon. With this additional funding infusion, SOREDI will be able to plan and coordinate various events pertinent to local entrepreneurs who are seeking to grow their idea into a successful business venture.

“We are already actively developing a framework and schedule for start-up weekends that will be packed with pertinent and applicable activities, mentoring, and team building exercises. The region has lacked this kind of hands-on systematic approach for entrepreneurs and we are ready to move forward now.” Root expects to make an announcement of specific opportunities for interested start-ups to participate in within the month.

SOREDI has had a long-standing relationship with budding entrepreneurs since its inception in 1987 and in recent years has implemented weekly 1-hour sessions with start-ups to provide more direct guidance and pertinent advice for next steps. Over 50 such Sounding Board sessions have already occurred in the current fiscal year and the agency continues to add qualified mentors to its Technical Assistance Group (TAG).

Incoming Executive Director Colleen Padilla states “We are enthusiastic about this partnership with OEN as it truly solidifies our efforts to help business launch right here in the region, complementing our additional functions of helping business relocate and prosper in Southern Oregon. We can now stage meaningful activities and implement programs to truly nurture entrepreneurs and help them successfully launch their business.”

Interested entrepreneurs may also contact Tim Root, Venture Catalyst at tim@soredi.org. For more information about OEN, please visit their website – www.oen.org.

SOREDI is a private, membership based, non-profit organization, governed by a 23-member board of directors. Its six-person staff is charged with local business expansion and new business recruitment efforts, financial assistance to start-up companies through its business loan fund, and management of Enterprise Zones in Jackson and Josephine Counties. The agency was formed as a regional economic development agency in 1987.