Innovation Mill is inspired by emerging high growth industries in the area as well as the continued growth of the new and early-stage businesses to advance dynamic economies in the community. Innovation Mill will combine the visibility of The Gauntlet, orientation of the Entrepreneurial Operating System Model (EOS), the support of community leaders as mentors, the research knowledge of higher education, and the experience of industry experts. Innovation Mill will assist with a full range of innovative services to help set the vision, evaluate data, address expansion issues, commercialization, address legal work steps (FDA, UPC, IP, etc.), tackle perceived manufacturing/modeling pinch points, develop processes, and scale. Companies will work alongside undergraduate students, fellow entrepreneurs, and their own Business Innovation and Development (BID) team to innovate, pivot, and expand their company.
Innovation Mill provides high growth startups with access to:
1. A team made up of industry experts giving one-on-one coaching and higher education undergraduates devoted to your business development and innovation. Businesses will also receive access to tap into market intelligence and gain valuable industry research, vendor studies, and practical knowledge.
2. Industry cluster networking designed for entrepreneurs to gain direct access to practical, technical, and business-related information. Regular meetings allow participants to share ideas and best practices.
Entrepreneurs interested in joining Innovation Mill are encouraged to fill out the Needs Assessment below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJQUlsOkiPV7rQOruXlgWsRqIC2JoaPV5trsjLrWDvzPqakA/viewform
https://www.roanoke.com/business/business-intel-innovation-mill-seeking-applications/article_d0188c1d-9509-5fab-a6c4-3513be3ee959.html
theadvancementfoundation.org/innovation-mill/