Local entrepreneurial initiative wins international award

Supercharge Southwest Missouri, an entrepreneurial initiative from partners the Efactory and Missouri Small Business Development Center, has been recognized with an international award.

Designed to address the region’s entrepreneurial challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, Supercharge Southwest Missouri was named the most innovative program at the International Conference on Business Incubation of the International Business Innovation Association, according to a news release. The conference was held June 26-29 in Atlanta.

“Through the grant-funded program, participants unlock access to no-cost resources including business consulting, executive-level mentorship networks, on-demand training and office hours with attorneys, accountants and other professionals," Efactory Executive Director Rachel Anderson said in an October 2021 Springfield Business Journal article about Supercharge. "Providing these resources is critical not only to the creation and sustainability of new businesses but also to our entire region’s long-term economic sustainability.”

The Missouri Technology Corp. last year awarded a $250,000 grant for Supercharge Southwest Missouri.

The most innovative program award at the InBIA conference recognizes incubators, accelerators and other entrepreneurial support organizations for out-of-the-box thinking and high-impact programs, according to the release.

Supercharge is available in more than 16 southwest Missouri counties.