The Davis Applied Technology College launches entrepreneurial center for Utah entrepreneurs

Facility to spur economic development for county

Come this time next year, Davis County entrepreneurs will have a big new tool to help them get off the ground.

The Davis Applied Technology College broke ground earlier this month on the Roy W. and Elizabeth E. Simmons Entrepreneurial Center, a $2 million facility the college hopes will fuel economic development for the county and lend a hand to budding entrepreneurs.

"We’ve been dreaming about this for years," said Brent Petersen, vice president of operations at DATC. "This will be an economic development engine for the whole county."

The center will fill many purposes, Petersen said. It will be an incubator of sorts for young businesses that need space to develop ideas and resources. It will offer information and resources for growing businesses. And it will be a valuable training/proving ground for DATC students.

"The main focus is on helping entrepreneurs just beginning to get their business off the ground," he said.

"Once they do that, they can move on to an industrial park or other facility. So if someone’s in their basement or garage with a great idea for a business, they can come here, and we’ll help them with training on how to do their accounting, maybe, or how to do sales.

By Jenifer K. Nii
Deseret Morning News

Full Story: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,600135728,00.html