Join the Network

The Sandhills Entrepreneurship Engagement Network is the premier community for local businesses. For owners and startups, SEEN powers connections to start, scale and accelerate area entrepreneurs. For the established resource network, SEEN will be a platform to provide best fit referrals, build your network, and to showcase the story of entrepreneurship in our region.

We invite all not-for-profit, government or educational organizations that serve entrepreneurs and medium-size businesses to join this exciting effort by completing the online form below to share with us what resources and services you provide.

If you are a private sector company or organization that provides business services to local entrepreneurs, please contact us to learn about sponsorship opportunities and other ways we’d love to have you get involved.

For any other questions, or more information about SEEN, please email info@seenstartups.com.

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Overview

Some organizations support all types of entrepreneurs and business owners, others specialize in serving only specific sub-groups. In each category below, please check the types of clients which you provide direct technical services for. Please mark all that apply, see below for an example.

Example
Support Specialize Description
Your organization provides this option
Your organization specializes in providing this option
Your organization does not provide this option

Opportunity Populations

Does your organization specialize in serving one or more of the following audiences?

Support Specialize Opportunity Populations
African American
Asian
Hispanic
Immigrant
LGBTQIA
Lumbee
Middle Eastern North African
Native American
People with Disabilities
Refugee
Returning Citizens
UNCP Alumni
Veteran
Woman
Youth

Business Type

Select the types of business your organization serves.

Support Specialize Business Type
Innovation-ledInnovation-led enterprises rely on research and development to bring an innovative product or process to the market. The innovation typically involves intellectual property that contributes to a strong competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Main StreetMain Street companies serve communities’ growing populations and define a community’s cultural character. These entrepreneurs have storefronts and are found among the local dry cleaner, grocery store owner, coffee shop owner or restaurateur.
MicroenterpriseBy definition, microenterprises are businesses that require less than $35,000 in capitalization to start. Microenterprises can help those in poverty build wealth. Dislocated workers and retirees also often start these kinds of companies.
Second StageSecond stage enterprises have survived the startup phase and have owners who are focused on growing and expanding. The second-stage firms generally have between 10 to 99 employees and/or $750,000 to $50 million in revenue.


Business Stage

Select the stages of business your organization serves.

Support Specialize Business Stage
Inception / Idea
Proof of Concept / Prototype / Market Intro
Rollout
Growth / Expansion


Industry

Select the industries your organization serves.

Support Specialize Industry
Agriculture
Arts
Bioscience and Manufacturing
Construction
Education
Energy and Utilities
Finance and Insurance
Health and Childcare
High Tech Services and Manufacturing
Information Technology
Management
Manufacturing
Mining
Not for Profit
Other Services
Personal Services
Professional Services
Real Estate
Restaurant
Retail
Tourism
Transportation & Warehousing
Wholesale

Services You Offer

This section will match prospective clients with the services you offer. The services indicated will determine what assistance clients are contacting your organization for assistance with. Please use the list below and indicate ONLY those services that you directly provide, as opposed to services for which you would know where to refer the client. This will save entrepreneurs time and your organizations frustration. Please indicate a specialty area if one applies.

Accelerators and Incubators

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Accelerator
Incubator

Business Planning

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Business Plan Consulting
Business Succession Planning
Demographic and Census Data
Diversification
Feasibility Studies
Forming a Business
Identification and Research of Foreign Markets
Market Plan Development
Market Research

Buying or Selling a Business

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Buying or Selling a Franchise
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
Purchasing or Selling an Existing Business
Tax Services
Valuation

Economic and Site Development

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Economic Development
Economic Forecast
Environmental Compliance
Lease Review
Revitalization
Site Location Assistance
Tax Credits
Watershed Planning

Events and Community Building

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Farmers Market
Hackathon / Startup Week or Weekends
Neighborhood Fairs and Festivals
Pitch Events
Startup Networking

Financial Resources and Assistance

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Accounting and Bookkeeping
Angel Investment
Bonding
Budget, Financial Statement and Cash Flow Training
Crowdfunding
Debt Funding
Equity Funding
Government Funding
Grant Funding
Insurance Requirements
Loans
Matching Funds
Microloans
Real Estate Finance
Revenue Based Financing (i.e. factoring)
Tax Credits
Technology Grants
Trade Show Financial Assistance
Venture Capital

Human Resources, Workforce and Talent

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Apprenticeship
Employee Development
Hiring and Firing
Industry
Insurance
Leadership/Professional Development
Policies and Templates
Recruiting
Retention
Workforce Incentives
Workforce Training

Import and Export Assistance

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Certification and Licensing
Financial Assistance for Exporting Activities
Identification/Research of Foreign Markets
Locating Foreign Distributors
Networking/Exploring Exporting
Trade Education and Training

Internship Programs and Student Services

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Business Degree Program
Internship Program
Student Marketing Projects
Student Placement
Student Research Projects
Student Training
Youth Entrepreneurship Education

Legal Services

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Contract Review
Employee Relations
Environmental Compliance
Forming a Business
Labor Relations
Lease Review
Patent Seminars
Patent, Trademark & Copyright Information

Libraries and Research

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Business Research Resources
Company Data/Prospect Lists
Demographic/Census Data
Industry Data
Lifestyle and Psychographic Data

Management Issues

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Human Resources
Insurance Requirements
Leadership/Professional Development
Recruiting Assistance

Manufacturing, High Tech, Life Sciences Development

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Augmented / Virtual Reality and Holographics
Commercialization
Hazardous Waste Generation Avoidance Training
Health and Safety Training
High Tech Development
Industrial Technology Research
Life Sciences Development
Manufacturing Development
Pollution Prevention
Quality Improvement (Supply Chain, Six Sigma)
Science/Bioscience Seminars
Technology Transfer
Wet Lab Incubator

Marketing and Sales

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Advertising/Brochure Design
Award Recognition
Call Center Services
Competitive Analysis
Demographics/Census Data
E-Commerce/Internet Marketing
Feasibility Studies
Identification/Research of Foreign Markets
Market Plan Development and Training
Market Research
Student Marketing Projects
Website Development

Mentoring

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Formal Mentoring Programs
One-on-One Counseling
Peer Mentoring

Networking and Associations

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Demographically Based
Geographically Based
Home Based
Industry Specific
International Trade
Small Business/General

Nonprofit and Social Enterprise

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Accounting
Board Development
Funds Development
Human Resources
Organizational Audits
Strategic Planning
Technical Services

Operations and Logistics

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Freight and Distribution
Hazardous Waste Generation Avoidance Training
Health and Safety Training
Locating Freight Forwarders/Customs Brokers
Pollution Prevention
Quality Improvement (Supply Chain, Six Sigma)

Product Development

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Patent Information
Product Assembly and Packaging
Product Design and Development
Prototype Development
R&D Support

Public Policy and Government Relations

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
African-American Business
City Business Issues
Hispanic Business
LGBTQIA Business Issues
Native-American Business
Small Business Policy
State Business Issues
Women's Business Issues

Regulatory Compliance

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Bonding
Certification
Codes
Environmental Compliance
Government Requirements
Insurance Requirements
International Regulatory Compliance
Patent Information
Registration, Licenses and Permits
Trademark and Copyright Information

Selling to the Government and Large Corporations

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Bid Matching and Preparation
Government and Military Specifications
HUBZone Certification
Obtaining Certification
Obtaining Corporate Contracts
Obtaining Government Contracts
Price History
Registration Assistance
Selling to Foreign Governments and Businesses
Subcontracting Opportunities

Space

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Commercial Kitchen Facilities
Conference/Meeting and Event Space
Coworking
Lab Space
Lease Review Assistance
Makerspace / Hackerspace
Office Space
Retail Space
Site Location Assistance
Wet Lab

Starting a Business

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Business Research Resources
Feasibility Studies
Forming a Business
Home-Based Business Training
Registration, Licenses and Permits
Site Location
Startup Business Counseling
Startup Classes

Tax Services

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
State and Federal Tax Training
State Tax Credit Information
Tax Credits
Tax Preparation Assistance
Tax Registration

Technical Assistance

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Bookkeeping/Accounting Software Training
Coding Schools, Bootcamps, Classes
Commercialization
Design Services
Industrial Technology Research
Pollution Prevention
Technology Transfer
Virtual Consulting and Online Services
Website Development

Training

Provide Service Specialize in Service Service
Bookkeeping/Accounting Software Training
Budget, Cash Flow and Financial Statements Training
Business Management Training
Business Plan Training and Assistance
E-Commerce/Internet Marketing
Hazardous Waste Generation Avoidance Training
Health and Safety Training
Health Care Training
Home-Based Business Training
Human Resources Training
International Trade Education and Training
Marketing Plan Training
Online Courses and Videos
Startup Classes
Trade Education and Training