Hot Topic

EDA Grantee WESST Recognized as One of Seven
Hot Startup Incubators

Business incubators are a critical lifeline for budding entrepreneurs. These startup boot camps provide fledgling companies training, counseling, facilities, office space and the most essential element for a small business -- access to funding. Here are seven that are on fire

EXCERPT: Over the past two years, Noonan said WESST Enterprise Center has created 136 new jobs in the Albuquerque area and generated $14.3 million in revenue. Nouveau, a women-owned cosmetics company, was acquired by a larger Dallas cosmetics company one year after joining the program. And IntelliCyt, a biotech company that's not women-owned, but is graduating from the WESST incubator next month, has doubled in size and is selling its products overseas. Click here to read CNN Money article.

EDAs INVESTMENT

In 2009, EDA invested in the Women's Economic Self-Sufficiency Team (WESST) Enterprise Center, a small business incubator in Albuquerque, NM that is promoting economic and job growth. The facility houses new and expanding businesses. Since its inception, WESST has provided business training, technical assistance and financial education for over 28,000 individuals and facilitated the start-up and growth of over 2,680 small businesses.