February 26, 2023

STORIES OF ADA AREA ENTREPRENEURS & INNOVATORS

Composting and Collaboration: Colleges Unite at East Central University

The story of humanity can be told in compost. Archeologists find rich detail about a society in what they throw away, in what decomposes, and what is left to be found centuries later. As our modern society has produced a growing amount of waste, a growing body of environmental research has noted the environmental impact of humans. New research and reports come with significantly increasing dire warnings about the future of our planet and humanity. While this can be overwhelming, there are people who are searching for solutions and taking the steps that are needed to have a positive impact on the environment. Three of these individuals are professors at East Central University: Jose Montalva, Dr. Leah Dudley, and Dr. Germain Pichop.

Quarterly Leadership Roundtable

The Southern Oklahoma Startup Ecosystem Leadership Roundtable convened for a quarterly event in Durant, Oklahoma. This event was hosted by Rural Enterprises of Oklahoma, and was focused on starting work through a Network Mapping exercise to chart the tech startup “network” in the Southern Oklahoma Region. The Roundtable will convene again in May to continue the work of developing the connections throughout this network and will create an opportunity to share information and resources.

After the strategic portion of the roundtable meeting, there was a tour of the nearly finished Chahtapreneur space in Durant. This is an entrepreneurship initiative and space created by the Choctaw Nation and is an exciting addition of services and expertise to the region.

The Startup Ecosystem Leadership Roundtable is an event that is part of the EDA’s Build to Scale award made to the Ada Jobs Foundation in 2021. The goal is to help develop a scalable technology startup ecosystem in 10 counties included in the Economic Development District which coincides with the Southern Oklahoma Development Association. The Roundtable was established to connect the entrepreneurial support organizations in the region and provide an opportunity to share networks, resources, and opportunities to work together. It is designed to work in tandem with other programs, such as the storytelling initiative and monthly tech meet up events in order to build a regional network and culture of technology startups in Rural Oklahoma.

REMINDER to sign-up: Oklahoma Venture Resource Council Meeting

Coming to Ada on March 23^rd

What is it? The Oklahoma Venture Resource Council (OVRC) is a group focused on supporting new ventures in Oklahoma by increasing and expanding the services and capital available to businesses. This event is OVRC’s 6^th “On the Road Event” and will be hosted in Ada for the first time. The event is an opportunity for founders, funders, policy makers, and other entrepreneurial-minded people to network and discuss the evolving world of venture and entrepreneurial ecosystem development.

When and Where? The event will be held on Thursday, March 23^rd, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm at the Harland C. Stonecipher School of Business at East Central University, 830 E. Main Street.

How do I attend? Anyone interested in attending can sign up through link below.