A goal of The Oxford-Lafayette County Economic Development Foundation is to develop a culture of entrepreneurship and serve as the lead organization in the Lafayette County community’s efforts to support and enhance technology based entrepreneurship.
Objectives
1. Provide assistance, education, collaboration opportunities, and training to enhance entrepreneurial small business owners needs by:
- Support the University of Mississippi in its efforts to “spin-out” new business start-ups into the Oxford-Lafayette Community.
- To serve as a referral source with various UM and local groups. Conducting networking opportunities.
- Network/collaborate with regional entities such as MDA, MTA, and TVA as to research, funding, and improving methods of new business creation techniques.
- Special efforts initially will be made to recruit technology based information technology-based companies who have the potential of being scalable to operate in the interstate commerce arena.
2. Develop community awareness by:
- High-lighting and celebrating entrepreneurship within the community.
- Establishing methods to recognize successful entrepreneurial ventures.
3. Reduce disincentives and barriers to entrepreneurship by:
- Establish/regionally collaborate to create a financial “An Angel Network” providing better availability of capital.
- Serve as a referral agency for financing opportunities through MDA, Three Rivers PDD and the local SBDC.
- Investing with local community basic infrastructure such as electrical, broadband, or services which expand information technology capacity.
- Expanding Business Incubation and outreach where possible
- Providing information on permits, zoning laws, etc. ONE STOP
