Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

An abundance of supportive organizations and other resources are within reach for Northwest Arkansas entrepreneurs, and a new online platform is now ready to guide the way.

The StartupNWA Hub is built in partnership with EcoMap Technologies, a category-defining artificial intelligence software company, and links entrepreneurs to accelerators, business associations, and investors in one comprehensive, searchable, up-to-date package. The hub represents an evolution of the longstanding efforts from the Northwest Arkansas Council to support the entrepreneurial ecosystem and help the next generation of businesses flourish in a region known for its innovation.

A grant from the Walton Family Foundation will allow the council to take advantage of EcoMap’s infrastructure, while the University of Arkansas Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (OEI) will provide support to assist users and ensure the website’s information is continually updated.

“Northwest Arkansas needs new businesses and innovations to keep its place as one of the nation’s most dynamic and thriving regions, and we need to do all we can to get the needed tools into entrepreneurs’ hands,” said Nelson Peacock, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Northwest Arkansas Council. “These innovative founders are ultimately the ones who will chart our economic future.”

The entrepreneurship support ecosystem around Northwest Arkansas can meet a wide range of needs, whether someone is considering becoming an entrepreneur for the first time or is looking to grow and improve an existing business. EforAll NWA, for example, provides a year-long coaching and seed-funding program in both English and Spanish, particularly geared toward underserved communities. The university’s OEI, meanwhile, runs pitch competitions, workshops, business incubation programs and other year-round initiatives.

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