- Date published
Grant will help efactory support businesses and employers in region.
Staying up-to-date is more than being trendy – it’s a necessity for high-demand facilities like Missouri State University’s efactory.
Finding innovative ways to meet the needs of businesses, employers, startups and the community allows efactory to provide premier business services to the region’s job creators and innovators. Missouri Technology Corporation awarded efactory $380,500 over a two-year period as part of their Physical Infrastructure Grant Program.
With this support, efactory will strengthen and expand technology platforms to support growing members and make facility improvements. These funds will help better serve the 200+ individuals who operate out of efactory daily as well as those who visit for business support and talent development services.
“We are honored to award a Physical Infrastructure Grant to efactory in support of the thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in Southwest Missouri,” stated Jack Scatizzi, executive director of MTC.
MTC’s programmatic focus is to provide support for early-stage, high-growth technology-based companies that have the potential to create significant economic development impact in Missouri.
“We envision the grant will foster innovation and prosperity in the region by ensuring entrepreneurs have access to the physical infrastructures and resources required to launch and grow their businesses.”
Developing partnerships
“It’s amazing to see how far IDEA Commons has come since the university began investing in the area,” said Rachel Anderson, executive director of efactory. “Not long ago, we started as an abandoned poultry processing plant and now we’re the place where ideas come to life.”
Anderson is committed to developing pathways that equal new opportunities.
“It’s rare and special to have a place that brings community together – a place where everyone is working to make their dream happen. Every day I’m more inspired than the last as I walk past the silos and am greeted in our hallways with a mix of high school students, college students, entrepreneurs, business professionals and community leaders who are all working to make things better.”
“With assistance from MTC and other wonderful supporters, we’ve been able to grow our economic impact in the region,” said Brad Bodenhausen, vice president for community and global partnerships at MSU. “We look forward to continuing to build more partnerships that add value to community members, employers and students.”
MTC’s Physical Infrastructure Grant Program seeks to ensure entrepreneurs throughout the state have access to the physical infrastructure and resources required to launch and grow their businesses.
“This investment is a game-changer,” Anderson said. “It empowers us to continue to improve and provide a world-class innovation hub where entrepreneurs can thrive, collaborate and build the next generation of groundbreaking companies.”
