Second round of winners announced for Rubber City Match
Recently, an announcement by Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan revealed the first two-award level winners of the Rubber City Match’s second round.
The Match as it is aptly named matches existing and emerging enterprises with the best resources to help them move forward to their next stage of growth. Four award levels are available, and include technical support, financial aid, design assistance and curated matching with available retail properties in one of the city’s Great Streets business districts. The objective is to boost the city’s neighborhood retail zones and to facilitate the flourishing of new and expanding businesses.
Logo design is a critical part of setting up a business.
Eighty percent of businesses that won the 2021 Rubber City Match Business Plan Award and Space Award were Black-owned; women owned 75 percent of the businesses. Free tuition will be given to Business Plan Award winners to the MORTAR at Bounce program, a 15-week accelerator that assists present and aspiring entrepreneurs navigate the nuances of business ownership.
The Space Award winners will be given the opportunity to be paired with high profile, commercial properties while receiving tech assistance from Bounce, the Small Business Development Center, or the Minority Business Assistance Center to assist them in selecting their space.
Micro-grants will be available for enrolled businesses to engage attorneys to review their leases.
The Match as it is aptly named matches existing and emerging enterprises with the best resources to help them move forward to their next stage of growth. Four award levels are available, and include technical support, financial aid, design assistance and curated matching with available retail properties in one of the city’s Great Streets business districts. The objective is to boost the city’s neighborhood retail zones and to facilitate the flourishing of new and expanding businesses.
Logo design is a critical part of setting up a business.
Eighty percent of businesses that won the 2021 Rubber City Match Business Plan Award and Space Award were Black-owned; women owned 75 percent of the businesses. Free tuition will be given to Business Plan Award winners to the MORTAR at Bounce program, a 15-week accelerator that assists present and aspiring entrepreneurs navigate the nuances of business ownership.
The Space Award winners will be given the opportunity to be paired with high profile, commercial properties while receiving tech assistance from Bounce, the Small Business Development Center, or the Minority Business Assistance Center to assist them in selecting their space.
Micro-grants will be available for enrolled businesses to engage attorneys to review their leases.