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ABOUT
Learn about the mission and vision of Elevate Berks. Your one stop shop for entrepreneur, startup, and small business resources.
OUR MISSION
Elevate Berks has a mission to support and provide access to resources for entrepreneurs and startup businesses for a thriving and inclusive business community in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Elevate Berks vision is to be the convener of emerging entrepreneurs and small business owners and to provide pathways to success for a more equitable and vibrant economy. Elevate Berks is an initiative made possible through the collaboration of over a dozen business support organizations (BSOs) who are brought together by the common values of advocacy, collaboration, transparency, innovation, opportunity, and nurturing for Berks County’s startup business community.
CORE VALUES
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Advocacy
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Collaboration
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Transparency
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Innovation
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Opportunity
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Nurturing
HISTORY
The idea for Elevate Berks started in 2021, when a group of a dozen business support organizations joined forces to think about how they could more strategically collaborate with each other to increase the success of local startups. This strategic plan is the culmination of that desire paired with findings from the Startup Ecosystem in Berks County (LINK TO STARTUP ECOSYSTEM IN BERKS COUNTY), an ecosystem mapping report prepared by Allium Development Group in July of 2022. While the ecosystem map identified programming gaps and opportunities, this strategic plan focuses on launching Elevate Berks as a new collaborative initiative, improving access and quality of local startup business programming, increasing access to capital for startups, advocating to reduce barriers to startups, and increasing capital options for local startups.
2023 – 2024 Strategic Plan
The 2023-2025 Strategic Plan outlines ways that Elevate Berks will meet its vision and mission over the next three years. The desired outcome is for Elevate Berks to serve as a hub of local resources that entrepreneurs can easily access; and, to serve as a platform for business support organizations to strategically collaborate to grow the Berks County entrepreneurial ecosystem. Elevate Berks will specifically serve Berks County and support entrepreneurs between idea stage and two years in business. The ultimate goal is to benefit and grow the local economy.
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Organizations who participated in the strategic planning process include: Alvernia University–the O'Pake Institute, Albright Science Research Institute, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, Berks Alliance, Berks Latino Chamber of Commerce, Berks LaunchBox, Community First Fund, Entrepreneurs Connections, Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, Kutztown University Small Business Development Center, Lehigh Valley Angel Investors, SCORE – Berks and Schuylkill Counties, Small Business Resource Association, and Tec Centro/Berks Latino Workforce Development Corporation.
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Special thanks to the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, Weidenhammer, and Berks LaunchBox for hosting meetings.
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Special thanks to the Wyomissing Foundation for providing funding for this strategic plan.
