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RESOURCES
BUSINESS SUPPORTS IN BERKS COUNTY
Berks County is full of locally, state, and federally funded organizations as well as for-profit businesses who are interested in supporting your business. Elevate Berks is place where many of these organizations meet and collaborate to better serve you. We call participating organizations in the Elevate Berks ecosystem Partners. On this page, check out all of the Elevate Berks Partners, sort through resources by type, or identify where you are in your journey.
TYPES OF RESOURCES
FUNDING
GROWTH STRATEGIES
HUMAN RESOURCES
INNOVATION + TECHNOLOGIES
LEGAL SERVICES
MARKETING
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
STARTUP BASICS
STARTING A BUSINESS IN BERKS COUNTY?
Starting a new business is exciting and can be daunting. Fortunately, there are more than a few organizations in Berks County who are ready and able to support you on your business journey. First, identify where you are in your business startup journey. Then, reach out to an organization that is listed as providing the supports you need.
STARTUP BASICS: If you are starting a new business, START at the beginning with Startup Basics. All businesses need a business plan and product or service idea to get started. These Partners will help you develop a plan and get your initial business ideas on paper.
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MARKETING: Once your business idea is formed, market research will help you figure out how viable your idea is and how to market and brand your business for your target audience. These Partners can help you access and understand market data as well as develop a relevant brand.
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PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: The initial product or service may look good on paper, but building and testing it will help determine if the business is viable. These Partners will help you build and test a physical product and vet service ideas.
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LEGAL SERVICES: Before opening your business, hiring employees, or accessing funding, you must have a legal status and appropriate organizational paperwork. Navigating the best type of legal status, filing paperwork, and drafting legal agreements can feel daunting. These Partners can help you navigate those decisions and in some cases can assist with the paperwork.
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Startup Basics, Marketing, Product Development, and Legal Services must all be completed before a business can move forward to access Capital, plan Growth Strategies, or set up Human Resources. If your business has not worked through these initial items, complete them before attempting to reach out to Partners about steps later in the startup process.
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​GROWTH STRATEGIES: Growth strategies are typically specific to different types of businesses. These Partners regularly work with businesses who are past the initial startup phase and can help business grow.
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CAPITAL: Funding for a new business can take a lot of forms from financial gifts, personal savings, partner investments and grants to traditional loans. These Partners all provide different types of funding and are interesting in working with startup businesses. ​
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HUMAN RESOURCES: Hiring, managing, and firing employees all are important functions of operating a growing business. Adhering to legal requirements and protecting your businesses liability are important as well. These Partners can help you navigate those questions and point you in the right direction.
START.
STARTUP BASICS
ASSETS
Latino Chamber*
Berks LaunchBox*
KU SBDC
Total Experience Learning*
LVAI
O'Pake Institute*
PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENT
Ben Franklin Tech Partners
Total Experience Learning*
Berks LaunchBox*
KU SBDC*
O'Pake Institute*
LEGAL SERVICES
Berks LaunchBox*
Total Experience Learning*
KU SBDC*
O'Pake Institute*
GROWTH STRATEGIES
Ben Franklin Tech Partners
Berks LaunchBox*
GRCA
KU SBDC*
LVIA
O'Pake Institute*
MARKETING
ASSETS
Ben Franklin Tech Partners
Berks LaunchBox*
Total Experience Learning*
KU SBDC*
O'Pake Institute*
INNOVATION & TECH
Ben Franklin Tech Partners
Berks LaunchBox*
Total Experience Learning*
GROW.
HUMAN RESOURCES
GRCA
KU SBDC*
Tec Centro
CAPITAL
ASSETS*
Ben Franklin Tech Partners
Finanta*
SBA
LVAI
MEMBERSHIP
Berks Latino Chamber*
Entrp. Connection
GRCA*
SBRA
*Some or all services offered in Spanish
​MEMBERSHIPS: Many businesses find success by networking with fellow businesses to increase B2B and B2C relationships. Membership organizations provide a space for businesses to this. Businesses can best leverage these organizations in the market research stage and as a growth strategy. Many membership organizations provide services to members who are already in business and can be a great resource for businesses past the startup phase.
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Still not sure where to start? Reach out to any of these Partners and they will be sure to point you in the right direction!