Entrepreneurship at Mason

Mason Start-up Resources

• Mason Enterprise Center - The Mason Enterprise Center, administered by the School of Public Policy, is a university-based economic development enterprise that focuses the energy, skills and intellectual capital of George Mason University on enterprise creation and expansion. Specializing in the areas of small business services, government contracting, international business, entrepreneurship, technology ventures, and telework initiatives, the Center offers a unique combination of programs, services, and resources.

• The Fairfax Innovation Center is a joint venture of the City of Fairfax and George Mason University. The Fairfax Innovation Center is the largest university-based incubator in the commonwealth of Virginia, featuring over 49 office spaces and 29,000 + square feet of floor space.

• The Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, where business comes to talk business, is an organization of 29 local SBDCs across Virginia providing professional business counseling, training and information resources to help grow and strengthen Virginia businesses.

• Business Alliance of George Mason University, where the area's finest industry and academic minds work together to educate a new generation of leadership, develop new approaches to business and stimulate economic growth. The Business Alliance provides a forum for business leaders, faculty and students to collaborate, network, and exchange ideas-preparing present and future leaders to overcome the marketplace's challenges. Among the most successful programs of the Alliance is the Grubstake Breakfast, which offers an opportunity for area early-stage companies to present their business plans to angel investors and venture capital sources of funding.  Grubstake is held three times annually.  The Business Alliance also hosts a Bootcamp program once each year, to provide intensive training in the fundraising process to first-time entrepreneurs.

• The Mason Next Step Program for Entrepreneurs, operated by The School of Management, offers a way for you to receive expert feedback and insight on your business from Mason faculty, research experts and alumni.  Designed especially for faculty developing new intellectual property, the program is open to students, alumni, and any aspiring entrepreneur in the Mason business community. Our goal is to go beyond transfer of technology, and to facilitate a more rapid commercialization of innovations and intellectual assets at Mason. Through Mason Next Steps you will be asked to provide background information on your business concept, market strategy and any available intellectual property or inventions.  We will then tailor a panel of experts to provide feedback on your business strategy.

• The Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation Internship Program and Associate Program was established to develop the next generation of liberty-minded leaders and entrepreneurs. This program works in collaboration with the School of Public Policy at Mason. Over the course of the Intern program, Interns engage in key Foundation projects while simultaneously learning and applying Market Based Management®. The project assignments cover fascinating areas including policy research, leadership and talent development, grassroots education, marketing, and network development. This hands-on experience gives interns the chance to explore the non-profit sector while applying the management philosophy they are learning from the Foundation, and allows them to build a network of like-minded friends and associates. The Koch Associate Program was established to help leaders and entrepreneurs develop the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary for careers with market-oriented think tanks, policy institutes, and other non-profit organizations. The Associate program offers 30-50 promising leaders and entrepreneurs the opportunity to work on significant assignments within non-profit organizations while simultaneously learning and applying Market Based Management®

Local / Regional Resource Links

• The Entrepreneur Center at NVTC - The Entrepreneur Center @NVTC is a resource hub for technology-focused start-ups and entrepreneurs at every stage of their lifecycle. The Entrepreneur Center fosters entrepreneurship in students, mentors the first-time entrepreneur, advises and supports the experienced entrepreneur, and facilitates strategic business relationships in the technology community.

• The Center for Innovative Technology - In 2005, CIT celebrated 20 years of creating technology-based companies and strategies for innovation. From its original mission to enhance the research and technology transfer activities of Virginia universities, CIT has moved its focus toward the new technologies, entrepreneurs and technology companies that make innovation happen. Today, CIT's operating structure consists of service lines that enable it to respond quickly and efficiently to new opportunities with government and private sector clients. The service lines - CIT Entrepreneur, CIT R and D, CIT Broadband and CIT Connect - establish a clear identity that allows us to meet our goals and close innovation gaps.

• Center Council for Rural Virginia - Created by the Virginia General Assembly as a local entity without political status, the Center works in tandem with local efforts and as a partner to the USDA-recognized Council for Rural Virginia to provide the objective, non-partisan data that will enable our partners in government and business to make the decisions that will have the greatest, most lasting impact for all Virginians. The Center is governed by an 18 member Board of Trustees comprised of six legislative members and 12 citizen members. The Council for Rural Virginia is one of 39 State Rural Councils nationwide which was established in 1992 with the assistance of the US Department of Agriculture. The Council, governed by a Board of Directors generated from its grassroots partners and membership, is structured as a private public partnership with a broadly based board of directors.

• The Women's Business Center of Northern Virginia - A program of the Community Business Partnership provides the training, assistance and support women need to start and grow successful small businesses in Northern Virginia. We are open to everyone, but seek to particularly serve minority and socially disadvantaged women, new Americans, and others who want to learn the basic skills necessary to start a small or home-based business.

• Fairfax County Economic Development Authority - The FCEDA provides a comprehensive list of local and regional resources for entrepreneurs. The Resources for Technology Ventures Sheet provides listings of Venture Capital Resources, Business Counseling, Incubators, Federal Procurement, Technology Transfer, Regional Business Alliances, and links to Technology Industry News. The FCEDA provides a wide array of information and free services designed to help American and international businesses locate or expand commercial operations in Fairfax County. A thriving business community builds the commercial tax base and helps Fairfax County fund award-winning public services that support our quality of life.

• Virginia Department of Business Assistance (DBA) - If you're just getting started in your business endeavor, visit the DBA's "Business Launch Pad". This easy-to-use online guide will walk you step by step through the process of starting, expanding or relocating a business in Virginia. The website also includes helpful checklists, tips and FAQ's. The DBA also operates the Virginia Business Information Center (VBIC). VBIC counselors take your questions on every aspect of starting and operating your business. If we don't know the answer we will direct you to someone that does! Contact us outside the Richmond metro area toll free at: 1-866-248-8814, in the Richmond area call: 371-0438, or e-mail us at: vbic@dba.virginia.gov

• MIT Enterprise Forum - Since 1981, The Enterprise Forum, a non-profit organization, has been dedicated to the growth, education, and success of the entrepreneur and technology community of the greater Washington & Baltimore area. The Enterprise Forum is open to the public and reaches out to local start-ups, high technology businesses, venture capitalists, angels, and the professionals who support them. Enterprise Forum activities provide excellent time-proven opportunities for networking and for generating great ideas for growing and building high technology companies. Several companies that have presented at the Enterprise Forum have subsequently grown to become highly successful enterprises. Events and membership prices are kept very affordable through sponsorships so that anyone with interest can attend.

National Resource Links

• Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation - The Kauffman Foundation is working to further understand the phenomenon of entrepreneurship, to advance entrepreneurship education and training efforts, to promote entrepreneurship-friendly policies, and to better facilitate the commercialization of new technologies by entrepreneurs and others which have great promise for improving the economic welfare of our nation.

• The Skoll Foundation - The Skoll Foundation’s mission is to advance systemic change to benefit communities around the world by investing in, connecting and celebrating social entrepreneurs. Social entrepreneurs are proven leaders whose approaches and solutions to social problems are helping to better the lives and circumstances of countless underserved or disadvantaged individuals. By identifying the people and programs already bringing positive changes to communities throughout the world, the Skoll Foundation empowers them to extend their reach, deepen their impact and fundamentally improve society.

• The National Association of Women Business Centers - The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) propels women entrepreneurs into economic, social, and political spheres of power worldwide. For more than 25 years, members have benefited from NAWBO's growing network, public policy advocacy, and powerful business resources.

• The Small Business Administration - FREE SBA newsletters offer a wide variety of information and business opportunities for small businesses. Subscribe to one or many and receive e-mail notification as soon as items are published. The SBA podcasts provide an introduction to various small business topics, and will deliver business information and advice for new and established entrepreneurs on all aspects of starting, expanding and financing a small business, as well as business protection

• SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" - America's premier source of free & confidential small business advice for entrepreneurs. Get biz advice today. SCORE Has Helped 7.5 Million Small Businesses SCORE offers Ask SCORE email advice online, face-to-face small business counseling at 389 chapter offices, and low-cost workshops at 389 chapter offices nationwide. SCORE is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization. We provide a public service to America by offering small business advice and training. Formed in 1964 to help small businesses flourish. SCORE's 10,500 volunteers have more than 600 business skills. Volunteers share their wisdom and lessons learned in business. Our volunteers are working/retired business owners, executives and corporate leaders. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration.