Matthew G. Ballard

The Charleston Area Alliance has many plans for 2010, but the foundation of all of them is promoting an environment that ignites success and opportunity for businesses and individuals of the Kanawha. Valley

Our Small Business Incubator at 1116 Smith Street is one of the many programs and services we provide to help create jobs and build a more prosperous economy.

Recently, we invited tenants to a lunch during which they shared updates on how their businesses fared during the recession and their forecasts for the year ahead.

While not immune to economic challenges, these small businesses invariably have solid plans for growth and success in 2010.

Progressity, which has been in the incubator for three years, signed a support service contract with Vision Shared, another tenant. TL Tek is preparing to open a remote office in Pennsylvania and continues working with Family Dollar for a multi-state rollout. McKinley & Associates, the architectural firm, is planning for an influx of business in 2010.

One reason these businesses are successful is they operate in an incubator, a sympathetic environment for the growth of small businesses.

The incubator provides flexible space at below-market rates, coupled with a package of free and low-cost services that allow entrepreneurs to concentrate their assets on growth rather than bricks, mortar and other administrative costs.

The incubator opened in 1986 with six tenants and has seen more than 100 companies come through its doors, creating more than 265 jobs. Today, the incubator has 20 companies with more than 45 employees.

The Alliance Incubator is the only business incubator dedicated to business start-ups in the Kanawha region and is conveniently located in a Small Business Administration HUBZone. The HUBZone Empowerment Contracting Program is an initiative designed to stimulate economic development by providing federal contracting opportunities to small businesses located in eligible areas. Its location has provided our past tenants the place they needed to be to start up their businesses. Valley

Two of our newest tenants — the business consulting firm RGZ Solutions and the airborne vehicle manufacturer Air Robotics — realize these benefits and are utilizing the incubator engrain themselves in the Kanawha economy. Valley

“A lot of people think the benefit of a small business incubator is cheap space,” said Air Robotics founder Jeff Imel. “And while it is less expensive, the real benefit is the expertise you have access to through the Alliance. Their rolodexes are infinite. You cannot find that anywhere else.”

The Alliance’s incubator currently has offices available. Contact Mike Aeiker at (304) 340-4253 for more information. Or stop by for a visit.