The State University of New York at Fredonia’s Technology Incubator is welcoming the relocation of the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency’s northern county offices to its facility, located in the central business district of Dunkirk. The move will provide greater coordination as the university launches its StartUp NY plan and enhances services to its entrepreneurs located in the Technology Incubator.
Fredonia Vice President of Engagement and Economic Development Kevin Kearns said the university, local governments and CCIDA are working in greater partnership to attract, grow and retain businesses and jobs in the county. The Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Economic Development (CCPED) employees will also have a presence in the new location, providing more access to services across the county.
“The greater our coordination and partnership on job creation, business development and enhancing the region’s entrepreneurial culture, the better chance we have to significantly impact the economic vitality of Chautauqua County,” Dr. Kearns said. “The County Executive and the CCIDA/CCPED Director are effectively leading us in this direction, away from fragmentation and toward a coalesced strategy and structure. The CCIDA and CCPED are a welcome addition to our Technology Incubator.”
CCIDA Executive Director/CEO Kevin Sanvidge said the move will provide staff with more opportunities to interact with small businesses and the university’s economic development programs and School of Business.
“This move provides us with an opportunity for greater coordination with the university and more opportunities to assist business start-ups in this facility and the community,” Mr. Sanvidge explained.
Recently the CCIDA and CCPED created a portal on the CCIDA website to better coordinate the county’s StartUp NY program, which Fredonia and Jamestown Community College are administering. The office includes CCIDA Project Manager Kristine Morabito, and the Department of Planning and Economic Development staff will use the space as a satellite office. Sanvidge will establish office hours in the new space as well.
Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan expressed support for the move as well.
“Establishing a CCIDA and CCPED presence within Fredonia’s incubator will help centralize access for businesses across the northern part of the county to StartUp NY along with numerous other local, regional and state economic development programs,” said Horrigan. “I am excited about the synergies we will develop through a closer relationship with the university.”
The Fredonia Technology Incubator (FTI) promotes economic growth in Western New York by supporting entrepreneurship and the development of new, innovative companies into successful business ventures. The incubator creates jobs in the community, develops internships and training opportunities for students, attracts and retains graduates in the area, provides a first-class facility for community activities, and provides support services to community organizations and leaders.
The CCIDA is an economic development organization authorized and empowered by the State of New York to make Chautauqua County a better place to work, live and visit. The organization facilitates development by attracting new businesses, while promoting the retention and expansion of existing businesses. Assistance in the forms of incentives — tax abatements, low-interest loans, and bond financing — enhances the opportunities for job creation and retention by our businesses.
The Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Economic Development supports the intelligent and responsible allocation of resources, the promotion of sound growth, the protection and enhancement of the environment and the assurance of a high quality-of-life for all Chautauqua County residents. The CCPED oversees or is involved in grant administration, the occupancy tax program, lakes and watershed management issues, the Chautauqua County Land Bank, trail development, and many other initiatives currently underway throughout the county.
Fredonia established the Engagement and Economic Development (EED) division in 2013 to facilitate and support university-community collaborations that enhance the intellectual, cultural, artistic and economic vibrancy of the region. Such collaborations include active community engagement and partnerships with local and regional organizations, governments, businesses and universities. In addition to the incubator, the division also oversees the university’s StartUp New York economic development program.
