Best Small Business Resources in the El Paso Area

Description

The Hub offers incubation and mentorship for member companies in the pre-revenue and early growth stages. A range of both resident and affiliate memberships are available: resident plans offer private offices while affiliate plans are for mostly remote work. All plans grant member companies access to dedicated mentoring, conference rooms, and general facilities use. Mentorship is facilitated through Hub, which works to connect interested mentors with companies that have compatible needs. The free One MIllion Cups program is also a great way for people with just an idea, business plan, or the like to pitch their ideas and then receive 50 minutes of feedback.

Description

The Cardwell Collaborative is a biomedical and technology commercialization incubation space serving as the nexus between researchers, private industry, and students. The 3-story building offers a variety of lab space, private and open office plans, and collaborative spaces. Cardwell Collaborative also houses several entrepreneurial organizations that support the center’s incubation efforts. Cardwell Collaborative’s Proof of Concept Program helps entrepreneurs refine their ideas and includes mentoring.

Restrictions

Health or biomedical companies only.

Description

Cowork Oasis is a coworking space in El Paso that offers many flexible membership plans and weekly networking events for its members. They also bring in external industry experts each month for workshops aimed at mentoring member-companies. This coworking space offers coffees, teas, and beers on tap, a full kitchen, two conference rooms, and dedicated VR equipment. Cowork Oasis is technology-oriented and features IoT connected lighting, heating, doors, and community-use laptops and tablets. The CEO of Cowork Oasis also offers scheduled mentoring and refers members to other mentors when the subject matter is out of his expertise.

Description

The greatest strength of the SBDC is their free, confidential, 1-on-1 business mentoring for anyone who seeks it. Sometimes in order to be considered for mentoring from one of their professional business advisors, you may have to attend a class/workshop or at least present your business plan. SBDC's are located all throughout the state and you should use the SBDC closest to your location if possible, but you can often transfer to a different location if they do not fit your needs.

Description

Women's Business Centers are nationwide programs established by the SBA to assist women in starting small businesses. Some of these centers are combined with other local organizations and use that relationship to offer even more services. Each Women's Business Center has counselors who can provide mentorship and assistance with business planning. Women’s Business Centers also provide a network of other businesses, and some have loan programs available

Restrictions

The Women's Business Centers are, as the name implies, meant for women primarily.

Description

SCORE (Service Corp of Retired Executives) is a leading, nation-wide organization that has assisted millions of entrepreneurs over its 50+ years of operation. SCORE is a resource partner of the SBA that offers access to a network of experienced business leaders who donate time to mentor entrepreneurs and small business owners. They also host free or inexpensive workshops online and at 300 local chapters around the United States. Mentoring can be conducted either in person or remotely and is always free and confidential, no matter how often you take advantage of this service.

Description

LiftFund is a non-profit community development finance institution that offers microloans and educational events to entrepreneurs with limited access to traditional capital. LiftFund hosts an impressive array of lectures, bootcamps, dinners, and meetups that cultivate the local San Antonio startup scene. These events are usually open to the public for a nominal fee and cover a diverse array of topics, from business plan basics to taxes. In addition to events, LiftFund provides a suite of online entrepreneurship courses that are free and open to the public. LiftFund also offers a incubator/co-working space called LIftOff and a Women’s Business Center.