Pflugerville Startup Support Center connects first-time, serial entrepreneurs with resources for success

The new Startup Support Center from Pflugerville Community Development Corp is the latest effort to amplify entrepreneurship in the community. The web-based business accelerator launched in January and provides creators with the resources needed to streamline product development and the delivery of services and technology. Simultaneously, it will help small businesses streamline operations and grow. The Startup Support Center is the latest of several PCDC initiatives designed to nurture both first-time and serial entrepreneurs. Each is designed to provide the networking and information entrepreneurs need to succeed.

Start-up Support Center fills gaps in entrepreneurial aid

After participating in several events to promote entrepreneurship in the community PCDC assessed the available resources for start-ups and wanted to fill the gaps in bringing new products, services, and innovations to the global market from Pflugerville. After demoing several educational products, PCDC chose the Startup Support Center platform based on its comprehensive approach and the quality of its content. 

“Startup Support Center’s platform is comprised of modules by experts in the field who’ve been in entrepreneurship for a long time,”  Crystal Connally, Business Retention and Workforce Director, at PCDC said. “They also understand what entrepreneurs don’t know when they are starting. Or maybe you’re not a startup. Maybe you’ve been in business for a few years and are creating a new technology or looking to grow the business you started, there are modules in the platform to help those types of small businesses as well.”

Getting started with the center

Access and use of Startup Support Center is free and provided by PCDC to support local entrepreneurs. Connally said providing tools addressing pain points for entrepreneurs, including a lack of capital, how to market your business or learn how to move from ideation to implementation, is an investment in the future of Pflugerville. 

“We believe in the power of entrepreneurship to transform lives and communities,” Jerry W. Jones Jr., PCDC Executive Director, said. “The Startup Support Center is designed to empower Pflugerville's creators and innovators, providing them with the support they need to bring their ideas to life and make a positive impact on the world.”

Registering for the Startup Support Center is easy with existing log-ins like Facebook or Google or by creating an account. Introductory material provides an orientation of valuable resources in Pflugerville and Texas, and the center then asks questions about the business. After this, it’s time for Pre-flight courses for entrepreneurs with ideas requiring further development. More seasoned entrepreneurs may skip pre-flight and embark directly on expanding a current concept with the Entrepreneur Startup courses. 

On the entrepreneur path, startups are guided through videos and question/answer sessions covering topics from ideation to funding acquisition before implementing marketing and human resources plans. A digital workbook serves as a reference point through the videos, and participants always have the option to access coaching help or connect with PCDC for further assistance.

PCDC’s background in entrepreneurial support

Startup Support Center is the latest development in an ongoing effort to foster entrepreneurship in Plugerville. Venture Week, a partnership with Texas Venture Fest, served as the catalyst, but the mission has evolved based on interest levels and feedback.

“I’m really excited about this entrepreneurial effort we have now and having that ability for like-minded entrepreneurs to share ideas,” Oscar R. Mitchell, an engineer, serial entrepreneur, and PCDC board member said in Venture Week interviews. “As we bring more and more resources to bear on this, it will put Pflugerville on the map as a destination point, potentially, for where people want to start a business.” 

PCDC’s Entrepreneur Hub serves as a connection point to numerous vetted resources, including the Entrepreneur Exchange Network, a community providing key resources, access to mentorship possibilities, and updates on targeted events, such as upcoming lunch and learn sessions. New updates are consistently added to the hub.

To learn more about starting or scaling a business in Pflugerville, contact PCDC today. Ready to get started? Enroll in the Startup Support Center program here.