CO+HOOTS Launches Digital Platform to Help Small Businesses Affected by Pandemic
MEDIA ADVISORY
CITY OF MESA AND CO+HOOTS PARTNER TO LAUNCH NEW DIGITAL PLATFORM TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES AFFECTED BY PANDEMIC
CO+HOOTS’ new resource hub re-envisions government technical assistance programs.
Phoenix and Mesa, Ariz: July 13, 2020 — CO+HOOTS, a globally-recognized entrepreneur support organization, today announced the launch of HUUB, a robust digital platform to support local governments in revitalizing small businesses during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The City of Mesa will be the first to apply this technology driven-approach to business recovery, utilizing CO+HOOTS’ HUUB network to launch the Mesa CARES Technical Assistance Program and Resource Center.
The launch of this digital platform will bring community partner organizations and leaders together to specifically help small businesses in Mesa. In one central place, business owners will have access to engaging and relevant webinars that will provide tactical on-demand solutions, invaluable peer-to-peer groups, funding opportunities and the ability to book on-the-fly sessions with top advisors and consultants. Qualifying Mesa businesses that qualify will receive training, education, and services valued at $15,000 to help them emerge from the pandemic. There are already more than 100 businesses that have applied and been accepted into the Mesa CARES Technical Assistance Program.
“Given the strong demand for recovery support due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re excited to see Mesa take an active approach in responding to the needs of their business community” said Jenny Poon, founder and CEO of CO+HOOTS. “By partnering with the City of Mesa, we aim to improve the resiliency of the business community that is the backbone of Mesa while creating efficiencies for the City. We are excited and prepared to take our decade of experience in incubating entrepreneur communities and be of service in this critical time. With our digital platform, cities and community partners can now provide a faster response to small business owners in need and help cities do more, no matter where they are.”
Mesa Cares for Small Businesses resource center is made possible by the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund under the CARES Act. Many of Mesa’s community partners will be coming together to provide resources to entrepreneurs through this platform including A New Leaf, LISC, Chicanos Por La Causa, Local First Arizona, Mesa Chamber of Commerce, Benedictine University at Mesa, Northern Arizona University and the East Valley Hispanic Chamber.
“More than half of small business owners surveyed by the City of Mesa said they were significantly affected by COVID-19,” Mayor John Giles said. “The Mesa CARES Small Business Technical Assistance Program serves small business owners by connecting them to the individualized help they need. We are thrilled to partner with CO+HOOTS to offer easy access to quality business support that strengthens Mesa’s economic prosperity.”
To qualify for free access to the platform and funding resources, Mesa entrepreneurs and small business owners can apply at mesa.joinhuub.com/. Applications are open right now and are on a first-come, first-serve basis.
One of HUUB’s main objectives is to directly help entrepreneurs launch, grow and scale their businesses. And because the platform combines CO+HOOTS’ community-building and incubation framework with technology, it also provides the necessary tools for local governments to measure success, manage consultants for technical assistance and make smarter decisions. The detailed reporting and impact tracking gives economic development teams the ability to scale their support through technology and quickly identify the changing needs of their business community, allowing more time to focus on retaining businesses and recruiting new ones.
Interested in supporting as a speaker or advisor? Contact CO+HOOTS Community Organizer Chelsea Smith at chelsea@cohoots.com.
ABOUT CO+HOOTS: CO+HOOTS, founded in 2010 as central Phoenix’s first coworking space, is an entrepreneurship ecosystem accelerator that provides educational resources and collaborative, self-sustaining spaces to grow the entrepreneurial, startup and small business communities. A globally-recognized entrepreneur support organization, CO+HOOTS is a major catalyst and driver of local economic development.
For more information, please contact Odeen Domingo at odeen@cohoots.com or 602.264.6687.