CO+HOOTS expands digital platform for small business support to Gilbert, Ariz.
MEDIA ADVISORY
town of gilbert and co+hoots partner
to help small businesses affected by pandemic
CO+HOOTS’ new resource hub re-envisions government technical assistance programs.
Phoenix and Gilbert, Ariz: December 7, 2020 — CO+HOOTS, a globally-recognized entrepreneur support organization, today announced its robust digital educational and technical assistance platform called HUUB will now be available to Gilbert-based small businesses and entrepreneurs. This partnership with CO+HOOTS further supplants the Town of Gilbert’s commitment to revitalize and strengthen its small business community during and after the COVID-19 pandemic through its #GilbertTogether Business Recovery Program.
HUUB, which has been a resounding success in Mesa, will bring community partner organizations and leaders together to specifically help small businesses in Gilbert. In one central place online, 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 Gilbert businesses will receive grant-funded paid services through the CARES Act to help them thrive and become more resilient through unprecedented times. Five new and/or aspiring entrepreneurs will also receive scholarships to participate in CO+HOOTS’ rapid business launch incubator program.
“We are impressed with the Town of Gilbert’s determination to bring a technology-driven approach to business recovery to its community amid unprecedented demand for support due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jenny Poon, founder and CEO of CO+HOOTS. “We combined our 10-plus years of experience supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses into our digital platform. HUUB has proven to improve business resiliency within communities as well as efficiencies for local governments. Small businesses are the backbone of our country. They need support now. HUUB equips local governments and community partners with the tools to intimately learn and respond faster to the needs of its small businesses.”
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.
“Through feedback received from businesses while creating the #GilbertTogether Business Recovery Program, we know Gilbert businesses are seeking both technical assistance and marketing support,” Gilbert Mayor Scott Andersen said. “By creating these new partnerships, we have found accessible and timely programs that can begin supporting the resiliency of businesses quickly.”
To qualify for free access to the platform and funding resources, Gilbert entrepreneurs and small business owners can apply at gilbert.joinhuub.com. Applications are open right now and are on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Interested in supporting as a speaker or advisor? Contact CO+HOOTS Community Organizer Chelsea Smith at chelsea@cohoots.com.
Media Contacts
CO+HOOTS
Odeen Domingo
(602) 264-6687
odeen@cohoots.com
Gilbert, Arizona
Kiley Phillips
(480) 243-0335
Kiley.Phillips@GilbertAZ.gov
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.
ABOUT GILBERT, ARIZONA: Gilbert is on a mission to be the City of the Future. We choose to “Anticipate. Create. Help people.” As Gilbert celebrates its 100th birthday in 2020, our focus is on keeping the thriving community that Gilbert is today well into the future, while continuing to be one of the top communities in the country. What sets Gilbert apart is a combination of a sense of community, a unique and enjoyable environment for residents and businesses and a commitment to innovation. Nationally recognized as the 12th most livable city in the country (SmartAsset, 2019); America’s fastest growing city (WalletHub, 2018); 2nd safest city in the U.S. (FBI Uniform Crime Report Data, 2019); and Best City for Business in Arizona (Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 2019), the Gilbert community of nearly 260,000 residents continues to prosper. In Gilbert, we are shaping a new tomorrow, today. Learn more by visiting www.gilbertaz.gov, follow Gilbert on Twitter (@GilbertYourTown), Facebook (Gilbert Town Hall) and Instagram (@GilbertYourTown).