Startup Cedar Helps Local Entrepreneurs Generate Nearly $1.5 Million in First Year |
Startup Cedar offers small business counseling |
For Cedar City residents with a business idea, the hardest step is often figuring out where to turn first.
Startup Cedar is trying to make that step easier, and its first-year results suggest the approach is working.
Entrepreneurs who received support reported nearly $1.5 million in revenue, while participating startups secured $219,580 in funding.
The partnership supported 112 startups, delivered 1,076 counseling sessions to 172 people and helped create 127 jobs.
Those figures represent more than a promising debut: they point to businesses taking shape and jobs staying close to home.
Southern Utah University, Southwest Technical College and The Nucleus Institute joined forces to bring business guidance, technical training and mentorship together.
For someone testing a first product or sorting through financing options, that coordination can save valuable time.
Startup Cedar offers small business counseling alongside startup resources that help owners refine ideas, build prototypes and plan for growth.
One example comes from Canyons & Crags founder Rich Carlson, who faced production costs that threatened his product plans.
With help from local specialists, Carlson revised the design and reduced the estimated cost per unit from $25 to $14.80.
Instead of licensing the idea, he was able to manufacture the product himself and bring it to customers worldwide.
That kind of practical problem-solving is what makes the partnership more useful than a simple directory of services.
Entrepreneurs can also find equipment for prototyping and content creation at the Business & Innovation Center in Cedar City.
Public events offer another entry point for residents who have an idea but may not yet consider themselves business owners.
Entrepreneurship events connected to the partnership drew 6,803 attendees during its first reporting year, showing an appetite for local opportunities.
Turning that interest into durable businesses will be the tougher test as Startup Cedar enters its second year.
The partnership plans to connect university research with potential products through a faculty fellowship in technology commercialization.
It also continues to offer programs for entrepreneurs ready to develop ideas and seek funding.
For a community proud of its entrepreneurial reputation, the stakes are tangible: more viable ventures can mean more local work.
Startup Cedar’s first year offers evidence that accessible support can help turn a promising idea into a working business. |
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Went through the counseling sessions myself earlier this year. Genuinely helpful people who actually listened instead of just handing you a pamphlet.
biz_owner_ccThat part about actually listening is huge. I've had experiences elsewhere where you feel like they're just running through a checklist. Glad to hear it was different here.
The faculty fellowship for technology commercialization is the part I'm most curious about. SUU has some solid research that never seems to go anywhere practical.
Logan HafenThat's exactly what I was thinking. A lot of good research just sits in journals. If the fellowship actually gets that stuff into products it could be a big deal for the area.
My daughter has been sitting on a small business idea for two years not knowing where to start. Sending her this right now.
Patricia M.Two years is such a common thing. Sometimes people just need one conversation with the right person to get moving. Hope she reaches out.
6800 people at entrepreneurship events is a lot for Cedar City. People here really are hungry for this kind of thing.
ryan_k87Right? And that's just the people who showed up to events. Imagine how many more are out there who haven't taken that first step yet.
The Business and Innovation Center has equipment for prototyping? I had no idea that was even there. Going to have to check that out.
Jolene FredericksYes! They have 3D printers and some video/content creation gear too. Worth calling ahead to make sure the equipment you need is available before you drive over.
1.5 million in revenue sounds great but I wonder how many of those 112 startups are still operating. First year numbers can be misleading.
cedar_skepticThat's a fair point. Would love to see a year two update that tracks how many of those startups are still going. The long-term numbers will tell the real story.
SUU and Southwest Tech teaming up is smart. About time those two worked together on something like this instead of doing everything separate.
Tanya B.Seriously. Two schools right here in the same town and they barely ever seemed to coordinate. Hopefully this keeps going and they build on it.
I went to one of those entrepreneurship events last fall and honestly had no idea how many people in Cedar City were trying to start something. Really cool to see.
Mike RoundySame experience here. I went thinking it would be a small room of maybe 20 people and it was packed. Cedar City has way more entrepreneurs than most people realize.
Rich Carlson's story is wild. Cut his cost almost in half just by working with local people. That's the kind of help that actually matters.
127 jobs in one year is no joke for a town this size. Hope they keep the momentum going into year two.