The following are proceedings from a breakout group at the Community Created Humboldt event on January 23rd, 2010.
Engendering Innovation Proceedings
- money from outside
- get a list of businesses we need
- helping folks with the business side of things
- what do we have that is valuable and can be exported?
- future of Foodworks
- Mentoring
- Lower the bar/feasibility
- Formal programs
- ID’ing and connecting partners (e.g., farmer w/ landowner; creatives with businesspeople)
- volunteer food department
- grow eco-tourism
- where to start in promoting innovation?
- help people take the lead; confidence/vision
- obstacles, advantages
- facilitation brainstorming sessions
- business ecology models: niche manufacturing that captures inputs/outputs
- other business models/organizational structures
- access the best information
- HSU; external benchmarks; export what we know
- Exports
- Info; high-value stuff
- home rule ballot measure
- wacky = good
- some may be afraid; open service doors more
- mobile tech assistance van
- wacky day at the SBDC; why not?
- being an entrepreneur is hard work
- how do you cover all three parts of the business?
- look back at what we used to have?
- outreach; new ways
Recommendations
- Identification of barriers
- Explore incubators (Sonoma model)
- Mentoring
- Business matching
- Needed business list
Next Steps
- UC extension; ag tourism; farm link
- more brainstorming sessions; wacky day at SBDC
