PROVIDENCE – For some entrepreneurs, getting started can be the hardest part.
To help get startups running, Innovation Studio Rhode Island is offering LAUNCH!, a pre-accelerator program to help people turn their ideas into businesses, or to take early-stage startups to the next level.
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When people have an idea for a business, “there’s not necessarily a lot of understanding about how you start,” said Amy Erickson, Innovation Studio’s director of R.I. programs.
“There are a lot of people who have really good ideas, and they say, ‘I can’t do that, I don’t know anything about that, I didn’t go to business school’ … but this is an easy way to get started,” she added.
The free program, which was established with a $128,000 grant from the Rhode Island Foundation, is open to anyone with an idea for a business, Erickson said, regardless of experience or training.
Participants work with instructors and collaborate with each other to learn the essentials of business strategies, including marketing, funding opportunities, pitching and identifying their target markets, Erickson said.
Participation involves a two-hour class every week for eight weeks, with optional “deep dive” workshops.
Through this process, “you can get to the point where you’re ready for your first sale,” Erickson said, “or your first expansion.”
The program is accepting two cohorts of up to 25 participants each, with one cohort for English speakers and one for Spanish speakers.
The program started at Venture Café Cambridge, then ran in Roxbury for three years and a total of six sessions. Like the Massachusetts program, Innovation Studio Rhode Island will run the pre-accelerator for two sessions per year.
Those interested can apply on the Innovation Studio website until Feb. 8. The program will kick off on March 1.
