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Technology Business Development Center (TBDC)
TBDC Overview
The Louisiana Tech University Technology Business Development Center (TBDC) supports and facilitates the establishment, growth, and success of technology-based businesses along the Interstate-20 corridor. This Center provides information, counseling services, and educational opportunities for nascent entrepreneurs, emerging business ventures, and existing technology-oriented businesses. Assistance and support available through the Center is specifically tailored to meet the needs of entrepreneurs who are investigating and pursuing business enterprises based on useful new technologies or unique applications of technology with the potential to create high quality employment opportunities in Louisiana.
TBDC Services
The TBDC has established a set of core services that inform, assist, and educate technological entrepreneurs and enterprises. Basic information and referral services connect entrepreneurs with the agencies, programs, and resources needed to begin and pursue development of their businesses. TBDC services is focused on identifying, gathering, and organizing information necessary to plan, start, and grow a technology business. This data is being integrated into an interactive resource and referral network system. Over time, this data will be expanded to provide more detailed information on funding opportunities, conferences, assistance programs, news articles, reports, updates, and other resources.
- Identification and Development of Entrepreneurial Infrastructure
- Advocacy and Awareness for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Encouragement of Entrepreneurial Exploration and Investigation
- Pre-venture Assistance
- Support for Starting, and Mature Businesses
TBDC Client Criteria
This Center provides assistance to businesses that have high growth potential and a business model based on innovative products or processes to generate their competitive advantage. The TBDC serves clients based on two factors: (1) geographic location (or prospective location) and (2) business type.
Geographic Location
The primary service area for the TBDC is located in the I-20 corridor in north Louisiana. This region includes 20 parishes: Caddo, Bossier, De Soto, Red River, Webster, Claiborne, Bienville, Winn, Jackson, Lincoln, Union, Ouachita, Caldwell, Franklin, Richland, Morehouse, West Carroll, East Carroll, Madison, and Tensas. Under certain circumstances, this region is expanded to include companies or prospective companies in any other Louisiana parish. It is also expanded for certain limited services to prospective companies interested in relocating to north Louisiana.
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The services of the TBDC are developed for and provided to primarily technology businesses. A technology business is a business that derives the majority of its gross receipts from the design, development, or creation (for lease, sale or license) of technology-based products, processes, or related services. This includes a business that (1) develops proprietary technology that contributes to a significant proportion of the revenues, (2) manufactures a technology related product, or (3) devotes a high percentage of (financial) effort to Research & Development. The definition of a technology business can also extends to non-technology businesses for several reasons including: (1) companies that provide training and technological services to technology businesses, (2) companies that want to expand to include a technology product or service, (3) companies that want to incorporate a substantial technology component into their non-technology service or product. |
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If there is excess capacity available for workshops, seminars, etc., then TBDC services can be made available to regional businesses that do not meet the above criteria but are interested in the services provided to the above described businesses.
Contact
To request assistance or obtain more information about the TBDC, contact:
Kathy Wyatt
Director, TBDC
Phone: 318-257-3537
Email: kwyatt@latech.edu
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Development Center