Business incubator to aim at Tulsa immigrant startups
The first small-business incubator aimed at immigrant communities in the state will be announced in east Tulsa on Wednesday.
The incubator for startups and entrepreneurs will be located at Plaza Santa Cecilia in the Tulsa Global District, near 21st Street and Garnett Road.
A groundbreaking is set for this summer, with an opening planned for the end of the year.
The incubator is being launched by the city of Tulsa, Tulsa County and the George Kaiser Family Foundation.
“We’re really excited about it,” Mayor G.T. Bynum told the Tulsa World.
“The cities that are going to thrive in the 21st century, … they are the cities that are facilitating new businesses and empowering people who are already inclined for entrepreneurship. It’s so important for Tulsa to take advantage of that,” he said.
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The Tulsa Global District is the most culturally diverse community in the city, with over 80 languages spoken and 25 countries represented from Mexico and Central America, as well as Vietnamese and Hmong communities.
Bynum said it would be the first business incubator in the state aimed specifically at immigrant communities.
The incubator will have about 15,000 square feet and will act as a hub to include “robust” programmatic support to launch and scale immigrant businesses, a community space to host workshops and classes, and an international market-themed retail space for immigrant entrepreneurs to test and market their products, the city said in a news release.
This rendering shows an outdoor area at the planned business incubator at the Tulsa Global District.
“These unique features will support immigrant entrepreneurs all over the Tulsa metro area, promote tourism, and serve as a model for inclusive economic growth,” the city said.
The city invested $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding for the incubator, with Tulsa County contributing $120,000 in ARPA funds. GKFF contributed $1,400,000 to the project through Elevate East, its new program that is funding an array of initiatives in east Tulsa to lift families and improve neighborhoods.
“East Tulsa’s Global District is more than just a destination district; it’s the culmination of diverse cultures working together to create an exciting and vibrant environment to welcome visitors and Tulsans to a new experience,” said City Councilor Christian Bengal.
“With this public-private partnership, it sends a clear message that east Tulsa is raising its voice for resurgence into the marts of commerce and investment,” he said.
Many immigrant entrepreneurs often need help navigating resources, such as how to form an LLC, get permits and acquire capital.
A new community development corporation, the Immigrant Community Development Corp., will manage the incubator.
The development organization aims to acquire and manage properties in east Tulsa that support revitalization and create an environment that encourages new wealth-building opportunities for neighborhood residents.
GH2 is the architect for the project.
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Patrick Prince
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