Northwest Arkansas | February 14th –<\/strong> The Startup Junkie Foundation is proud to announce an exciting new initiative in collaboration with SLS Community<\/a> to explore the state of neurodiversity in the workforce across Northwest Arkansas.<\/span><\/p>\n Through a series of targeted surveys, this project will gather insights from employers, neurotypical employees, and neurodiverse employees to identify key trends, opportunities, and challenges shaping the neurodiverse workforce in our region.<\/span><\/p>\n A research-driven approach helped develop the surveys to ensure that they are comprehensive and impactful. Developed in partnership with experts from SLS Community, the survey questions have been carefully crafted based on extensive research and best practices in the field of neurodiversity.<\/span><\/p>\n By collecting and analyzing responses from various stakeholders, Startup Junkie Foundation aims to produce a detailed report that will serve as a valuable resource for businesses, policymakers, community leaders and any regional stakeholder looking to create a workplace environment that welcomes and supports neurodiverse individuals.<\/span><\/p>\n In the coming weeks, the Foundation will be distributing these surveys to community partners, supporters, and the public at large. Employers and employees alike are encouraged to participate and share their experiences to help improve and support these workplace environments.<\/span><\/p>\n The findings from this study will be instrumental in fostering a greater understanding of neurodiverse professionals\u2019 contributions and challenges and creating environments where everyone in the workplace can be successful.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who participates in this important initiative,\u201d said Claudia Scott, NWA Kiva Hub Director. \u201cYour insights and engagement will help create a stronger, supportive and more productive professional landscape in Northwest Arkansas.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n About Startup Junkie Foundation: <\/b>Startup Junkie Foundation<\/span><\/a> is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Northwest Arkansas that focuses on supporting entrepreneurs and fostering economic development. The foundation works to provide resources, mentorship, and educational programs to help entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses, with a particular emphasis on serving underrepresented founders and rural communities.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n About SLS Community: <\/strong><\/span>SLS Community<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>is a non-profit in Fayetteville, Arkansas that is taking a holistic approach to supporting neurodiverse adults with essential resources to flourish. Along with impact partners, SLS Community\u2019s vision is to orchestrate an effort that brings together supports and services, a continuum of housing options, job opportunities, and community options, enmeshed throughout a unique 230-acre development in south Fayetteville called\u00a0<\/span>Cato Springs<\/a>. Cato Springs will serve both neurodiverse adults and the NWA region broadly and act as the future home of SLS Community.<\/p>\n As the Cato Springs project is being built out, SLS Community is focused on expansion of supportive living services, day services, and community initiatives in Fayetteville as a scaling service provider for \u201cMedicaid waiver\u201d home and community-based services (HCBS). SLS is implementing a comprehensive approach that surrounds neurodiverse adults with opportunities to thrive through independence and choice and fuels each individual\u2019s ability to contribute their skills, explore their dreams, have relationships, and cultivate meaningful community connections.<\/p>\n CONTACT:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Claudia Scott<\/span><\/p>\n Director of Kiva NWA<\/span><\/p>\n Startup Junkie Foundation<\/span><\/p>\n Claudia@startupjunkie.org<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Startup Junkie Foundation Partners with SLS Community to Launch Groundbreaking Neurodiversity Workforce Study in NWA Northwest Arkansas | February 14th – The Startup Junkie Foundation is proud to announce an exciting new initiative in collaboration with SLS Community to explore the state of neurodiversity in the workforce across Northwest Arkansas. Through a series of targeted […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4090,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" ARise is on a mission to empower tech ventures in Arkansas to scale up, create high-wage employment opportunities, and drive world-class technological innovation throughout the state. With a vision of becoming the driving force behind entrepreneurial economic growth in Arkansas, ARise aims to establish the state as a premier destination for tech companies worldwide to start and scale their businesses.<\/p>\r\n\r\n ARise offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to support startups and entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey:<\/p>\r\n\r\n ARise provides personalized consulting and coaching to guide tech ventures toward success, from concept validation to scaling strategies. Differentiating itself from other programs, ARise provides its startups with coaching on a continued basis and regular check-ins to ensure each venture has a customized plan to receive services and support.<\/p>\r\n\r\n ARise helps startups navigate the capital landscape, connecting them with funding opportunities and providing the support they need to secure investment. Whether a startup is looking for venture capital or non-dilutive government support, ARise assists innovators with securing the best funding for the current stage of their company. The program also offers investor recruitment and education to support startups within Arkansas.<\/p>\r\n\r\n ARise's network of SMEs and mentors offers invaluable guidance and support across industries, empowering entrepreneurs to overcome challenges and achieve their goals. This SME network provides a breadth of knowledge for new ventures, including the expertise of those who have grown their own companies and those who have proficiency in highly specialized fields like biotechnology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and retail value chain management.<\/p>\r\n\r\n As a collaboration between Startup Junkie, Conductor, and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, ARise facilitates connections between startups and established companies to foster growth and expansion.<\/p>\r\n\r\n ARise strengthens the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Arkansas through a comprehensive digital resource library, targeted events, and collaborations with other entrepreneurial support organizations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The ARise program is open to tech and tech-enabled ventures that are Arkansas-based and scalable. All services are offered at no charge to entrepreneurs across the state. To enroll in the program, visit\u00a0www.ARiseArkansas.org<\/a>\u00a0to (1) complete an onboarding application and (2) schedule an initial consultation with a program representative.<\/p>\r\n\r\n \u201cGrowing technology companies is critical for Arkansas\u2019 long-term economic success. The ARise program is a key element of our strategy for providing support and resources for tech ventures as they scale up in the Natural State.\u201d - Clint O\u2019Neal, Executive Director, Arkansas Economic Development Commission<\/p>\r\n \u201cLaunching a tech venture is a challenging endeavor \u2013 and entrepreneurs do not always have the resources they need to succeed. Through the ARise program, we aim to provide tech entrepreneurs with the resources and expertise they need to grow and scale their businesses. We are excited to collaborate with Startup Junkie Consulting on the management of the ARise program to help tech entrepreneurs create high-tech business growth in the Natural State.\u201d - Esperanza Massana Crane, Director, AEDC\u2019s Small Business and Entrepreneurship Development Division<\/p>\r\n \u201cARise reflects our vision and brand promise to help AEDC drive an increasingly bright future for Arkansas-based tech and tech-enabled ventures.\u00a0 We could not be more excited to be partnered with AEDC for this critical statewide program.\u201d\u00a0- Jeff Amerine, Co-Director at ARise & Founder and Managing Director at Startup Junkie Consulting<\/p>\r\n \u201cWe\u2019ve built the ARise program and services to fill gaps for tech and tech-enabled entrepreneurs looking to scale within our state and to open doors for those entrepreneurs within our state - we want entrepreneurs to have access to all our state has to offer including SMEs, industry partners, and other resources.\u201d - Grace Rains, Co-Director at ARise & Executive Director at Conductor<\/p>\r\n ARise - Arkansas Innovators, Startups, and Entrepreneurs is on a mission to empower tech ventures in Arkansas to scale up, create high-wage employment opportunities, and drive world-class technological innovation throughout the state. This is a collaborative initiative funded by the Arkansas Economic Development Organization and led by Startup Junkie. ARise is dedicated to empowering tech ventures in Arkansas through consulting and coaching, capital access, a subject matter expert network, industry connections, and ecosystem resources.<\/p>\r\n For media inquiries, please contact:<\/p>\r\n Kristopher Adams, ARise Program Manager<\/p>\r\n kris@arisearkansas.org<\/a><\/p>\r\n 479-402-0036<\/p>\r\n Tyler Hale, Communications Officer<\/p>\r\n tyler.hale@arkansasedc.com<\/a><\/p>\r\n 501-410-7883<\/p>\r\n For more information about ARise, visit\u00a0arisearkansas.org<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n Follow ARise on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a> for updates and announcements.<\/p>\r\n About Arkansas Economic Development Commission<\/p>\r\n At AEDC, we know economic advancement doesn\u2019t happen by accident. We work strategically with businesses and communities to create strong economic opportunities, making Arkansas the natural choice for success. AEDC is a division of the Arkansas Department of Commerce. To learn more, visit ArkansasEDC.com.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4080","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press-release"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4080","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4080"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4080\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4222,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4080\/revisions\/4222"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4080"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4080"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4080"}],"curies":[{"name":"gracias","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"ARise](\"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/ARise-300x300.png\")
\r\nIntroducing ARise: Arkansas Innovators, Startups, and Entrepreneurs<\/h1>\r\nFayetteville, Conway, and Little Rock, Ark.- June 20, 2024 -<\/strong> Arkansas's tech entrepreneurs have a new ally in their journey towards success with the launch of ARise - Arkansas Innovators, Startups, and Entrepreneurs. A fresh and expanded iteration of the Arkansas Statewide Technology Commercialization program formerly known as Innovate Arkansas, ARise is an ambitious initiative funded by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and led by Startup Junkie, aimed at propelling tech and tech-enabled companies in Arkansas to new heights of innovation and economic vitality.\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/ARise-Startup-Junkie-Conductor-AECD-Tech-Program-1-300x200.jpg\")
\r\nMission & Vision<\/h3>\r\n
Program Services<\/h3>\r\n
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Startup Consulting and Coaching<\/h4>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
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Capital Access Navigation<\/h4>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
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Advanced Subject Matter Expert (SME) Network<\/h4>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
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Connection to Industry<\/h4>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
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Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Resources<\/h4>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
Enrollment<\/h3>\r\n
Quotes<\/h3>\r\n