FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. \u2013 Startup Junkie Foundation announced today that the Walton Family Foundation has renewed and expanded its support for the Northwest Arkansas Kiva Hub (Kiva NWA) with a three-year commitment to the Foundation and a $1 million contribution to the loan match fund at Kiva U.S. This funding will be used to directly match loans to Northwest Arkansas borrowers\u2019 dollar-for-dollar, doubling the impact of local lenders and ensuring more entrepreneurs in Washington and Benton counties have access to zero-interest capital.<\/p>\n
Since its launch in December 2019, Kiva NWA has facilitated about $2 million in crowdfunded loans to local small business owners, empowering entrepreneurs who have historically faced barriers to traditional financing. With this renewed commitment, Startup Junkie will continue deploying the program for another three years while also expanding its team\u2019s capacity to serve clients and prospective borrowers with more resources, hands-on support, and expanded programming through workshops and community events. That expansion will also include multi language support, with plans to increase access to consulting and capital assistance in both Spanish and Marshallese.<\/p>\n
“Over the last three years that I\u2019ve had the privilege of leading the Kiva NWA hub, I\u2019ve seen firsthand how powerful this program can be when borrowers, community, and partners come together,” said Claudia Scott, Director of Entrepreneurial Access and Kiva Northwest Arkansas at Startup Junkie Foundation. “This new pledge is a direct reflection of that collective success. With this investment, we\u2019re excited to scale our impact, grow our team, and support even more business owners, not only with access to capital but also with personalized technical assistance to help them thrive.”<\/p>\n
“Kiva NWA helps small business owners access the funding they need to grow and succeed,” said Yee-Lin Lai, Sr. Program Officer at the Walton Family Foundation. “For many, a Kiva loan serves as the first step on the capital ladder, filling a critical gap and creating opportunity for underserved entrepreneurs who are left out of traditional lending systems. These microloans allow entrepreneurs to start or grow their businesses, creating an opportunity for a better future for themselves and their families.”<\/p>\n
Kiva NWA provides zero-interest microloans ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 for small business owners and entrepreneurs across the region. Loans are crowdfunded by individuals worldwide, with contributions starting at just $25, and are fully matched dollar-for-dollar through Walton Family Foundation support in Washington and Benton counties. This model not only provides entrepreneurs with vital access to capital but also connects them with a global community of lenders who believe in their success.<\/p>\n
“Kiva is proud to continue partnering with Startup Junkie and the Walton Family Foundation to expand access to capital for entrepreneurs in Northwest Arkansas," said Eli Cherner, Director of Kiva U.S. “By increasing the Kiva U.S. matching fund thanks to the support of the Walton Family Foundation, we\u2019re ensuring that even more small business owners have the resources they need to start and grow their businesses. This partnership is a powerful example of how local support and impact-first capital can fuel collective action to build stronger, more resilient communities.”<\/p>\n
About Startup Junkie Foundation:<\/strong> Startup Junkie is a mission-driven organization that exists to improve lives through innovation and entrepreneurship. With a goal to stimulate economic growth in the region, the organization provides a variety of services, including mentorship, consulting, training, and more. Startup Junkie has an extensive network of partners and professionals that are dedicated to enhancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Northwest Arkansas. The Foundation has helped thousands of entrepreneurs through one-on-one consulting and hosts over 200 events and programs a year.<\/p>\n About Kiva:<\/strong> Kiva is a global nonprofit working to expand financial access to help underserved communities thrive. Founded in 2005, Kiva connects people willing to lend as little as $25 with entrepreneurs around the world. To date, more than two million borrowers have accessed capital through Kiva\u2019s platform, backed by a community of 2.2 million lenders across 190 countries. Loans are offered at 0% interest, helping individuals start and grow businesses, invest in education, and improve quality of life.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Startup Junkie Foundation expands capacity and programming to better serve NWA FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. \u2013 Startup Junkie Foundation announced today that the Walton Family Foundation has renewed and expanded its support for the Northwest Arkansas Kiva Hub (Kiva NWA) with a three-year commitment to the Foundation and a $1 million contribution to the loan match fund […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"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":[20,12,14],"tags":[38,44,24,61,34,64,76,77,23,75,66],"class_list":["post-4729","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","category-news","category-press-release","tag-business","tag-community","tag-entrepreneur","tag-entrepreneurship","tag-innovation","tag-news","tag-pitch","tag-pitchcompetition","tag-small-business","tag-smallbusiness","tag-startup-junkie"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4729","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\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4729"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4729\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4750,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4729\/revisions\/4750"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4729"}],"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