In 1994 local economic development groups began working on plans and looking for money to build a business incubator to foster manufacturing and technology firms.  Construction began ten years later and the building, named the Black Hills Business Development Center, was completed in the summer of 2006.  A modernistic 40,000 square-foot building on the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology campus, was designed to be divided and adapted to the needs of the companies that set up shop in the incubator.  The idea is to offer entrepreneurs three things they can’t find by starting up on their own: expert help in areas such as business planning and accounting; use of office facilities and equipment; and the interaction with other entrepreneurs who are trying to solve the same problems.

Links:

• Black Hills Business Development Center
• Governor's Office of Economic Development
• Rapid City Area Economic Development Partnership
• Western Research Alliance
• Genesis Group

Who to Contact: Bob DeMersseman (bdemers@rapiddevelopment.com) Terri Haverly (thaverly@rapiddevelopment.com ); Greg Bartron (gbartron@tie.net) or Brenda Kirchgasler(bkirchgasler@tie.net)