The St. Clair County Economic Development Alliance is calling for entrepreneurs from six counties to join a new business opportunity.

Applications are being accepted from entrepreneurs in Huron, Lapeer, Sanilac, Shiawassee, St. Clair and Tuscola counties to become part of a newly formed Small Business Cohort. Up to 40 entrepreneurs will be accommodated in 2024, with each one receiving coaching, mentoring and up to $7,000 in support services to help their small business grow.

Entrepreneurs who are interested in applying to the Region 6 Small Business Cohort can do so at https://www.easternmichigansmallbusinessnetwork.com/.

St. Clair County EDA CEO Dan Casey said the organization’s goal is to assist the creation of the next generation of entrepreneurs in St. Clair County, and this new cohort program is expanding that into the greater region of eastern Michigan.

“The cohort program is intended to be an intense training program for the entrepreneurs, which will help them launch their businesses,” he said. “We’re putting resources in place to assist them to move forward.”

Casey said the aim of the cohort program is remove barriers entrepreneurs may face and to improve the success rate of startup companies. He said the program can help streamline the process of starting a business for entrepreneurs.

Casey said entrepreneurs have a great impact on the community. He said they help to create new jobs and diversify the economy.

As part of a recent $2.5 million Small Business Support Hubs program grant award from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the new Region 6 Small Business Cohort aims to strengthen and improve the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The Port Huron Smartzone and its affiliated The Underground business incubator is the Hub for Region 6. However, all programming, initiatives and funding opportunities that arise from the Hub will occur as the Eastern Michigan Small Business Network.

The Eastern Michigan Small Business Network is a partnership of organizations committed to serving the needs of startups and small businesses in Michigan’s central eastern region. The primary goal of the network is to accelerate the pathway to success for entrepreneurs.

Contact McKenna Golat at mgolat@gannett.com.

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This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: St. Clair County EDA announces entrepreneurial opportunity