Library has partnered with the Office of Business Opportunity for “Liftoff Houston!”

Kendall Library Blog by Karen

Library partners with OBO for “Liftoff Houston!”
From Blanca Quezada, City Savvy, Department News, 5/6:

  Library has partnered with the Office of Business Opportunity for “Liftoff Houston!” a business plan competition sponsored by Capital One that aims to engage and empower Houstonians seeking to start a new business in Houston. Eligible participants will be assigned a professional business coach/mentor, a personal financial advisor, and be provided with access to essential information, resources and support necessary to develop a sound business plan.
  Liftoff Houston will showcase the vast resources and services available through the Houston Public Library and the Office of Business Opportunity that are invaluable to small startup businesses, said Dr. Rhea Brown Lawson, library director.
  To successfully research, develop and present the business plan, participants are required to have an HPL card, attend workshops offered by industry experts, ranging in topics from business plan basics to presenting plans to financial institutions, and attend information sessions to learn about the vast resources available to support new business startups through HPL and OBO.
  Public libraries play an important role in small business development with their free access to critical business-related resources, says Lawson.
The competition will be take place in two rounds, an application round and presentation round with the top three finalists receiving much needed capital to invest in their business. Capital One Bank is providing cash prizes totaling $30,000, including a $15,000 grand prize to the winning business plan submission. Registration for the competition ends on May 30.
Log on to www.houstontx.gov/obo/liftoffhouston for more information.