Those with the next great idea in West Kentucky should take note.
Sprocket — an innovation hub based out of Paducah, Kentucky — is teaming up with Covington, Kentucky-based Aviatra Accelerators to offer the first “Explore Your Business Idea” workshop at Sprocket’s offices from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 17, according to a news release.
Aviatra Accelerators is a nonprofit organization centered on providing resources to founders — in particular, female founders. Since its founding in 2010 when it was first called Bad Girl Ventures, the organization has supported more than 4,000 women (888 alone in 2023), while achieving an 80% business success rate and leading to the creation of more than 15,000 jobs, per its website.
Reporter Liz Engel from one of our sister papers, the Cincinnati Business Courier, wrote about Aviatra back in August when it unveiled its latest cohort for a 10-week accelerator program.
The workshop — which will take place at Sprocket’s working space at 3121 Broadway, Ste. 106 — will include themes of ideation, business refinement, massaging, branding and the fundamental components of starting a business. The cost is $50. Tickets can be purchased online.
It should be noted that the event is open to aspiring male entrepreneurs as well.
“Too often we get stuck in the planning and thinking spiral,” Sprocket Executive Director Monica Bilak said via email. “This is going to be about doing. This is an excellent opportunity for attendees to activate and build off the energy of others who are doing the same."
Last month, I spoke with Bilak about the launch of the hub’s first NEXT50K program, which is taking applications until March 1. The program will award $50,000 each to one health tech startup and to one other startup of any background/category.
Sprocket, which opened its offices in 2021, is one of six innovation hubs located throughout Kentucky that are part of the system of KY Innovation, the entrepreneurial arm of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.
The other five KY innovation hubs are: Amplify Louisville; Awesome Inc (Lexington); Blue North (Covington); Central Region Ecosystem for Arts, Technology and Entrepreneurship (CREATE, Bowling Green) and the innovation sector of Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR, Pikeville).
