Northern Innovation & Start‑Up Center reports rising engagement, announces Sept. 24 summit keynote lineup

Bea Smith, director of the Northern Innovation and Start‑Up Center, briefed the City of Aberdeen Council on June 16 about the center’s 2024 results, 2025 activity so far and upcoming events, including a Sept. 24 technology and entrepreneurship summit.

Nut Graf: Smith told the council the center — a partnership between the Aberdeen Development Corporation and Northern State University — is funded entirely through an Economic Development Administration (EDA) Build to Scale grant and is seeking a one‑year no‑cost extension of that grant to stretch funds through an additional year. She reported large increases in social reach and program participation, previewed keynote speakers for the Sept. 24 summit and noted a move to a new NSU Health and Business Innovation Center space in 2026.

Key points presented - Funding and grant status: The center is funded 100% through an EDA Build to Scale grant. Smith said the center will apply for a one‑year no‑cost extension of that EDA award to stretch the grant funds into a fourth year. She clarified that CORI is a partner organization that helped secure the grant but that the funding source is the EDA Build to Scale grant. - Outreach and participation: Smith reported strong digital engagement, saying the center’s 2025 Facebook reach had grown to more than 93,000 and website views were nearly 8,000 year‑to‑date with an average daily view of about 43. For 2024 she reported roughly 1,900 participants in programming (presented in the annual report included with council packets), nearly 200 attendees at technology workshops, and about 20 founders in startup programming (including cohorts of an eight‑week Idea to Market program). - Events and competitions: The Aberdeen Business Pitch Competition finalists will present June 30 at Ingalls Event Company; the program had 32 applicants (10 from surrounding rural communities and three from outside the state) and a $10,000 cash prize supported by the Aberdeen Development Corporation. Smith said alumni from the local pitch competition placed in the 2025 South Dakota Governor’s Giant Vision competition. - Summit speakers and partnerships: The 2025 Technology and Entrepreneurship Summit is set for Sept. 24 with entrepreneurship keynote Kevin Kelly and technology keynote James Villarubia (applied AI expert). Smith said the Summit will be a high‑flex event to include rural participants; programming will include a hands‑on workshop the day after the keynote in collaboration with NSU’s Kramer Center for Innovation and Design. - Facilities and future: Smith said the startup center plans to move into the NSU Health and Business Innovation Center in 2026.

Council response and next steps Council members asked about the original grant term (three years), the proposed one‑year no‑cost extension to use existing EDA funds longer, and possible future funding options; Smith and council members emphasized collaboration with the Aberdeen Development Corporation, the Small Business Development Center and the NSU Foundation.

Smith invited the council and public to the June 30 pitch event and said more details on the Sept. 24 summit will follow.

No formal action was requested or taken during the presentation.