Goodyear staff evaluate Innovation Hub and weigh renewing $300,000 HUB subscription

Goodyear economic development staff on Monday briefed the City Council on a 10-year review of the Innovation Hub and recommended a set of options to increase exposure, expand programming and pursue partner relationships.

"The Innovation Hub truly makes a difference to small business owners and entrepreneurs in Goodyear," said Dara Mann, who manages the Hub. Mann told the council the Hub offers a structured 12-hour "business basics" curriculum that culminates in a business plan, monthly "business builders" workshops with industry experts and one-on-one mentoring and room reservations for entrepreneurs.

Mann said the Hub counts an "interaction" as event attendance, mentoring appointments, room reservations or other communications and reported the city expects this fiscal year to exceed last year's interactions. She told council there are "126 Goodyear businesses who are registered on the hub platform" and that 41 of those are using technical assistance, including legal and website help.

The presentation listed three opportunity areas: integrate Hub activities with other city departments to increase customer-facing exposure (for example, partnering with parks and recreation for markets), expand programming frequency and times (including hybrid/online classes) and build youth entrepreneurship pathways through partnerships such as the Children's Entrepreneur Market and local school academies.

Council members asked about measurable outcomes beyond attendance. "How do we track the number of businesses that have come up out of the soil and not only developed but continued?" asked Councilmember Stipp, pressing staff for longitudinal results. Mann said that since she began recordkeeping in 2015, about 60 businesses have launched from the Start Up School program but cautioned that not all participants intend to launch immediately and some later return to the program as they become ready.

Cost and contracting questions came into focus when Mann and staff discussed the third-party online platform known as HUB. "For the hub renewal, about 300,000," staff said when asked for the renewal estimate. Councilmembers asked whether that figure was included in the council packet and whether renewal would be one-time funding or part of next year's budget deliberations.

Councilmember Stipp raised potential legal concerns about offering free marketing or promotional services to businesses, asking whether the city could run afoul of a gift clause; the city attorney and staff said their initial view was that the Hub is providing a service rather than a direct grant but committed to further review.

Council members broadly praised the Hub'a's role as a local resource and suggested additional marketing and celebration of success stories. Staff said next steps include returning through the budget process with recommendations and further cost analysis on specific partner options.

The council did not take formal action during the work session; staff will return with budget recommendations and any contract details should the council direct them to pursue renewal.

Ending: Staff said they will gather more detailed budget information and legal review on the HUB renewal and report back through the budget process.