CCV-Bennington to Offer Start-Up 802 Entrepreneurship Program

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Community College of Vermont (CCV)-Bennington will once again offer its entrepreneurship program in fall 2019. Start-Up 802 is a two-course curriculum designed to help students develop entrepreneurial skills and launch business ideas.

The program was launched last year as the result of a collaborative effort to stimulate economic development and cultivate local talent. CCV developed the program in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, Bennington County Regional Commission, and the Small Business Development Center, among others.

Nicole Stetson is an associate academic dean at CCV. She says the collaborative nature of the program gives students immediate access to a local network of entrepreneurs. “Our hope is that they are connecting with the resources in our community to move their ideas forward, and that they are launching, or close to launching a business by the end of the semester.”

The first of two classes, “An Entrepreneurial Mindset,” runs September 4 – October 9, and is followed by “Small Business Management” from October 16 – December 11. Classes are held at CCV and The Lightning Jar, a collaborative co-working space for innovators, entrepreneurs, students, and professionals located in downtown Bennington. Students are also provided with trial memberships to the Lightning Jar, access to and mentorship from small business leaders and entrepreneurs in the community, and the opportunity to present start-up ideas at a pitch event.