PEMBROKE, NC (WBTW) – On Monday, the Town of Pembroke celebrated something new that is expected to create more job opportunities in Robeson County.
County and university leaders held a ribbon cutting for the University of North Carolina at Pembroke’s Entrepreneurship Incubator.
It’s located in a former furniture store in downtown Pembroke.
“We talk about it in the legislature all time time…jobs, jobs, jobs. Well right now we have the opportunity to do that right here,” said NC Representative Charles Graham.
The incubator was funded by $1.2 million in grants and gifts from the U.S. Commerce Department, the Golden Leaf Foundation and private donors, according to university officials.
“For a long time there had not been any major changes in the downtown Pembroke arena or landscape. So by us moving in and revitalizing this downtown, it is helping to spur,” explained Cammie Hunt, Associate Vice Chancellor of Engaged Outreach at the school.
The 17,000 square-foot facility supports local entrepreneurs by providing new businesses with physical space, consulting services, educational seminars and workshops, mentoring and networking opportunities.
James Freeman, who joined UNCP’s Thomas Family Center for Entrepreneurship (TFCE) as its first Entrepreneur in Residence, went through THE entrepreneurship program.
“I was just fresh out of undergrad, graduated from school. I wanted to have an idea for my own business and make it flourish,” he said.
Just nine months after completing the program he opened the town’s first sports bar.
“It is an amazing experience from having a small business and using the resources that the university provides you to actually making that business happens and now me being in the shoes of those that helped me to helping other businesses happen,” he stated.
The school is looking for entrepreneurs that are interested to sign-up.
If you’d like to learn more about the program, click here.
