About

Fostering Entrepreneurship and New Venture Development

The primary mission of the CAN BE (Community Association for New Business Entrepreneurship) Innovation Center is to foster entrepreneurship and new venture development in the Hazleton area, leading to business expansion and diversity.

If you are launching a new business, expanding a small home-based business or creating a spin-off venture from an existing business, CAN BE can help.

CAN BE, in cooperation with Penn State Hazleton, the Downtown Hazleton Alliance for Progress, the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce, Wilkes University, Ben Franklin Technology Partners and other strategic partners and associations, is a value-added entity that serves as a catalyst in bringing together new business interests and business development resources that lead to launching new businesses and new jobs for the Hazleton area.

CAN BE’s staff is focused on generating a renewed spirit of entrepreneurship within the entire community and instilling in the community a sense that Hazleton is a preferred location for both launching new business and developing new careers. We assist emerging companies and businesses in transition in developing business plans and business strategies and help them to access the resource network by acting as a primary business development support system.

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Community Benefits

Business incubators improve the local economy through the creation of jobs and increased tax revenue. Growing in an incubator increases a business’ chance of continued success and potential for long-term economic impact. National statistics indicate that two out of three business start-ups fail within the first five years, but 87% of businesses started in an incubator are still viable after five years.

Incubators encourage the development and implementation of new, “fresh” ideas. Successful incubator programs can help build a spirit of entrepreneurship within a community, and communities can take a sense of pride in home-grown businesses that are locally owned and operated.

While incubators provide an array of benefits to the communities in which they are located, incubators need community support to succeed. CAN BE is pleased to receive support from businesses, organizations, and partnerships throughout the Greater Hazleton community.

87%

of businesses started in an incubator are still viable after five years.

66%

of new businesses started without an incubator fail with the first 5 years

48

Jobs have been created in the CAN BE Innovation Center by 16 clients

History of CAN BE

In the early 2000s, local economic development and higher education officials recognized that with more and more companies moving overseas, new and innovative ways must be developed to create quality jobs for today’s economy. They noted the importance of support for start-up companies through targeted resources and services and the need for new business assistance in the Hazleton area.

After more than a year of planning by CAN DO staff and board members, along with officials from Penn State Hazleton, CAN BE (the Community Association for New Business Entrepreneurship) was established in early 2005 as CAN BE began to operate its incubator, the Greater Hazleton Business Innovation Center, in Valmont Industrial Park.

Since CAN BE began providing services to local entrepreneurs, 48 jobs have been created by 16 clients of the program. The incubator is located in a Pennsylvania Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ), which offers tax credits as an incentive for new companies locating there.