An Innovative Ecosystem

Doing business in the North County comes with challenges like limited markets and population, cultural tastes and regulatory challenges that may not strengthen or align with every business that we need and hope to enhance. Due to this, we often see gaps in available capital and funding to expand business opportunities and make valuable projects work.

Our communities need small businesses, jobs, products and services that may thrive in broader markets, but need additional resources and risk tolerance to prosper here. To meet this need, we strive to secure, facilitate and provide financing and grant funding to help bridge these gaps.

Learn more here.

Aspiring entrepreneurs and businesses looking to grow are in need of guidance as they explore what resources and opportunities are available to them. Due to the complex nature of economic development offerings, the process of identifying and navigating programs, relationships and requirements can be daunting, if not impossible for most.

We provide assistance through our established relationships with resource providers and broad knowledge of opportunities. Our skill at making connections and guiding them through this process has been crucial in successful startup, retention and expansion efforts.

Supporting businesses transitioning to new ownership will ensure a wave of retiring business owners doesn’t mean losing critical skills, services and amenities in our communities.  We provide critical technical and financial support that are needed to help enable successful transitions to the next generation of entrepreneurs.

The Adirondack North Country Center for Businesses in Transition addresses the loss of area businesses by providing matchmaking services with potential buyers, access to planning tools and connection with existing services.

The Center is a dynamic partnership between regional organizations and individuals invested in the retention of local businesses and the future of our communities. The goal is to help owners sell their businesses on the open market, complete intergenerational family transitions or convert to an employee-owned or cooperative model.

As partners in the Center for Businesses in Transition, we help connect business buyers and sellers with services, specialists, resources and education on best practices. If you are considering a transition now, or want to be prepared for the future, we are here to help you chart your path.

If you are a business owner looking to retire or transfer ownership and you need assistance:

• Navigating available resources
• Finding suitable successors
• Accessing capital

Or if you are an aspiring entrepreneur looking to:

• Purchase an existing business
• Start on a new career path leading to business ownership
• Find out more about employee ownership models and opportunities

Please visit: OwnANorthCountryBusiness.com

Coworking spaces provide small business owners, entrepreneurs and knowledge workers  a space to get work done, network and participate in their local business community. The Center for Rural Innovation has identified co-working & entrepreneurship spaces as one of the critical pieces of infrastructure that rural communities need for a digital economy ecosystem.

The Carry coworking space located in downtown Saranac Lake offers a dynamic and flexible work space for Saranac Lake’s growing community of entrepreneurs that encourages collaboration and provides connections to the resources they need. There are options for annual, monthly, and day usage.

Makerspaces also abound in the Adirondack region, from Bluseed Studios, Forever Wild Studio and Lake Flower Landing in Saranac Lake to North Country School Makerspace and Northwood School Innovation Hub near Lake Placid.