Lansing Economic Area Partnership | LEAP

Our Regional Growth Department works on coordinated strategies to attract and retain new businesses and talent and to build the Lansing Region into an across-the-board great place to live. This includes efforts such as: ⚙️ Fostering supplier diversification; 💰 Pursuing Foreign Direct Investments; 💵 Collaborating with partners to offer tax incentives to attract and expand projects; ⚕️ Investing in industry clusters such as MedTech, AgTech, and E-sports; 🏠 🍼 And improving options for attainable housing and high-quality child care. And we’re proud that the average hourly wage of these committed created jobs is $23.97, more than triple the federal minimum wage! ➡️ Check out some of the impacts we’re most proud of from last year, and read our 2023 Annual Report, “Take the LEAP with Us,” to learn more about many exciting new projects! bit.ly/3Vvp1qh #TakeTheLEAPwithUs #517 #LoveLansing #PureMichigan

In celebration of #HispanicHeritageMonth, which runs September 15 - October 15, LEAP proudly sponsored the Hispanic Heritage Festival, organized by Ourspace (517), where three of our Ascend Hispanic and Latino business accelerator program participants spoke at the Pathways to Prosperity Hispanic Heritage Wellness Seminar. We love seeing entrepreneurs supported by LEAP using their platform to share their inspirational stories and encouragement for others in the community! Congratulations to Dr. Felipe Lopez Sustaita (Associate Dean of Lansing Community College), Elena Herrera (owner of Ledger Ally), and Jose Aste (owner of Tantay Peruvian Cuisine)! Learn more about the event at https://lnkd.in/enjpkMDR

“This hub is kind of a lifeline,” said Jacqueline Taylor, owner of Little Dreamers Daycare Center. “It puts those resources in one place.” Learn more about our recently launched Capital Area Child Care Coalition website, which offers business and career expansion resources to child care programs, as well as child care resources for employers to share with employees, in this WILX-TV segment: bit.ly/3XNEG3z Check out all the resources at purelansing.com/childcare, and share them widely with your networks! Together, we can improve the child care gap in the Lansing Region!

Join the LEAP team! We're hiring an Accounting Support Specialist to assist our CFO and a Small Business Liaison to support local businesses through the TREK Small Business Support Hub Program. Learn more and apply at https://lnkd.in/grn32zmG

Today's #SuccessfulStartupSpotlight features Health Numeric, a remote patient monitoring system that has grown immensely thanks to the thought partnership, funding, and resources from the Technology Innovation Center (TIC) and Lansing Regional SmartZone, which LEAP proudly manages. Hear from CEO Nevin Brittain how the mentorship and collaborative entrepreneurial space at the TIC were crucial to the growth of his business. 📽️ youtu.be/bQJV7K2uncU LEAP and our partners are committed to supporting innovation and small business owners in the #LoveLansing community. 🤝 We can't wait to help you launch and scale your business idea! Check out PureLansing.com and contact us to get started! 📞 💻 #PureLansing #LEAPforward

Launching a business requires an idea, grit, and support. 🤝 We're ready to help innovative entrepreneurs #LEAPforward! Jordan Munsters, chief fort officer of 🏎️ High Caliber Karting & Entertainment, shares highlights from the early days of his business at the Technology Innovation Center (TIC) in this #SuccessfulStartupSpotlight: bit.ly/3Lak3J9 The TIC is a business incubator for technology startups in the Lansing region, operated by the Lansing Regional SmartZone and managed by LEAP. We're excited to help you accelerate your creative idea.

Our newly launched Capital Area Child Care Coalition website helps both child care providers and employers better support all parents and caregivers with more high-quality child care options. 👶 🤱 👨👩👦 This resource hub offers business operation and career expansion services for child care providers to ensure their child care programs are running at full capacity, plus child care resources and information for employers. Businesses can experience decreased absenteeism, a larger and stronger talent pool, and better productivity outcomes when they support the child care needs of their employees. Led by LEAP and funded by the Early Childhood Investment Corporation, the Capital Area Child Care Coalition is a group of over 70 community leaders across Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties working together strategically to increase the supply of high-quality childcare in the region. Learn more at purelansing.com/childcare

Improve business outcomes by exploring child care resources for your employees! Addressing the child care issues of your current and potential employees can widen your workforce talent pool, improve workforce recruitment and retention, and boost your company’s overall productivity. There is a significant child care gap in the Lansing Region—meaning there aren’t enough spots in high-quality child care programs for the children who need them—and families that can secure a spot often have to pay up to 41% of their income for care. The Capital Area Child Care Coalition, powered by the Lansing Economic Area Partnership, consists of over 70 community leaders working to bridge that gap and increase the supply of high-quality child care. Let’s ease the burden of child care issues together. From sharing resources with employees to offering a child care benefit, there are many ways you can support talented and hardworking employees. With more reliable and accessible care, a greater number of parents and caregivers can enter and stay in the workforce, reduce their absenteeism, and better focus on growing your business. Learn more about our free resources: purelansing.com/childcare

Earlier this month, LEAP's Chief Operating Officer Keith Lambert presented the Global Impact Foreign Direct Investment Award to ATESTEO and its North America President, Roy M. Schulde, at the Lansing Sister Cities Commission's 30th Anniversary Global Diversity Celebration! This award recognizes individuals and organizations for their contributions to global diversity. LEAP is proud to have facilitated ATESTEO in opening its 35,000 sq. ft. facility in East Lansing — the Germany-based drivetrain testing company's first facility in North America, and the single largest investment in ATESTEO history.

Businesses in Ingham County: apply to obtain a Supplier Diversity Certification! 📝 📜 🎉 Open doors to bigger clients and opportunities, including diversity marketplaces, diverse/local procurement initiatives with corporate buyers, and more! Funding from the Ingham County Sunrise Small Business Grant Program will cover certification costs, provide application guidance, and add successful applicants to Supplier Gateway's supplier database, searchable by Fortune 500 companies. Supplier Gateway's certification program encompasses various categories, including small, woman-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned, disability-owned, LGBT+-owned, and HUBZone businesses. Apply now, and get certified by December 2024! Slots will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.