Innovation Center at Saratoga Launches New Entrepreneurship Program

BALLSTON SPA — The Innovation Center at Saratoga recently announced the launch of “Entrepreneurship is Everyone’s Business,” a program designed to strengthen the local economy by helping small businesses start, grow, and succeed.

“One of the great strengths of any community is the success of its small businesses,” said Beth Moeller, founder of the Innovation Center. “This program is designed to support the businesses that shape our region’s identity and vitality—the local shops, restaurants, consultancies, and creative makers and artists that make our community special.”

“Entrepreneurship is Everyone’s Business” is tailored to support main street, hospitality, business consultancies, and creatives (including visual artists, photographers, jewelry designers, and more). Other business types are welcome, and the program is open to both early-stage businesses and ventures that haven’t launched yet.

Unlike a traditional business boot camp, the Innovation Center emphasizes continued coaching, mentorship, and community accountability over time. The program is structured in four phases:

1) Learn (February through April) with six core business classes and then two elective tracks of three classes each serving the needs of artists and creatives, as well as the more traditional business.

2) Guide (May), where class participants are paired with mentors from SCORE or Saratoga Arts to help refine their business plan and model.

3) Pitch (June), where participants present their finalized business plans and concepts to key regional funding sources, including banks, development groups, and government sources.

4) Support (July through December): This phase focuses on building peer-to-peer support networks and a community of entrepreneurs balancing work, life, and startup growth. The program culminates in Everyone’s Business Demo Day, a public showcase where graduates can gain exposure and present to community leaders, potential customers, and investors as they take the next step toward expansion.

“What sets this program apart is that we don’t just teach you and send you off,” Moeller said. “We pair you with a mentor, we bring you together with other entrepreneurs facing the same challenges, and we stay with you for the full year. That’s the kind of support our local business owners deserve.”

Program details and registration information are available at innovationcentersaratoga.org/entrepreneur.