Jan. 30—A new center focused on luring manufacturing and technology businesses will be housed in Oneonta.

Otsego Now, the umbrella organization of Otsego County's Industrial Development Agency and the Otsego County Capital Resource Corporation, announced it will launch the county's first Innovation and Acceleration Center.

Otsego Now Marketing Coordinator and Innovation and Acceleration Coordinator Gina Gardner said the group received a $150,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to fund the center, which hopes to recruit at least 12 businesses within the next 18 months.

"Our anchor businesses (Custom Electronics (and) Ioxus) also provided In Kind donations for further funding of the center," Gardner said in an email.

It is hoped that the businesses will grow and stay in Otsego County to create a regenerative business environment, a media release said. The center is now open, and accepting applications.

Gardner said while the center will focus on helping technology and manufacturing businesses, "no businesses are limited from applying. All businesses are valid and welcome to apply."

Gardner said Otsego Now decided to set up the center after witnessing the downturn of the local economy during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the fall in the tourism industry.

According to a media release, the hospitality industry currently makes up 25% of the industry sector in Otsego County. When the tourist sector was forced to shut down, the county's sales tax dropped 30% and bed tax dropped by 50%. About 60,000 tourists stopped coming to Otsego County.

After witnessing that, the IDA identified manufacturing as a growth sector in the local and surrounding economy, the release said. "We are trying to attract more higher paying jobs to the area," Gardner said. Otsego Now reached out to the state Small Business Development Center, SUNY Oneonta, Hartwick College, Custom Electronics Inc. and Ioxus to work together to set up the center, the release said. The center will act as a one-stop incubator for emerging new business by giving them the resources they need to succeed.

"I moved to Otsego County from Detroit, Michigan," Gardner said. "I went from seeing larger corporations in the city center to small businesses in the city center. I am excited to help small businesses grow."

The IDA will provide advice to entrepreneurs on financing options to help grow their businesses, while additionally providing them with the office space, networking and marketing services necessary to connect entrepreneurs to their market, and resources they need to officially "set up shop" within Otsego Now's office building at 189 Main Street in Oneonta, the release said. Additionally, the state Small Business Development Center will offer business training courses.

Gardner said "it seemed like a no brainer to work with the two universities," and that both anchor businesses have a history of bringing innovation to the Otsego area and will provide testing of products for prototyping, access to manufacturing equipment and lab space, the release said. The two colleges will provide mentorship and access to databases, Gardner said. Students at the colleges will also provide marketing and promotional materials to the companies.

Business owners who wish to apply can email to info@otsegonow.com expressing their interest, the release said.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.