Page 11 - 2021 Westchester County Economic Development Guide
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                                   to provide entrepreneurship education and regional networking to seed-stage ventures to build their teams and secure funds. The first cohort of six startups completed the Accelerator in 2020, shifting from an in-person program to a virtual one due to the pandemic. These 6 startups are continuing to make great progress, with 3 of them securing investment funding and one beginning a clinical trial of its
device. The second cohort, comprising 12 new startups, launched in January 2021.
What other COVID-related supports have
been provided to County businesses?
Early on in the pandemic, the County recruited several hundred volunteers to assist local businesses with their applications for PPP and EIDL funding. And in partnership with RXR Realty, the County provided crisis advisory support to local businesses. This program matches volunteer business mentors, who have expertise in a particular industry or particular business skill, with business owners who need help solving short term problems in their business, and is ongoing. The County also administered the Westchester County Business FIRST (Financial Investments for Recovery and a Sustainable Tomorrow) grant program, which offered $14 million in immediate financial relief to small businesses and nonprofits in
Top: Graduation Day for the second cohort of Element 46. Left: Peter Shapiro of GlobalData and Meghan Dow of Biohaven Pharmaceuticals lead the WCBA cohort through a virtual session on Competitive Analysis.
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