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About Us

Established in December 2008, the Innovators’ Café is sponsored by both the Missouri Rural Enterprise and Innovation Center (MREIC) of Kirksville and the Northeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission (NEMO RPC) of Memphis. The Café is located in Memphis, in the same building as the NEMO RPC. As a rural entrepreneurs assistance center, the Innovators’ Café was created to help small business owners and entrepreneurs through the challenges of starting and developing a business in a rural region. The Innovators’ Café focuses its attention on Northeast Missouri, specifically the counties of Adair, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Schuyler and Scotland.

 

The Innovators’ Café is staffed by personnel of the MREIC, including Ben La Van, a member of  AmeriCorps VISTA.  VISTA or Volunteer in Service to America was developed in 1965 as a domestic version of the Peace Corps.  Members of AmeriCorps VISTA are assigned to a local government agency to create programs that help the city or region strive toward their full potential in a specific area. These programs are meant to  last  long after  the VISTA’s year of service is finished.  In this case, entrepreneurship and small business development is the area of focus and is intended to help create jobs and enrich lives.

It is the Café’s mission to provide quality consultation, training events, and resources to further entrepreneurs in their business endeavors.  The Innovators’ Café has assisted a number of different businesses over the last year and highly encourages anyone who is interested in learning more about starting or expanding a business to stop in or contact us!


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