Innovate North State

Innovate North State is a 501(c)3 private non profit corporation established in early 2012 to help the region's innovative growth companies whether start-ups or long-established companies -- succeed. These companies are difference makers in the region because they develop and sell products and services on a national or global basis, bringing significant income back to the North State.

Innovate North State provides the nexus for CEOs and founders of innovate growth companies, angel and venture capital investors, industry experts, specialized professional service providers, presidents and other executives of universities and community colleges, CEOs and senior executives from hospital, banks and other major institutions, and other key leaders in the region who share a vision that innovation provides the conduit to economic growth.

Innovate North State was formed as a re-constitution of CEPCO. It also serves as one of twelve California-designated iHubs, and is the only iHub focused on a rural region of California.

With a mantra of "connecting to compete" Innovate North State's 5-Year vision is to have the North State recognized as the most economically competitive rural region in the U.S. by 2017.

Our mission is to foster innovation-based business development in the region resulting in quality job creation, wealth generation and a virtuous cycle of homegrown entrepreneurship. Our goal is to develop the North State into a nationally recognized center of commercialized innovation.

Innovate North State's mission encompasses 5 key themes:

1. Focus on innovative businesses who sell products nationally or globally
2. Accelerate technology commercialization via key linkages to CSU, Chico, federal labs, and other academic institutions both within and outside of the region
3. Support and encourage technology-based entrepreneurship
4. Develop the talent pool innovative growth companies require
5. Connect innovative growth companies to both local and non-local resources

Innovate North State's primary focus is to accelerate the development of a thriving innovation ecosystem in the region by serving as virtual bridge between company CEOs and the contributors to the ecosystem. In doing so, the organization makes it easier for the region's innovative growth companies to connect to:

• Peer CEOs
• National and Global Customers and Strategic Partners
• Talent (C-Level, Board Members, Advisors and Skilled Technical Workers)
• Media and Trade Groups
• Universities and Federal Labs
• Highly Specialized Expertise (IP, valuation, M&A, executive search, etc.)
• Policymakers and Senior Government Officials
• Sources of Capital (angel, VC, Private Equity, SBIR, debt)