A fine art printmaking studio and gallery and a state-of-the-art indoor climbing facility have earned top honors among six finalists in the University Park Alliance (UPA) Start UP! Business Plan Competition.
A panel of judges and advisory board members from the community picked the winners, Rubber City Prints and Summit City Climbing Gym, from 25 applicants that competed in the event sponsored by the Charter One Foundation.
The competition was designed to help attract businesses to the University Park neighborhood and “give aspiring entrepreneurs the opportunity to bolster their business acumen,” said leaders of UPA, a nonprofit group working on the redevelopment of 50 city blocks around the University of Akron and surrounding areas downtown.
The two winners each will receive $17,500, assistance locating a suitable site within University Park and ongoing consulting support as they bring their business ideas to fruition from in-kind sponsors Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease LLC, and Meaden & Moore.
