Conductor releases 2020 annual report

The four-year old Conductor, a public-private partnership between the University of Central Arkansas and Startup Junkie Consulting, released its 2020 annual report. The group promotes entrepreneurship, innovation, and the maker movement in the central Arkansas area.

Some outcomes from the 2020 report include:

• 5,218 participants reached through events and services, including 358 K-12 students;
• 94.7% of attendees reported they learned something new at Conductor activities;
• 71% of Conductor clients reported adding new products, services, or business lines in the past year;
• 60% of Conductor clients reported interacting with the Conductor for COVID-19 related relief programs and/or consulting; and
• 1,280+ appointments in the UCA Makerspace.

The Conductor also said it hosted 114 online events. They included various educational webinars, speaker series events, UCA Makerspace webinars, and Community Conversations that involved gathering virtually with local small business owners for support during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic closures.

“Although 2020 was a challenging year, it has encouraged and enabled our team to continue to serve our community in new ways,” said Grace Rains, Director of Operations, “In this new environment, we’ve been able to add new team members, expand our services, and collaborate on a statewide, national, and global scale.”

“Like many entrepreneurs, 2020 was an incredible year for the Conductor. We have stretched and grown in ways we didn’t think possible while also deepening our impact and outreach.” said Tiffany Henry, Director of Entrepreneurial Communities at Conductor, “This year has reinforced the importance of our work and further highlighted the incredible role that small businesses play in increasing the quality of our communities and lives.”

Conductor utilizes third-party funding sources to provide no-cost services to current and aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, and makers.

To see the full report, visit here.