Lehigh Valley Entrepreneurial Assistance Network

Lehigh University's Small Business Development Center (SBDC) through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development established the Lehigh Valley Entrepreneurial Assistance Network (EAN) in December of 1999. The initial projects established for this network included:

• a web based page for financing your business in the Lehigh Valley; in June 2000 www.lehighvalleyfinancing.org was launched
• a web based speaker's bureau which focuses on the entrepreneurial related issues; in September 2000 www.lehigh.edu/sbdc became the home link  for the Lehigh Valley Entrepreneurial Speakers Bureau which requires an access id
• quarterly venture forum luncheons to connect entrepreneurs, service professionals, and investors; January 2000 was the kickoff for this quarterly event.  Subsequent luncheons were held in April, June and September.
• marketing materials for a newly established Angel Network; materials were completed September 2000

Partners of the Small Business Development Center in this effort include:

• Allentown Economic Development Corporation
• Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Bethlehem
• Bethlehem Area Chamber of Commerce, Bethlehem
• Bethlehem Economic Development Corporation, Bethlehem
• The Bridgeworks Enterprise Center, Allentown
• Easton Area Economic Development Corporation, Easton
• Lehigh County Chamber of Commerce, Allentown
• Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, Bethlehem
• Lehigh Valley Industrial Park, Bethlehem
• Northampton County Industrial Development Authority, Easton
• Team PA, Lehigh Valley office
• Two Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce, Easton