Palm Desert, CA
The Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) and School of Entrepreneurship at California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) celebrated the opening of the Palm Desert Entrepreneurial Resource Center (ERC) in March. The event, attended by members of the community and local dignitaries, included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, networking, entertainment and refreshments provided by local small businesses.
“We at CSUSB are always looking for ways to support and strengthen opportunities and conditions for all who live here,” said Tomas Morales, CSUSB President. “We view the ERC as a catalyst for economic growth in the city of Palm Desert and the greater Coachella Valley region.”
Occupying the former Palm Desert iHUB location, the ERC brings together a wide range of entrepreneurial support organizations to provide a complete set of training, technical assistance, and access to resources for small business owners and entrepreneurs in the city and adjacent communities.
“The Palm Desert ERC represents more than just an opening—it’s a pledge to turbocharge our community’s economic vitality,” said Dr. Ezekiel Bonillas, Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship School of Entrepreneurship, Jack H. Brown College of Business & Public Administration. “Positioned as a powerhouse of support and innovation, this center is set to propel every Coachella Valley entrepreneur from to success at any stage in their business.”
“The expansion — and renaming — of the Palm Desert iHub into the Palm Desert Entrepreneur Resource Center demonstrates the collective commitment of the City of Palm Desert, County of Riverside, and CSUSB to unveil new resources and support services aimed at empowering local entrepreneurs and small business owners,” said Mike Stull, a professor of entrepreneurship and director of the IECE and the CSUSB School of Entrepreneurship. “This is a regional hub where all aspiring and existing entrepreneurs in the Coachella Valley can find the support they need to launch and grow a diverse range of businesses.”
The Palm Desert ERC is the result of a partnership with the City of Palm Desert, IECE at CSUSB, the Riverside County Office of Economic Development and CSUSB’s School of Entrepreneurship. It is located at 37023 Cook St., Ste. 102 — across the street from the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus.
About IECE’s Entrepreneurial Resource Center Program
Located in San Bernardino, Temecula and now Palm Desert, the Entrepreneurial Resource Centers (ERC) are strategically located and easily accessible regional hubs for small business training and technical assistance. The primary focus of the ERCs is to provide business counseling, training and specialized program services and ensure that all current and aspiring small business owners have consistent access to the resources they need to start and grow their businesses. These services, provided by the Inland Empire Small Business Development Center (IESBDC) and Inland Empire Women’s Business Center (IEWBC), Coachella Valley Women’s Business Center (CVWBC), and the School of Entrepreneurship aid in ensuring that both current and aspiring small business owners have a streamlined pathway of support and increased accessibility to essential resources for launching and expanding their enterprises.
About the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship
The Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) at Cal State San Bernardino is the largest and most experienced organization in the Inland Empire dedicated to supporting small business and entrepreneurship on campus for the Jack H. Brown School of Entrepreneurship, and within the community throughout the Inland Southern California region. Established in 1999, the IECE has served over 199,000 individuals and business owners with comprehensive business counseling, mentoring, innovative training programs and engaging events. These services have resulted in the creation and retention of over 54,000 jobs and an economic impact of nearly $850 million.