ARKANSAS REGIONAL INNOVATION HUB:
THE IN PLACE FOR TALENT AND ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT
The Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub is a nonprofit
organization dedicated to increasing innovative and
entrepreneurial activity in Arkansas by creating a
collaborative ecosystem and pipelines that mobilize the
resources, programs, and educational opportunities
necessary to develop, attract, and retain talent and to build
the state's economy.
We are achieving that mission in several ways, including the
creation of our Innovation Center, which has four components: The Launch Pad, which
is a makerspace with cutting-edge equipment and technology; The STEAM Lab, which is
a STEM classroom and laboratory; The Silver Mine, which is a co-working space for
entrepreneurs and startup incubation; and The Art Connection, which is a work program
for high school students that develops leadership and innovation through hands-on
training in the visual arts industry.
All of our programs have been developed with local, regional, and state partners
including Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions, Arkansas Science and Technology
Authority, the EAST Initiative, the Arkansas STEM Coalition, regional higher education
institutions and public school districts, private industry, Delta Regional Authority,
Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Winrock International, the Arkansas
Department of Workforce Services, and many others.
With so many resources available under one roof, we can create an environment where
everyone can thrive because they have ready access to whatever they need to be
successful. Any of these facilities and programs would be valuable in our region, but it is
particularly exciting to envision the opportunities that are created when these spaces
interact and support one another.
One can imagine an innovator in The STEAM Lab outputting a design to a 3-D printer in
The Launch Pad as an initial prototype; or a local engineer using The Launch Pad to
perfect an invention that can be turned into a business in The Silver Mine; or an
entrepreneur in The Silver Mine who can walk into The STEAM Lab to find the coding
talent needed to bring his or her idea to fruition. The possibilities for collaboration are
endless, and serendipitous discoveries and connections are certain to occur.