by Ronnie Das, WSBT 22 News
Thursday, July 22nd 2021
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For nearly a decade, enFocus has been supporting young entrepreneurs in Northern Indiana.
Last year, they welcomed 18 new fellows, partnered with 54 organizations and received more than $4 million in grant funding.
"I am an innovation fellow with enFocus, and I'm currently working on a project with Downtown South Bend, helping them come up with their new strategic business plan," said Patrick McGuire.
"I worked very closely with Elkhart's Parks and Recreation to host an engagement series to get feedback from residents on what they would like to see in their neighborhood parks," said Kristen Smole.
Since 2012, enFocus has worked to keep young professionals in the community.
This past year, fellow teams supported ten local startups and seven social impact initiatives. They work to find solutions to different challenges in the area.
"Experiences like enFocus provide a great incentive for talented individuals to stay in the area, because you get to have a real impact on your community, you get to develop and apply a lot of skills, you get to do something you are passionate about," said McGuire.
EnFocus Board Chair Mike Bieganski says that helps fight the brain drain. That experience helps recent graduates understand what this region has to offer and encourage them to stay.
"Too many times, young people think of New York, or Los Angeles, or Chicago because they think that's where the opportunities are," said Bieganski.
Opportunities enFocus Executive Director Andrew Wiand says start with the Northern Indiana community believing in itself.
"We can't attract new people to the community if they hear that we're not proud of who we are when they get here, so as a community, we are a leader, we are one of the best, most affordable places to live in the country. And if we can continue to build our own confidence and hope that will be contagious and I think that's something we all owe to ourselves."
The fellows we spoke with said the program was a unique experience that connected them with the area, built their confidence in making an impact in the region, and they are hoping to apply what they learned in school to bridging gaps in the community.