What is the ORIC? Supporting Transportation & Logistics Innovation in the Heartland
The Ozarks Regional Innovation Cluster (ORIC) is the SBA-funded cluster for small businesses building or adopting technology in transportation, logistics, and industrial infrastructure. It is run by Startup Junkie from Northwest Arkansas, along the stretch of Interstate 49 where some of the biggest freight decisions in America are made.
In this one-hour kickoff, the Startup Junkie team explains what ORIC is, who it serves, what the no-cost services include, and how to get started.
What we'll cover
What a Regional Innovation Cluster is, and why the SBA put one in the Ozarks
Who ORIC serves: the Innovator Lane (companies building freight, fleet, warehouse, and infrastructure technology) and the Operator Lane (carriers, brokers, 3PLs, and warehouse operators adopting technology to grow)
The services: one-on-one counseling, expert matching, customer discovery, SBIR/STTR and federal grant help, capital and contracting readiness, and a monthly transportation and logistics session
Spotlight on Overroute with Toma Tomonari: a transportation and logistics venture building and winning in the region
What's coming: the monthly session calendar, starting December 8 with leveraging SBIR and state incentives for supply chain and logistics companies
How to join (membership is free) and what happens after you do
Live Q&A
Who should attend
Founders and operators in transportation, logistics, or industrial infrastructure, whether you are based in the nine-county Ozarks region (Benton, Washington, Madison, and Newton counties in Arkansas; McDonald County, Missouri; Adair, Cherokee, Delaware, and Ottawa counties in Oklahoma) or building a presence here from elsewhere in the country. Partners, investors, lenders, university, and economic development colleagues are welcome.
Can't make it live? Register anyway and we'll send the recording.
Learn more or join the cluster: https://oric.startupjunkie.org
ORIC is powered by Startup Junkie and funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. Enterprise partners, investors, lenders, and public agencies retain sole discretion over all pilot, purchasing, investment, lending, award, and contracting decisions.