Wake Forest University Babcock Demon Incubator

The Babcock Demon Incubator assists new ventures with business and strategic planning, building infrastructure, and introduction to potential investors.

This five-year-old organization has helped launch 22 new businesses, 19 of which still have their operations in Forsyth County. The DataMax Foundation grant, $250,000 over a five-year period, provides cash to increase the number of companies served, enhance existing programs, increase available space and add new services.

Learn more about the Incubator by visiting mba.wfu.edu & clicking on Community Resources.

City of W-S Small Business Liaison

The DataMax Foundation and the City of Winston-Salem have a 5-year agreement (2007-2011) to share the cost of the newly formed position of Small Business Liaison. This position was filled in the spring of 2007 by Ken Millett.

In his first eight months, Ken conducted several forums in conjunction with the City manager and his assistant city managers where small businesses could voice their issues and concerns. He continues to help businesses navigate the governmental process more effectively and efficiently. He also works closely with the Chamber of Commerce, Winston-Salem Business, Inc. and the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership.

To facilitate inquiries, Ken has a link under the Citizen Service Desk on cityofws.org.

Forsyth Tech Community College

The DataMax Foundation has pledged $250,000 to the Forsyth Tech Momentum Campaign to be paid from 2006-2010.  Half of the funds will go toward the Center for Emerging Technologies and the other half to the Forsyth Tech Foundation Endowment.  The Center for Emerging Technologies will house the Biotechnology, Nanotechnology,and Design Technology programs, along with the Small Business and Corporate Training Centers.

It is anticipated that the Center will enroll more than 1200 students and offer industry specific training to more than 13,000 people in the first five years.

Earnings from the Forsyth Tech Endowment provide scholarships for students along with faculty and staff development.

For more information about Forsyth Tech Community College, visit forsythtech.edu.

Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership

The Partnership was formed in 2002 by the merger of the Downtown W-S Association, and the Downtown W-S Development Corporation. Their mission is to make downtown a destination by creating a core of vibrant, intense mixed uses in a pedestrian-friendly environment. Emphasis is placed on major employment centers, restaurants, retail, entertainment, arts and downtown residential expansion. The DataMax Foundation provided the Partnership with $20,000 in support to ensure a successful 2007 downtown summer concert series. The concerts proved to be an effective means to expose Forsyth County residents to the many changes that have occurred in downtown and build “social capital.”

For more information, visit dwsp.org

Winston-Salem Business, Inc.

In 1987 DataMax was a founding investor of Winston-Salem Business, Inc., the county’s economic development organization. WSBI’s mission is to create jobs and expand the Forsyth County tax base through recruitment of new businesses. With the formation of its new Foundation, DataMax has recognized WSBI’s key role in our community’s future with a pledge of $10,000 a year through 2012.

For more information, visit wsbi.net

Piedmont Triad Research Park

Piedmont Triad Research Park (PTRP) is a cultural-urban-scientific community where innovation lives. This highly interactive master-planned urban-based park is designed to support the growth and development of life science, nanotechnology, information technology, and other leading research. Today, the Park consists of 41 tenant organizations with a global population of over 800 individuals from 24 countries and 5 continents. The DataMax Foundation awarded PTRP a grant of $125,000 to complete three state of the art lab spaces. The Web Lab LaunchPad(TM) provides affordable lab space for emerging life science firms.

For more information, visit ptrp.com

Crosby Scholars

The Crosby Scholars program began in 1992 as an outreach of the Crosby Golf Tournament. It is currently a partnership between WS/FC Schools, the W-S Foundation, United Way of Forsyth County, and the Kate B. Reynolds Foundation. Available to all public middle and high school students in Forsyth County, enrollees commit to being drug-free and maintaining required academic standards. Since its inception, the program has provided more than $2.6 million in grants and leveraged an additional $26 million in financial assistance. The program's 2300 graduates have attended more than 80 colleges and universities. The DataMax Foundation has committed $25,000 to this endeavor for the next two years for a total gift of $50,000.

For more information, visit crosbyscholars.org