Overview

The Rural Business and Training Center (RBTC), Inc. Innovation Center is a nonprofit organization incorporated on July 10, 2020, in Demopolis, AL. Demopolis is the largest city in Marengo County, and it lies at the confluence of the Black Warrior River and Tombigbee River. The RBTC's purpose is to provide tools, techniques, and training using a "boots-on-ground" approach by practitioners, facilitators, and educators to equip entrepreneurs to start businesses and create jobs in Marengo, Greene, Perry, Hale, and surrounding Blackbelt counties.  

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The RBTC takes a regional approach to creating a concept of operation, identifying board members with enthusiasm and experience, and collaborating with private and public partners to deliver the necessary programs to provide economic growth in our region.  The center aims to stimulate job creation, business startups, and community revitalization by providing job accelerator programs, 10-week business startup programs (CO.STARTERS core program) at predetermined locations in partnering counties, and spaces to start and or operate businesses.  To recruit and identify individuals ready and willing to invest in themselves, their communities and deploy their entrepreneurial visions, the RBTC will offer a variety of business workshops and seminars.  

Annually, the RBTC offers three 10-week, facilitator-led programs designed by CO.STARTERS.  CO.STARTERS Core is a 10-week, cohort-based program that equips entrepreneurs of all kinds with the insights, relationships, and tools needed to turn ideas into action. Over ten sessions, participants develop and fine-tune their ideas. Participants leave the program with a deeper understanding of creating a sustainable venture. In advance of the 10-week core program, the RBTC offers a 3-hour workshop to recruit and identify individuals ready and willing to invest in themselves, their communities, and their entrepreneurial visions.  Additionally, the RBTC works to create partnerships with local property and business owners who will offer program graduates affordable spaces to start their businesses.

RBTC board members are practitioners with years of experience. Their businesses range from professional services (financial, legal, taxes, accounting, bookkeeping, marketing, consulting, etc.), senior daycare, restaurant, real estate, and a marketplace.  Additionally, RBTC board members serve or have served on boards, foundations, and nonprofits throughout the community that foster business, economic, and workforce development, affordable housing, education, commerce, strategic planning, and women-specific events to promote entrepreneurship.

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