Welcome - From the TIC Director

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for choosing to start or expand your business and to welcome you to the Technical Innovation Center (TIC). As a full service business incubator designed specifically to help you get your business growing and thriving, the Technical Innovation Center at Hagerstown Community College is an integral part of the economic development activities at Hagerstown Community College. The TIC provides technical, business development, and location opportunities to existing and potential businesses and encourages industrial and technical innovation and commercialization. The TIC helps start-up manufacturers and technology-oriented firms survive and thrive during their critical first years. No potential tenant will be discriminated against by virtue of his/her/their age, race, creed, color, or sex.

Unlike a commercial real estate development, it is our goal to help you reach the point that you relocate your facilities, after some period of incubation, elsewhere in Washington County, Maryland. Therefore, we expect from you: a commitment from you to do your best to make your enterprise succeed; your willingness to seek assistance from us or other service providers when required; and, your willingness to keep us informed as to the firm’s financial condition and business plans.

The TIC provides value-added resources, which include, but are not limited to, reduced rental costs in the early years, business consultation, the availability of photocopier, fax machine and other shared equipment, conference room use, and administrative support to start-up firms. Tenants can teleconference throughout the world using our advanced compressed video system or directly access the Internet through our dedicated T1 line. If you need a service that is not listed in this manual, please let us know so that we can help you access the required service. We maintain a list of alternative service providers, however it is quite possible that the TIC staff can fulfill your needs in-house. When your business is admitted to the TIC, we expect you to take advantage of these services until you recognize a need that requires full-time assistance.

You will find that the TIC's entrance and exit policies are consistent with most if not all business incubation facilities. Our policies are designed to promote the rapid growth of your firm without a great deal of interference in the operations of your firm.

All new tenants will receive a printed tenant manual to assist you in getting the most out of your incubation experience. The manual covers virtually everything from applying for residency to your firm's ultimate graduation.

This manual has been developed as a result of feedback elicited from existing tenants with your needs in mind to help you get the right resources at the right time. Moreover, we hope that it helps you understand the basic policies, procedures and responsibilities that must be fulfilled as a tenant of the TIC.

I wish you much success.

P. Chris Marschner, Director

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