By: Alexis Alvarez , Sep. 17, 2024
The Community Innovation Hub opened its doors Aug. 29 in downtown Pomona with a very specific goal in mind: community wealth, as Olukemi Sawyerr, associate vice president of the Office of Academic Innovation, announced on the opening day
The hub, that connects the city and CPP campus, was able to open with support of a $1 million federal funding grant request by U.S. Rep. Norma Torres.
“There are a lot of small businesses in Pomona, and there really aren’t that many resources to support them,” said Sawyerr. “The goal of the hub is to support entrepreneurship, creativity, innovation, small businesses and family-owned businesses in the city of Pomona.”
The hub is a resource and space for students and community members to create change. There will be access to workshops, 3D printing and office spaces for anyone to use.
While some equipment is still missing, Sawyerr said that students are still welcome to use the space for studying, host meetings or participate in workshops.
The Community Innovation Hub is designed as a multifunctional space free of charge for students, and local businesses will be able to use it at a low cost.
According to Nastaran Simarasl, associate professor of strategic management and entrepreneurship, the hub provides a lot of services that smaller entrepreneurs may not be able to afford elsewhere. There may be days the hub will offer professional pictures for products, headshots and similar services.
“This innovation hub is a place where ideas will be born, nurtured, and brought to life,” said University President Soraya M. Coley during her grand opening speech. “It is a place where we will challenge the status quo, push boundaries and work together to create a better future for all. It is a place where dreams will come true.”
Members of the Pomona community were able to interact with Cal Poly Pomona at the opening and its leadership in a positive environment, according to Sawyerr.
“Our main purpose is we want to see our Pomona community as a more vibrant, live, prosperous community, Cal Poly is in Pomona,” Simarasl said.
Simarasl shared that she hopes that the Community Innovation Hub introduces enriching partnerships that help destigmatize the community of Pomona.
“Pomona is a really beautiful city with a very rich history, and it deserves much better than the situation it’s experienced now and in the past decade or so,” said Simarasl. “So hopefully it brings that vitality and energy back to the city.”
According to Sawyerr, the purpose of the space is to support entrepreneurship in Pomona and support CPP students and faculty members with a focus on community, which includes providing resources to people who are interested in starting their own business or who have their own business.
Simarasl explained that there is no single definition of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is about solving problems, finding a new solution to old problems or creating needs for the market that did not exist before.
She shared that, overall, entrepreneurship is a mindset.
“If you’re a person who takes risks, pursues opportunities, step out of your comfort zone, you have an entrepreneurial mindset.” said Simarasl.
Both Sawyerr and Simarasl encourage students to go to places like the Community Innovation Hub to network.
Going to community members’ space automatically puts you in community and allows for more opportunity, according to Sawyerr.
Sawyerr expressed that Pomona is not a college town, and the city is not built to serve the campus. She hopes that the hub will provide the first step of connection between the city and university.
“It’s really an empowering place, first for entrepreneurs, second for residents and then for the whole city of Pomona,” said Simarasl. “Any entrepreneur, any, you know, explorer in terms of exploring ideas, you can use it. It’s not specific to any type of business.”
Sawyerr explains CPP has an expertise in research, technology and engineering that it will bring to downtown Pomona. She added that the university is filled with its own unique knowledge and perspectives.
She said it’s been a vision of President Coley’s to be back in the community in a meaningful and useful way that contributes to the city.
“When we envisioned this space, we saw a center for good, where transformative ideas and individuals could launch new pursuits and careers,” said Coley during her grand opening speech. “We saw a catalyst for change, where ideas can flourish, collaborations can thrive, and progress can be made. And today, those initial dreams become reality.”
Feature image courtesy of Darren Loo