The City of Palm Desert has announced that it has entered a new partnership with the California State University San Bernardino School of Entrepreneurship to operate the City’s iHub, a technology-focused business incubator that first opened in November 2021.
The CSUSB School of Entrepreneurship has recently partnered with other cities, including San Bernardino and Temecula, to open and operate Entrepreneurial Resource Centers, which are similar to Palm Desert’s iHub in scope and mission. This partnership will strengthen the City’s relationship with the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus while furthering the mission of the Palm Desert iHUB, which is to attract technology-based, entrepreneurial startup businesses and promote the creation of high-wage-earning jobs.
The CSUSB School of Entrepreneurship curriculum focuses on business development. Its existing Entrepreneurial Resource Centers offer technical assistance services, business counseling, and training to small businesses, entrepreneurs, and students. The proposal for the Palm Desert iHub expands on the existing offerings, including a Mini-MBA in Entrepreneurship and Business Growth, an Entrepreneur training series, a Financial Bootcamp, and more. Through this unique partnership, the Palm Desert iHub offers three distinct programs in one facility, all to improve the regional economy: education, coworking space, and business incubation.
Cal State San Bernardino established a cybersecurity program at its Palm Desert Campus as part of a $749,000 National Science Foundation grant in 2021 to increase the level of diversity among students enrolled in this program. In addition to the cybersecurity program, CSUSB Palm Desert also houses Entrepreneurship, and Hospitality Management programs at the iHub. With entrepreneurs, seasoned professionals, and students under the same roof, the Palm Desert iHub is a space designed for collaboration and seizing opportunity.
The establishment of the iHub was a huge stride toward the goal of creating a more diverse and durable economy with opportunities for all. The co-working space at the Palm Desert iHub is ideal for home-based businesses, remote workers, business meetings, and businesses relocating to Palm Desert that have not yet moved into a commercial space. Early-stage startups in targeted, high-growth business sectors such as cleantech, app development, healthcare innovation, cybersecurity, and more can take advantage of the benefits of co-working space plus the value-added benefits of being accepted as a client into the iHub program.
iHub program advisors assist early-stage startups with identifying target markets, developing accurate projections, becoming investment-ready, and other guidance as the business prepares for launch or commercialization.
The iHUB is located across the street from the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus at 37023 Cook Street, Suite 102. This proximity allows it access to the university’s CENIC optical fiber network that can be configured to operate at bandwidths up to 100Gbps. This bandwidth speed allows incubating businesses to develop products or conduct research at a faster speed than is available elsewhere within the city. Through these partnerships, the iHUB is poised to make a positive long-term impact on the economy of the Coachella Valley.
