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00000174-c556-d691-a376-cdd69ef90000WKSU undertakes a year-long examination of entrepreneurship in Northeast Ohio with a 360-degree look at business creation in the region and examine the resources available to start-ups, the opportunities, and pitfalls in the local business climate. The project includes long-form features as part of WKSU's ongoing Exploradio series as well as entrepreneurship-themed news reports.00000174-c556-d691-a376-cdd69efb0000The Entrepreneurship Beat is produced with generous support from the Burton D. Morgan Foundation. Burton D. Morgan Foundation champions the entrepreneurial spirit, contributes to a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem, and leads in the burgeoning field of entrepreneurship education. Read more about the project HERE.

Akron Becomes The First City to Partner with eBay to Spur Local Retail Sales

Ideastream Public Media | By Kellie Nock

Published January 20, 2018 at 12:07 AM EST

Online retail giant eBay plans to open an office in Akron's downtown business incubator as part of its pilot Retail Revival program to promote regional small businesses.

Left to Right: eBay CEO Devin Wenig, Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan, and Warren Mayor Doug Franklin.

The city of Akron is teaming up with eBay to help its brick and mortar businesses make the move toward a digital marketplace.

They’re passionate about their customers, they are hiring, they are exciting and full of energy. We love entrepreneurs! We’re builders, and the sense I get is that Akron is a building town, and that’s why we’re here.

Ebay’s CEO Dan Wenig told small business owners and media his reasoning for eBay’s interest in making Akron their pilot city for the “Retail Revival” initiative.

The program is meant to connect Main Street business owners to the digital marketplace. Akron is the first U.S. city to be a part of it.

This will allow business owners to take their marketing in a new direction.

burns_retailrevival.mp3

Benefits of partnering

So, a company like eBay coming in with the vast resources that they have to grow exposure of our company is critical.

Akron’s “TinyCircuits” founder and president Ken Burns knows that with eBay’s help, his company can grow further through the digital marketplace.