Bridging the gap between startup and success

Innovation and hard work are in our community’s DNA.

Sweetwater originated in a Volkswagen Bus. Vera Bradley was founded in a basement. Do it Best Corp. sprang from a Fort Wayne resident’s vision and hustle. Now, all three are multi-million-dollar companies and are among Allen County’s top employers.

The Bridge Program creates a unique support system to help founders flourish. It’s the business community banding together to build the next generation of homegrown success stories.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Established companies (Bridge Sponsors) cover a portion of entrepreneurs’ GFW Inc. membership dues for five years
  2. Entrepreneurs receive all the benefits of a GFW Inc. investor, including:
    • Networking events for vital business community collisions and leads
    • Investor-only discounts to save cash
    • Free access to our conference rooms for brainstorming sessions and key meetings
    • Plus special business- and skill-focused coaching, tailored just for founders
  3. Allen County’s entrepreneurial ecosystem gets stronger, spurred by connections between startups and established companies

Thanks to our Bridge Sponsor companies: