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Arctic Solar Ventures (ASV) founder and CEO , Stephen Trimble has been selected to join the Fall 2018 national cohort of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program at Babson College in Massachusetts. The program is designed to spur small business growth by providing an intensive course structure, mentorship, and advisory services over a three-month period. The goal: creating new jobs and economic opportunity.
Since founding ASV in 2015, the company has built 500kW of grid-direct solar PV systems in Alaska and has been nationally recognized as a Top Solar Contractor in the United States. ASV is also a leader in business innovation as one of only two Certified B Corps (triple bottom-line businesses) in Alaska and as a member-owner of the Amicus Solar Cooperative, a cooperative of solar companies that pool their buying power together and share best practices.
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is an investment to help entrepreneurs create jobs and economic opportunity by providing greater access to education, capital and business support services. To date, the program has served over 6,700 small business owners across all 50 states, and has resulted in immediate and sustained business growth for the alumni of the program.
The Goldman Sachs program is only open to small businesses that have been in business for at least two years, have four or more employees, and have revenues in excess of $150,000 annually. The main focus of the program is the Growth Plan in which participants outline how they are going to increase employment and grow their business. ASV currently employs 9 Alaskan’s.
During the three months of the program, Trimble is on-site at Babson College in Massachusetts for two separate weeks. During the rest of the time, he participates in online courses and in-depth discussion sessions daily, with meetings with his individual advisor, as well. The process began with rigorous diagnostics of ASV, opportunity assessments, and market options; and concludes at the end of November with their Growth Plan and subsequent actions. All expenses are covered by the program.
