Mason Enterprise Center to Open in September

Fledgling businesses will have a new place to develop and grow in downtown Leesburg when the Mason Enterprise Center opens its business incubator next month.

Leesburg Town Manager John Wells confirmed in an interview that the center is on track to open in early September. “We expect the center to move into the building in the first half of September and be operational by mid-September,” he said.

The Mason Enterprise Center at Leesburg will be the culmination of a partnership between George Mason University (GMU), the , and Loudoun County that has been in the works for years.  The Loudoun Chamber of Commerce has also actively supported the project.

The 9,000-square-foot Enterprise Center will house up to 30 young and growing businesses in its new building located at 202 Church Street, SE.  The businesses, which must meet certain criteria, will not be brand new, Wells said, but will be relatively new enterprises that are not yet fully established. The center’s goal is that the businesses will eventually “graduate” and move out on their own.

The businesses will benefit from a reception area and a shared receptionist, meeting space, and infrastructure such as copiers, telephones and internet access. They will pay rent at market rates.

“[The center] gives them the ability not to have to make all these capital investments up front,” Wells said. He said they would also benefit from easy access to classes offered by the Loudoun Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which will relocate from Sterling to the new building. They will also have access to business experts from GMU who can assist them with business plans.

In addition to the SBDC, the two staff members who comprise the town’s Economic Development staff will move to the center. There will also be space for federal government teleworkers.

GMU is currently recruiting for a regional director for the center, who will provide guidance and support for the new businesses. The university also operates business incubators in Fairfax and Prince William Counties.

The Mason Enterprise Center is currently operating in a temporary location at 15 N. King Street in Leesburg. Two businesses are currently in operation there, along with some teleworkers and the town’s Economic Development staff.

The Town of Leesburg and Loudoun County signed a memorandum of understanding to provide $100,000 each in support money for the first three years. After that, it is hoped that the center will be self-supporting, Wells said.

“It’s an exciting project,” Wells said.  “I’m glad to see that there’s support from the town, county, GMU and the Chamber. There’s a lot of genuine enthusiasm for the project.”