The Aleut Corporation Launches Business Plan Competition Partnership
The Aleut Corporation partners with McKinley Alaska Growth Capital to launch a business plan competition for Aleut shareholder entrepreneurs starting and growing businesses.
Anchorage, Alaska – The Aleut Corporation (Aleut) has partnered with McKinley Alaska Growth Capital (MAGC), a Native Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) to launch the Aleut Shareholder Marketplace, an entrepreneurial focused program for Aleut shareholders and registered descendants in Alaska.
MAGC has been administering a Marketplace Business Plan Competition in partnership with Arctic Slope Regional Corporation since 2009 and is excited to now offer its Marketplace Business Plan Competition in partnership with other regions of the state. Through the Marketplace, MAGC provides comprehensive technical assistance, followed by a financial award, giving individuals the knowledge, mentorship, and resources to successfully launch and sustain their business ventures. MAGC’s Marketplace is exclusively open to Alaska Native entrepreneurs and businesses owners in Alaska.
The Aleut Shareholder Marketplace will begin with a business concept application. Aleut shareholders and registered descendants with a business idea, or existing business looking to expand, are eligible to apply. A panel of judges will then select the top 10 concepts to move forward in the competition. Semi-finalists will have the opportunity to participate in several trainings, including a 3-day Business Boot Camp. Throughout these trainings entrepreneurs will learn how to write a comprehensive business plan and prepare financial projections. They will also connect with each other and an extensive network of mentors, leaders, and business coaches. The top three business plans will receive a financial award to start or grow their business.
“Through the Aleut Shareholder Marketplace, we are able to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit and foster economic growth, while fulfilling Aleut’s mission to our shareholders. By investing in the potential of our people, we are investing in the future prosperity of the Unangax̂ community.”
- Skoey Vergen, Aleut President & CEO
The Aleut Shareholder Marketplace will officially open on April 15.
This program is made possible by a network of strategic partnerships between McKinley Alaska Growth Capital, Aleut Corporation, Spruce Root, University of Alaska Center for Economic Development, Anchorage Community Land Trust, and others.
For program information and announcements please follow McKinley Alaska Growth Capital and The Aleut Corporation on Facebook and LinkedIn.
About The Aleut Corporation
The Aleut Corporation (Aleut) is an Alaska Native corporation (ANC) created under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) in 1971. Aleut’s mission is to maximize dividends and provide opportunities for our over 4,000 Aleut/Unangax̂ shareholders. The Aleut region spans 1,100 miles from the western part of the Alaska Peninsula throughout the Aleutian Chain, including the Pribilofs Islands. Visit our website for more information: https://aleutcorp.com/
For Media Inquiries, please reach out to Kate Gilling, [email protected].
About McKinley Alaska Growth Capital
McKinley Alaska Growth Capital (Alaska Growth Capital BIDCO, Inc.) is a leading provider of business loans, tax credits and development services across Alaska and the western U.S. utilizing programs offered by the Small Business Administration (SBA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund. As a certified Native CDFI, more than 60 percent of McKinley Alaska Growth Capital’s activities serve Alaska Native, Native American, and Native Hawaiian businesses and communities. It is the largest non-bank Native CDFI SBA lender in the country. McKinley Alaska Growth Capital strives to support businesses who find traditional lenders unable to meet their needs, specializing in serving clients that are located in and/or serving rural communities. McKinley Alaska Growth Capital is a subsidiary of McKinley Management, LLC with investment from Bristol Bay Native Corporation.