GIEC News Updates

Current Tenants

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OUR TESTIMONIALS

GIEC Frequently Asked Questions

For answers to our FAQs, scroll down or click on a question below:

What is the GIEC?

The Garrett Information Enterprise Center (GIEC) is a technology-based business incubator located in rural Western Maryland in Garrett County. Built in 2002, it is situated on the campus of Garrett College in McHenry.

What is a Business Incubator?

A business incubator is an organization that provides executive offices within a cost effective high-tech professional environment for entrepreneurial/start-up companies.  These companies are offered specialized support resources and services.  Business incubators can be private or public.  Many are partnered with educational institutions and collaborate with regional and national government agencies, from which they often receive financial grants.

What is a HubZone?

*The HUBZone program, created by the U.S. government in 1997 as a way to stimulate economic development and create jobs, gives contracting preference to small businesses located in “historically underutilized business zones.”  An area must meet one or more of three broad criteria to earn the designation “HUBZone”.  One is that the place is in a qualified census tract – a high-cost area in which at lease half the households have an income less than 60 percent of the area median gross income.  Another is location in a non-metropolitan county with a low median household income and a high unemployment rate.  Besides being located in a HUBZone, 35 percent of a firm’s employees must also reside in a HUBZone in order for the firm to be eligible for the program.  In addition, the business has to be owned by one or more U.S. citizens and meet the SBA standards for a small business.
*NBIA REVIEW-June 2006

How Would Being a Tenant Benefit My Business?

GIEC tenants occupy modern office spaces with up-to-date technology and shared common areas. Tenants are eligable for HUBZone status and financial grants. Being located on the campus of Garrett College affords access to college amenities. It's rural setting and growing environment provides a special quality of life with expanding customer opportunities.

How Do I Become a Tenant?

Contact our Director, Lydia Reiser, to find out how your business could become a tenant in the GIEC building.

Testimonials

"Our business was in the GIEC for three years before reaching the point of constructing our own building. The convenience of the copy center, postage meter, teleconferencing services and community kitchen were wonderful supports for us in the small, upstart phases of our business. The financial grants awarded to the GIEC tenants enabled us to complete projects to help us grow our business and eventually 'graduate' from the GIEC" - Adventure Sports Center International

"Having offices at the GIEC has afforded Sycamore several advantages, which has enabled our company to have continuing growth, i.e, affordable rent, inclusive with heat and electricity; use of the copier, postage meter, meeting room facilities and convenient parking for our employees and visitors. Also, it provides opportunities to network with other companies within the facility, affording insight to other business opportunities and types of businesses within the area.  The GIEC has Networking Breakfasts several times a year for every business within the GIEC so that we are able to keep up-to-date business relationships and are introduced to new companies and new hires. Being located in the GIEC has given us the opportunity to be the recipient of several grants that have helped us to participate in specialized training for our employees. It is also helpful to be co-located to Garrett College, where there are interns available to support the businesses, a very large Copy Center for use if there is a need for large documentationt, and a cafeteria which not only serves lunch, but where we may order food for special meetings." - Sycamore.US

"The east coast office of Hawkeye | Cohesion, a Seattle WA based company, is one of GIEC’s charter tenants. GIEC has provided our company with well designed, comfortable and affordable office space, infrastructure and programmatic support that has allowed our company to excel and grow our east coast client base exponentially. We highly recommend the GIEC to other businesses." - Hawkeye | Cohesion