Blackhawk Technical College Offers Operational Assistance & Resources

Effective February 1st, Blackhawk Technical College (BTC) began assisting the Janesville Innovation Center Board of Directors with the day-to-day operations of the business incubator and the innovation center. Mark Borowicz, BTC’s Director of Workforce and Community Development, is already working closely with the innovation center’s partners to ensure a successful transition from the scheduled retirement of Mike Mathews of Economic Growth Advisors, who served as the JIC’s long-time operations manager.  

The Janesville Innovation Center (JIC) building is owned by the City of Janesville and leased, operated and managed by Janesville Innovation, Inc. (JII) — a local nonprofit economic development organization. The JIC represents a community-wide business investment to provide resources to a variety of new and growing small businesses in the greater South Central Wisconsin area.

This new collaborative partnership allows JIC to leverage college resources and broaden its portfolio of offerings to startups and second-stage small businesses that are seeking to strategically grow. With a new advanced manufacturing center under construction at BTC’s Central Campus, just a few miles south of the JIC, BTC will be positioned to provide state-of-the-art equipment and subject matter expertise in machining, welding, and other core manufacturing processes. Additionally, BTC’s expanding suite of business courses provides a complementary, plug-and-play menu for existing — as well as prospective — JIC tenants. 

“We have a great team led by Mark and we’re already ingrained in the region’s small business development sector,” Tracy Pierner, BTC president, noted. “Through great leadership, we are committed to leveraging our connections to help grow the JIC and its clientele.” 

BTC and JIC are a great fit, as the college is heavily involved in workforce and economic development and works tirelessly to identify the resources businesses need to get, as well as maintain, for a strong foundation. Plus, the JIC and BTC share the same values. 

“Providing flexible education in a supportive environment is our mission statement,” Mark Borowicz says. 

As such, there’s a logical convergence of current programming and related focal points between the BTC and the JIC — particularly when considering the premiums placed on talent development, retention, and attraction, and other operational efficiencies resulting from the adoption of lean and green applications. 

In addition to managing the daily tasks associated with operating a business incubator and innovation center, Mark will also serve as a tenant concierge. From onboarding to the amenities provided by the JIC, Mark will be onsite a few days each week to ensure operations are running smoothly. 

“I’m looking forward to collaborating with the JIC’s business partners and providing onsite support,” said Borowicz. 

Mark will also be the primary contact to access the JIC’s customized, and free of charge, business consulting services — complements of the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center. From business planning to preparing a debt / equity financing pitch deck, Jonathan Klein and the entire SBDC team are ready and available to offer a menu of business consulting services to existing, as well as prospective, JIC tenants. 
Borowicz refers to this one-stop convergence of office and manufacturing space and technical expertise as “a package deal,”and it’s the right combination to connect entrepreneurs and growing businesses with the necessary tools to eventually strike out on their own. Interested in learning more? Visit www.janesvilleinnovation.com or contact Mark (mborowicz@blackhawk.edu  or 608-757-7623).