ESTES PARK — The Colorado Economic Development Commission this week approved $50,000 in funding to help the Estes Park Economic Development Corp. operate its business incubator and accelerator program. 

“They fill a really important niche” in the greater Estes Park area by “help[ing] local entrepreneurs access the startup system [and running] a really innovative accelerator program,”  Katharina Papenbrock, director of the Office of Economic Development and International Trade’s rural opportunity office, said during Wednesday’s EDC hearing.

The Estes Park Entrepreneurial Center, a division of the EDC known as the E-Center, operates the Business Accelerator Services of Estes Program (BASE). 

In partnership with Innosphere and the Larimer Small Business Development Center, the program connects entrepreneurs with mentors and resources to help them launch or grow their companies. 

With Estes Park business facing challenges such as the cost of living and aging population, “anything we can do with helping the younger generation stick around and providing them with housing, childcare and work that pays a living wage is a huge success for us,” Estes Park EDC E-Center program manager Thomas Cox said.