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ONE STOP SHOP
BUSINESS CENTER
Located on the first floor of the Oakland
County Executive Office Building, the One
Stop Shop Business Center is the county’s
entry point for economic development
services. The center offers business
counseling and coaching; educational
workshops; information-based planning that
includes secondary market research,
GIS and SEO services; technology
commercialization; and more.
The Business Center puts you in touch
with experts in community planning,
business development, small business/
entrepreneurship, financing and market
research. Its flagship product is Property
Gateway, an online interface providing
access to fee-based tax parcel reports,
aerial photography and a repository of
more than 40 maps. Consultants are
available by appointment to help clients
refine their business and marketing
plans or discuss financial management
strategies and business services.
AdvantageOakland.com
ADVANTAGEOAKLAND.COM
This dynamic website offers a wealth of
resources to help businesses interested in
starting, locating or expanding in Oakland
County. AdvantageOakland.com
AUTOMATION ALLEY
This technology business association serves
nearly 1,000 business, educational and
government entities from Detroit and the
surrounding eight-county region. Oakland
County Executive L. Brooks Patterson founded
Automation Alley in 1999. Headquartered in
Troy, Automation Alley promotes Southeast
Michigan’s tech industry and knowledge-based
jobs; provides an array of business development
services; opens domestic and international
market opportunities through trade missions;
recruits tech businesses from around the
world; provides opportunities for businesses to
diversify into the defense industry; and helps
entrepreneurs accelerate the commercialization
of new technologies and services through preseed
and second-stage funding, mentoring,
referrals, seminars and interaction with venture
capitalists. AutomationAlley.com
BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT
The Oakland Brownfield Initiative offers
financial and technical assistance that includes
grants and loans and tax increment financing
for those who qualify. Free site assessments for
the redevelopment of brownfield properties
is also available. AdvantageOakland.com/
brownfields
BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE
Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson
founded the Business Roundtable in 1993 for
business leaders to engage county government
on issues that will help them prosper. Since its
inception, more than 80 percent of the leaders’
recommendations have been implemented by
the county. AdvantageOakland.com/brt
EMERGING SECTORS®
Oakland County’s Emerging Sectors business
development and attraction strategy identifies
the top growth sectors, with the goal of
diversifying the region’s industries, creating
and retaining jobs and attracting domestic
and international companies to the region.
EmergingSectors.org
FUNDING SOURCES
Oakland County administers loan programs
tailored to the needs of expanding companies,
organizations and entrepreneurs. These include:
Business Finance Corporation SBA 504
Loan Program: This program provides small-and
medium-sized businesses with long-term fixedrate
financing for the acquisition or construction
of fixed assets. ( Play videos at right.)
Economic Development Corporation
Tax-Exempt Revenue Bond Programs: These
offer extremely low-interest financing for fixed
assets up to $10 million for qualified manufacturing
businesses and non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations.
CEED Small Business Loan Program: Startups
and small businesses wanting to expand
could be eligible for loans of up to $50,000.
The money can be used for equipment,
inventory, supplies and some working capital.
MAIN STREET OAKLAND COUNTY
An economic development program with
a historic preservation philosophy and
emphasis on “sense of place,” Main Street
Oakland County helps local governments
develop their downtowns as thriving districts
that are the heart of their communities.
Participating communities include Birmingham,
Clarkston, Clawson, Farmington, Ferndale,
Franklin, Highland, Holly, Lake Orion, Lathrup
Village, Leonard, Oak Park, Ortonville, Oxford,
Pontiac, Rochester, Waterford and Wixom.
MainStreetOaklandCounty.com
MEDICAL MAIN STREET®
Medical Main Street is a collaboration of worldrenowned
hospitals and universities with health
care and life science companies in Southeast
Michigan. Powered by Oakland County, it’s
creating a global center of innovation in medical
research and development, education and
commercialization. MedicalMainStreet.org
ONE STOP READY
The One Stop Ready Program encourages
communities to assess their strengths as an
economic asset and implement that vision into
their community by refining their economic
development processes and empowering
leaders to take action. AdvantageOakland.com/
OneStopReady
TECH248
Oakland County’s newest initiative, tech248 is
helping technology companies collaborate and
attract, develop and retain talent while promoting
the county as a global technology hub.
Tech248.com
BUSINESS FINANCE CORPORATION
Play Video: Hosco Fittings
Play Video: Jersey Mike’s Franchise
14 OAKLANDCOUNTYPROSPER.COM 2016