Nasdaq Center Launches Dual-Impact Startup Program in Arkansas
The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center is launching a two-year initiative in Northwest Arkansas designed to bridge the gap between early-stage business growth and student career development. By pairing mentorship cohorts with paid internship placements, the program aims to stabilize local startups while cultivating a robust regional talent pipeline.
Supported by the Walton Family Foundation and the Wells Fargo Foundation, the program integrates two established frameworks: Milestone Circles and Startup Intern Match. The former focuses on peer-led coaching for founders to improve operational revenue and secure capital, while the latter connects students from the University of Arkansas and Northwest Arkansas Community College with hands-on startup experience. Over the next two years, the initiative plans to support 70 startups and place 140 students in paid, 12-week internships.
Matt Waller, former dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business, serves as the regional facilitator for the Milestone Circles component. The program targets measurable economic outcomes, including a projected 10% revenue increase for participating businesses and the creation of at least 30 new jobs. By enrolling startups in both tracks concurrently, the Center ensures that founders are equipped with onboarding frameworks before interns arrive, addressing the common disconnect between academic talent and early-stage business needs.
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