The IDEA Bank Membership Collegiate Incubator Program has space for one student entrepreneur to develop and grow their business over 2026-2027 academic year.
“This is a unique opportunity to build, grow and scale your venture with personalized support every step of the way,” said IDEA Bank Director Lynne George.
Sponsored by Innovate Alabama and Troy Bank & Trust, the deadline to apply is Aug. 1.
Selected student entrepreneurs receive a private office at the IDEA Bank, scholarship opportunities, monthly mentor meetings, individualized workshops and specialized advisors.
The program also supports networking opportunities, monetary completion incentives and guided milestone and growth tracking.
“The IDEA Bank has been an incredible resource for us as small business owners. We initially got plugged into the IDEA Bank during our sophomore year in undergrad, but we quickly found ourselves coming back again and again for various workshops and events,” said Jared Hester. “When we decided to start our business, Studio 207, Lynne (George) was largely the reason we knew what direction to go in the first place. If not for her and Mauree Alice’s (McCall) guidance, we would have been lost in a sea of paperwork and government websites.”
In 2024, Studio 207 won the IDEA Bank’s Marketing Competition. The graphic design firm is comprised of four former TROY students: Reanna Thompson serves as CEO, Hester, Howard Purvee and Nathan Hobbs. Among their accolades is the rebranding of downtown Troy, Troy Regional Medical Center and the Sorrell College of Business.
“Once we finally got our business up and running, we began to think of the IDEA Bank as a home for Studio 207 and that was only reinforced when the Incubator Offices were installed. We applied and were selected to be the first student business Incubator tenant,” Hester said. “Having a space that is public, visible, and in the center of downtown Troy’s networking hub was and still is a massive key to our success. We have had many instances where local business owners come in looking for design-related work and stumble across us, leading to great, continued business relationship.”
While Studio 207 has occupied space in the IDEA Bank for the past two years, their time has ended, as Hester graduates in May. Still, he said the group couldn’t be happier to pass their space along to another deserving student business enterprise. He said the firm plans to lease space from the IDEA Bank for the future.
“Long story short, Studio 207 would not be where we are today without the IDEA Bank,” he said. “Rather than trepidation, they gave us the resources and the confidence to start our business with excitement.”
