The Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP) is a business incubation program focused on the development of entrepreneurs who are creating innovative products and services within the outdoor recreation industry. GORP offers two levels of support for entrepreneurs in the idea-to-launch stages of business development.
Residents from both Northwest Arkansas and the broader Heartland region, as well as current University of Arkansas students, are eligible for the GORP program.
GORP Entrepreneur Program
This program is offered on a rolling basis and offers an “a la carte” menu of support. GORP Entrepreneurs choose from workshops, networking events, 1:1 consulting, and may take advantage of co-working space at the Greenhouse in Bentonville.
GORP Cohort Program
Admittance into the GORP Cohort is competitive and offered twice a year, starting in early 2022. This structured 12-week program includes workshops, a dedicated mentor team, product/service development support, and up to $15K per company of non-dilutive funding. Companies accepted into the Cohort will be expected to commit an average of 15 hours per week to the program.
Application Timeline:
- 12/15/21 - Application Deadline
- 1/10/22 - Notification of Acceptance
- 1/24/22-4/15/22 - Program Duration
NOTE: The application deadline for the Spring 2022 Cohort has passed, but if you want to be considered for our next round, please "Become a GORP Entrepreneur" at the link above and set up some time to meet with the GORP team.
Join the GORP Community
Sign up for our email list to stay informed about our public events and opportunities to connect & participate in customer research/product testing. If you believe you can help in a specific and unique way (for example, by serving as a mentor or connecting GORP Entrepreneurs to local or industry resources), reach out directly to the GORP Director, Phil Shellhammer.