INCUBATING NEW BUSINESSES IN EAST COUNTY: HEAR NOORI BARKA’S PLANS TO CREATE GOOD JOBS FOR OUR REGION

Hear our interview with Noori Barka, which originally aired on KNSJ 89.1 FM:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

December 18,2014 (El Cajon) –Imagine a place where people who want to start new businesses in East County can have free space, resources and investors—if they pledge to provide jobs here in East County. That’s the concept that Noori Barka, president of Calbiotech and a leader in the Iraqi-Chaldean community in El Cajon, aspires to attain by starting up an incubator business concept here.   He’s helped to launch a new 501c3 nonprofit, the San Diego East County Business Incubator with a goal of opening its doors next year.

 “If you have an idea, you want to start a business…we will incubate you for up to three years and during this time we will give you the full support,”  Barka told East County Magazine. Start-up businesses will be given space, tools, expertise, and investors.  After graduating in three years, people can receive continuing support – provided that they launch new businesses in East County. 

Barka hopes to create good-paying jobs in the biotech industry and other fields, helping to solve the high unemployment in East County, particularly among the new immigrant community, where unemployment is nearly 50 percent.

“Many of these newcomers are established business people – they are doctors, engineers,” Barka says, adding that with some help, “They will be pioneers in helping our economy at the end of the day.”

The East County Development Council is planning a survey of skills among local immigrants. He also has support from the City of El Cajon, which has approved seed money, the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce and the Cajon Valley School District, which has offered space.  Barka still needs additional funds and resources hopes to start up his incubator business in early 2015.

A website will be set up soon but for now, you can contact NBarka@gmail.com and let him know you heard about the incubator business and San Diego East County Business Incubator through East County Magazine.