The Buda Economic Development Corporation, or EDC and Buda Home for Innovators, Visionaries, and Entrepreneurs, or HIVE, will host its second annual Entrepreneur Camp on June 18, with tickets available through midnight June 11. The one-day event is for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs across Hays County.
Held at the Sunfield Station/CTX Event Center in Buda, the camp will feature a full day of sessions, according to the Buda HIVE website, including “Empowered Connects,” “Empowered Through Strengths,” “The Tech-Empowered Entrepreneur,” and “Emotionally Empowered Entrepreneurship." The camp is for entrepreneurs of all levels.
The overview
This year’s theme is “Empowering the Entrepreneur: Building Your Entrepreneurial Ecosystem." Jacquie Martinez, the EDC’s assistant director of small business initiatives, said the camp aims to help participants understand how to build their ecosystem of support, including city staff, business leaders and more.
Last year’s event brought in attendees from across the region—not just Buda—highlighting the city’s growing reputation as a hub for small businesses, Martinez said.
“That's really what our hope was—to share with the communities outside of Buda that Buda is very entrepreneur-strong,” Martinez said. “I think it speaks volumes with the way that the city supports them and the way the Buda EDC supports [them] with small incentives. ... You often hear about the big fish coming into communities, but we're here to support our small businesses.”
Digging deeper
The EDC will also unveil its new online business incubator at the camp, a resource Martinez said has been in development for some time.
The idea for the camp came from Martinez’s experience as a local entrepreneur, her work in business retention and expansion at the EDC. After witnessing the challenges small business owners face, she said she wanted to create a space for networking, learning and mutual support.
What’s next
Tickets are $20, but attendees can register for $5 with the discount code ECAMP5 at checkout. Organizers are hoping to welcome up to 200 people.
For more information or to register, visit www.budahive.com/event-details/entrepreneur-camp-2025.
