The area’s first incubator for women, the Women’s Small Business Accelerator (WSBA) supports women entrepreneurs as they launch and grow small and micro businesses by offering peer-to-peer support, mentoring and education as well as affordable office space to assist women and overcome issues such as access to capital that may hinder their business development.

Women own 8.3 million companies in the U.S., the largest percentage of small-business owners, but women owned businesses trail their male counterparts in annual sales and employment growth.

The new facility, self-funded by small-business consultant Mary McCarthy, and small-business attorney Caroline Worley, is located in suburban Columbus. Women business owners can access affordable office space within a community of women business owners; peer-to-peer roundtables; and educational sessions on everything from strategy development to mentoring.

To learn more, visit wsbaohio.org.