Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell sits down with Joshua Saffran, Director of Plug and Play Northwest Arkansas. Plug and Play is an open innovation platform that connects its corporate partners with startups to fill needs and drive innovation forward. Originally based in Silicon Valley, Plug and Play added a hub in Northwest Arkansas to serve its corporate partners in the region, as well as mine for new, innovative startups in the area. Throughout the episode, James and Joshua discuss Plug and Play, Bentonville’s value to businesses, and how startups can stand out from the crowd.
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Show Notes
(0:50) Introducing Joshua Saffran
(2:45) The Gents Place
(4:00) Plug and Play
(7:05) Why, How, and When Plug and Play Came to Northwest Arkansas
(8:05) How Plug and Play Connects Corporations with Startups
(9:37) Stories from Plug and Play’s Live Events
(13:38) Sourcing Startups
(14:40) Why Business Leaders and Startups Need to Be In Bentonville
(16:43) Joshua’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(19:40) How to Connect with Joshua and Plug and Play
(20:06) Joshua’s Family
(23:06) How Founders Can Make Their Startups Standout
(24:03) Closing Thoughts
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‍Links
JAMES BELL‍‍
‍BENTONVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT‍
JOSHUA SAFFRAN
PLUG AND PLAY TECH CENTER NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
THE GENTS PLACE
SAEED AMIDI
PLUG AND PLAY TECH CENTER

Quotes
“Most folks are working specifically with the startups, but we’re working with the startups and bringing them to the corporate partners…So it’s a win for Walmart in this example because we’re bringing them technology. It’s a win for the startup because they don’t have that relationship [previously]. So there’s a lot of pluses for both sides in this.” – Joshua Saffran, (5:40)

“Having a global company based out of Silicon Valley with a local hub here in Northwest Arkansas, to me, is a tremendous value to everybody within our ecosystem.” – Joshua Saffran, (6:43)

“[Bentonville’s] community is fascinating—it’s like nowhere else I’ve ever lived, and I’ve lived in Minneapolis, Boston, Chicago, New York…What’s on the horizon to come here is so incredible, and the growth we’ve seen in the last couple years is nothing compared to what’s going to happen in the next few years. The cost of living is great. The technology is coming here…You have three major corporations in Walmart, JB Hunt, and Tyson all here. Anybody that sells to Walmart has an office here. There’s so many reasons to be here.” – Joshua Saffran, (14:54)

“I’ve never seen anything like this—what’s going on [in Bentonville]. The way people interact, connect, help, and pay it forward. It’s such a cool spot.” – Joshua Saffran, (17:22)‍‍
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Attracting Supply Chain and Innovation Startups from Around the World to Bentonville with Josh Saffran‍
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell sits down with Joshua Saffran, Director of Plug and Play Northwest Arkansas. Plug and Play is an open innovation platform that connects its corporate partners with startups to fill needs and drive innovation forward. Originally based in Silicon Valley, Plug and Play added a hub in Northwest Arkansas to serve its corporate partners in the region, as well as mine for new, innovative startups in the area. Throughout the episode, James and Joshua discuss Plug and Play, Bentonville’s value to businesses, and how startups can stand out from the crowd.
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Plug and Play Tech Center
While most accelerator and startup resource programs prioritize VC investment, Plug and Play takes a unique approach to help startups. Rather than teaching founders to pitch to investors, Plug and Play aims to drive innovation by connecting the largest corporations with global stage-agnostic startups that meet their needs.
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For example, if a corporate partner such as Walmart were to have a supply chain issue, Plug and Play would curate and vet a list of startups to solve the problem, ultimately bringing them to Walmart as a viable long-term solution. Essentially, the platform is a middle-man that brings technology and innovation together to solve large-scale supply chain problems.

“Most folks are working specifically with the startups, but we’re working with the startups and bringing them to the corporate partners…So it’s a win for Walmart in this example because we’re bringing them technology. It’s a win for the startup because they don’t have that relationship [previously]. So there’s a lot of pluses for both sides in this.” – Joshua Saffran, (5:40)

Why Bentonville
Even with a headquarters in Silicon Valley, there is no question that adding an office in Bentonville was a significant value add for Plug and Play. With three Fortune 500 companies—including Fortune 1 Walmart—in the region, the innovation platform has direct access to assist its corporate partners in Northwest Arkansas. 

“Having a global company based out of Silicon Valley with a local hub here in Northwest Arkansas, to me, is a tremendous value to everybody within our ecosystem.” – Joshua Saffran, (6:43)

“[Bentonville’s] community is fascinating—it’s like nowhere else I’ve ever lived, and I’ve lived in Minneapolis, Boston, Chicago, New York…What’s on the horizon to come here is so incredible, and the growth we’ve seen in the last couple years is nothing compared to what’s going to happen in the next few years. The cost of living is great. The technology is coming here…You have three major corporations in Walmart, JB Hunt, and Tyson all here. Anybody that sells to Walmart has an office here. There’s so many reasons to be here.” – Joshua Saffran, (14:54)
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Get Connected!
‍Thanks for tuning in to this episode of The Bentonville Beacon! Join us weekly for more stories from entrepreneurs and business leaders who are making a positive impact on Bentonville’s culture, community, and lifestyle. Don’t forget, Bentonville is a place where you can have more of what you want and less of what you don’t!