FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Liberty Bank Funds Sphere Regional Study to Identify Barriers Facing Western Mass Entrepreneurs

 

The Sphere Northampton launches 8-week survey + focus groups to align resources, strengthen networks, and meet current demand

 

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. — October 10, 2025 — The Sphere Northampton today announced a new research study, Breaking Barriers: A Study of Western Mass Entrepreneurs, funded by Liberty Bank, to capture clear, local data on what’s blocking small business owners across Western Massachusetts—especially women, gender-expansive, LGBTQ+, BIPOC, immigrant, and rural founders. Findings will be translated into practical recommendations partners can use to better allocate resources, coordinate referrals, and fine tune programs to what entrepreneurs need now.

 

“Western Mass has incredible hustle—and real friction,” said Megan Allen, Ed.D., principal investigator for The Sphere Northampton. “With Liberty Bank’s support, we’re listening at scale so the ecosystem can act with precision, not guesswork.”

 

Why this is needed:

 

• Local realities are shifting fast. Post-pandemic pressures, pricing swings, and time/childcare constraints are changing when (and how) founders seek help.
• Fewer and fragmented resources. With recent federal funding shifts, there are simply fewer dollars on the ground, and what remains is spread across programs that can be hard to find and navigate.
• Equity gaps persist. Women, gender-expansive, LGBTQ+, BIPOC, immigrant, Spanish-speaking, and rural entrepreneurs face distinct barriers that one-size-fits-all services may miss.
• Western MA needs county-level data. Too much small-business data is metro-centric or outdated; local leaders need current, identity-aware insights.
• Comparable trend lines, not one-offs. By replicating key elements of The Sphere’s 2023 MassTech Entrepreneurial Ecosystem research, we can track what’s changed in western Mass—and what still needs work.

Partners & platform

 

The study is built around the new 413 Entrepreneur Spotlight series, co-hosted by Common Capital and Living Local 413, which launched September 11 to a sold-out audience. The November Spotlight will be hosted by the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce, underscoring equity and inclusion. Venues and local reach include the Springfield Innovation Center (Hampden), The Sphere Northampton in Florence (Hampshire), 1Berkshire (Berkshire), and Franklin County hosts. Dr. Grace Kim, the founder of Mapping Insight, will co-lead the research, and Dr. Jackson Matos of Mount Holyoke College will serve as a research advisor.

 

How to participate

 

Entrepreneurs in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties can complete the 7 minute survey and opt in for a focus group: https://forms.gle/9D737brj2sSGJNWv5.

 

Community organizations interested in sharing the survey can contact The Sphere (details below).

 

Key dates

 

• Oct 9: Public announcement & survey launch (413 Entrepreneur Spotlight)
• Dec 9: Sneak-peek listening session at 413 Entrepreneur Spotlight & Sphere Salon at Union Station in Northampton to share top lines and gather input
• March (Women’s History Month): Public Reveal & Insights Forum 

 

Media contacts

 

The Sphere Northampton

Name: Megan Allen, Ed.D. (PI)

Email: megan@spherenorthampton.com| Phone: (413) 282-7092

Web: spherenorthampton.com

 

About Liberty Bank

 

Mutually owned and established in 1825, we’re a full-service financial institution that believes communities are built on kindness.

 

Established in 1825, Liberty Bank has more than $8.0 billion in assets, 54 retail banking offices across Connecticut and Massachusetts. As a full-service financial institution, Liberty offers consumer and commercial banking, cash management, home mortgages, business loans, insurance and investment services. Named ‘Top Workplace’ by the Hartford Courant every year since 2012; designated a 2021, 2022 and 2023 Best-In-State Bank in Connecticut by Forbes Magazine; and received J.D. Power’s award for Best Retail Banking Customer Satisfaction in the New York Tri-State Region in 2025. Liberty Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of the mutual holding company Liberty Financial Corporation.

 

About The Sphere Northampton

 

The Sphere is a community hub for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Western Massachusetts—offering a co-working space, peer learning, technical assistance, and programs that center women and gender-expansive entrepreneurs.