Inclusion In Action
At JumpStart, we are proud of our economic inclusion efforts to date. Over the past 18 months, JumpStart's Inclusion Strategy has produced the following results:
Metrics
- Provided direct consultation to 606 minority and women entrepreneurs
- Assisted with the development of 47 “investment grade” business plans for minority and women entrepreneurs
- Assisted 20 high potential minority businesses with presentations to investors
- Provided seed capital to nine high potential diverse firms totaling $3.2 million, and directly assisted firms in securing over $10 million in outside capital
- Participated in eight panel discussions focused on developing high potential minority businesses
- Supported four national private equity conferences targeting high potential minority firms, and provided 10 minority entrepreneurs for deal presentations
- Established five national relationships with leading organizations targeting the growth of high potential minority businesses and the development of the nation’s inner-cities
Partnerships
- Established 17 functional strategic partnerships (and growing) with regional minority business organizations to develop, support, and educate high potential minority firms
- Co-Sponsored/supported 14 events focused on minority business development and celebrating diversity
- Lead advocate and principal “architect” for a collaborative regional minority business initiative, which received an initial “launch grant” of $1 million
- Lead the region’s diversity/inclusion initiatives for the State of Ohio’s Entrepreneurial Signature Program
- Established a diverse board of directors with 30 percent of JumpStart’s board members consisting of minorities and women
- Established a Diversity/Inclusion Council consisting of JumpStart board members, community leaders, and entrepreneurs to shape JumpStart’s ongoing inclusion strategy
- Established a formal advisory relationship in support of Kent State University’s Supplier Diversity Initiatives
- Launched quarterly e-newsletter entitled Inside Inclusion with three editions published to date, and current active distribution list in excess of 900 minority business stakeholders
- Created a functional Minority Private Equity/Venture Capital database consisting of 51 national minority owned/led firms targeting investment in high potential minority businesses
- Established exclusive quarterly business column in regional minority owned magazine with circulation of 40,000 which celebrates the achievements of minorities and women
- Created a regional “Minority Leadership Database” consisting of 175 of Northeast Ohio’s most influential minority business leaders and stakeholders
- Secured regional and national commitment/participation in support of a planned Northeast Ohio Minority Venture Capital Summit
- Secured early commitment from regional institutional stakeholders for the development of a proposed Minority/Inner-City Seed Fund
- Established bi-monthly “Leadership Forum” with economic inclusion leaders across the state of Ohio
- Established monthly outreach speaking tour – to perform a minimum of six monthly speaking engagements in six months from September 2007 to March 2008