Takeaways from Black Tech Week 2022: The Power of Community
Black Tech Week (BTW 22) was an essential vibe for Black founders in all walks of entrepreneurship. The 5-day conference hosted by Lightship Foundation took place in Cincinnati, Ohio July 18-22. This multi-day festival brought in over 50 tech influencer speakers including investor and tennis legend, Serena Williams. Inspiration and empowerment were in the atmosphere
Celebrating Black Business Month
Every August, Black Business Month invites us to champion the more than 3 million Black-owned businesses across the nation. Black Business Month began in 2004 when engineering entrepreneur Frederick E. Jordan partnered with author and historian John William Tempelton to start the annual event. Black Business Month was created to not only highlight Black-owned businesses
Meet Cohort 15 Of The Cleveland Small Business Impact Program
JumpStart’s Small Business Impact Program is a 12-week business accelerator designed to help individuals overcome the obstacles of entrepreneurship through hands-on advising and industry-specific mentoring. Over the course of the program, these entrepreneurs will work together, alongside JumpStart’s Impact Program team, to tackle key business issues with significant emphasis on financial projections and capital pitches.
Meet Cohort 8 Of The Toledo Small Business Impact Program
JumpStart’s Small Business Impact Program is a 12-week business accelerator designed to help individuals overcome the obstacles of entrepreneurship through hands-on advising and industry-specific mentoring. Over the course of the program, these entrepreneurs will work together, alongside JumpStart’s Impact Program team, to tackle key business issues with significant emphasis on financial projections and capital pitches.
JumpStart Celebrates Juneteenth, America’s Liberation Day
This Juneteenth, in partnership with our leadership and board, we, as a diverse staff, acknowledge the continued struggle for equity in America. Individually and as a team, we are committed to learning the history and supporting local Black businesses and events commemorating this important holiday. For many African Americans, June 19, 1865, represents America’s true
7 Common Startup Myths… 8 Years Later
The year is 2013—your friends probably convinced you to download Instagram by now, you’re finally trying this “Uber” thing to the airport, “startup” is a buzzword, and Shark Tank has taught us all how to pitch. We’re taking our big ideas seriously! (Or at least contemplating it.) Eight years and a pandemic later, we’ve demystified
Meet Cohort Seven Of The Northwest Ohio Small Business Impact Program
Congratulations to the seventh cohort of our Northwest Ohio Small Business Impact Program. This 12-week business accelerator program is designed to help individuals overcome the obstacles of entrepreneurship through hands-on advising and industry-specific mentoring. Over the course of the program, these entrepreneurs worked together alongside JumpStart’s Impact Program team to tackle key business issues, with
Meet Cohort Fourteen Of The Cleveland Small Business Impact Program
Congratulations to the fourteenth Cleveland-based cohort of our Small Business Impact Program. This 12-week business accelerator program is designed to help individuals overcome the obstacles of entrepreneurship through hands-on advising and industry-specific mentoring. Over the course of the program, these entrepreneurs worked together alongside JumpStart’s Impact Program team to tackle key business issues, with significant
Why We Invested: orthobrain
JumpStart’s NEXT II Fund recently invested in orthobrain as part of a $9 million Series A round led by CareCapital. orthobrain empowers dentists to integrate orthodontics into their practice, combining technology, education and comprehensive case management support. Their ground-breaking orthodontics platform is solving a critical need and addressing three market dynamics: The demand for clear aligners is
How Social Media Can Help You Build Customer Relationships
Years ago businesses were considered to be on the cutting edge if they embraced social media. Entrepreneurs, in particular, may not have seen the value upfront. Why spend precious time on social media platforms when the best target customers weren’t using them and the focus needed to be on building a business? Well, all that’s
What To Expect In Due Diligence
When looking to raise capital, it’s not uncommon for entrepreneurs to pitch dozens of venture capitalists and angels before finding someone with interest. The reasons for this may vary. Capital is a scarce resource, but angels and VCs also tend to specialize in certain types of businesses and at certain stages of development, which means
What Are The Funding Opportunities For Each Stage Of A Startup?
The funding landscape can be tricky for startups to navigate. Some funders are willing to get behind very early-stage startups, while others are much less inclined to do so. To effectively manage your fundraising efforts, it’s helpful to begin by assessing what stage your startup is currently in. With this information, you can then determine