JumpStart CEO Ray Leach To Receive NVCA American Spirit Award
It is with great pleasure that we announce that JumpStart CEO Ray Leach will receive the American Spirit Award at the upcoming National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) Leadership Gala. The March, 8 event serves as a celebration of the venture industry and an opportunity to honor those who have made significant contributions to foster innovation,
Entrepreneur Insight: Paul Hugenberg, InfoGPS Networks
The question is simple and straightforward—where is your organization’s sensitive consumer data stored? The answer, on the other hand, tends to be far more complex. Paul Hugenberg experienced the struggle of answering this question frequently while working as an IT consultant, so he took it upon himself to develop an efficient and effective means of
Don’t Ignore The Innovative Power Of Inclusion
According to a recent report from Cisco, about 40 percent of today’s leading companies will be displaced from their market position by digital disruption in the next few years. In the words of entrepreneur and author Grant Cardone, “To get to the next level of whatever you are doing, you must think and act in
Venture Capital Investors Like Revenue, But They Love Predictable Revenue
For any startup, generating that first dollar is a huge milestone. Revenue signals to investors that a company is helping to solve a problem in the market, and even more importantly, that people are willing to pay for that solution. If you are an entrepreneur that has reached this point, we truly applaud you—many startups
Sparking Innovation In Akron
Nick Petroski had become frustrated by the lack of startup events being held in Akron. The Launch League co-founder and board chairman was aware of a few weekend-long events in the area, but felt they didn’t fully encapsulate the highs and lows of building something. Taking matters into his own hands, he and his wife,
IP Workshop With Isaac Molnar
On Thursday, January 12, JumpStart hosted an IP workshop with Isaac Molnar, Assistant Attorney General and Intellectual Property Counsel, Business Counsel Unit for the State of Ohio. This program focused on issues unique to web-based/software/app-based (“IT”) companies. The first topic, Intellectual property or IP, refers to trademark, trade secrets, patent and copyright law. Each of these
How To Hire Your First Employee
Your business is growing and so is the workload. At this point, your young startup is likely seeking additional bandwidth, new skills and maybe even a fresh perspective. All of which can be obtained by adding a new member to the team. Hiring your first employee is huge step forward for your company, but that
How Does A Lead Become A Customer?
You’ve likely heard it before, “think of the marketing and sales cycle as a funnel.” But what does that actually mean, and how can you apply an understanding of this funnel to help generate paying customers? Let’s start by considering the funnel’s basic goal and identifying the stages of the sales cycle that help you
Entrepreneur Insight: Al Hawkins, Milo Biotechnology
Driven by the rarity of the disease and the fact that there were no viable therapies on the market, Al Hawkins set out on a mission to enhance the lives of patients diagnosed with debilitating and incurable muscular dystrophies. In 2012, he founded Milo Biotechnology, a clinical-stage startup working to develop gene therapies to treat
Diversity & Inclusion: Looking Forward To 2017, But First A Look Back
From an entrepreneurial perspective, 2016 was an incredible year for women— particularly for those with businesses located in economically distressed areas of Northeast Ohio, including JumpStart’s four female Core City Cleveland program graduates. While Cleveland’s female entrepreneurs spent the better part of the year capitalizing on new opportunities, breaking boundaries, and raising the bar, diverse
Candid Conversation: Entrepreneurship & Family Sacrifice
Entrepreneurship can be exciting and rewarding. But the long hours and high stress can take a real toll—on you and the people who care about you. On Tuesday, December 6, JumpStart invited entrepreneurs and their families to the Great Lakes Science Center for an honest discussion about the sacrifices they make on a daily basis.
The Myth Of The Coasts
The ‘Myth of the Coasts’ is a guest blog post from Cathy Belk, President of JumpStart, Inc., and is the seventh blog post in the Case Foundation’s Myth of the Entrepreneur series. This series is intended to intentionally examine, and change, the stories our culture tells about entrepreneurship. For more information on the Case Foundation’s approach to