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
Understanding The Stages Of A Startup
At JumpStart, we often get a lot of questions from the entrepreneurs that we work with about which specific business stage their startup fits into and what exactly that means for them. Before we attempt to answer this question, we always start with the disclaimer that no two companies, or geographies, are exactly alike. Luckily
How to Build Your Startup’s Brand
Few things are as critical to business success as establishing a strong brand. And yet, too many startups get it wrong or even skip startup branding entirely. Whether you’re trying to attract venture capital or just ensure that your fledgling business resonates with its audience, a strong, vibrant brand is absolutely crucial. But how do
8 Ways To Own Your PIE (Performance, Image and Exposure)
As consumers, we all understand the importance of good branding when it comes to products, services and companies—but what about the importance and value of building a strong personal brand that is uniquely associated with you as an individual? Personal branding has become ever more critical to success—on both a personal and professional front. Let’s
Why Your Startup Needs A Founder’s Agreement
Building a high-growth tech startup is a team sport that requires a variety of people with different skill sets. While most of your core team can be acquired/hired, having one or more co-founders can be very helpful, particularly in the early days of the company. It’s not uncommon to see a founding team made up
[Video] Mondie Gonzales Of Escape In 60 Wins $10,000 Grand Prize At Our Summer 2021 Cleveland Small Business Impact Program Showcase
On Wednesday, September 9, Cleveland Small Business Impact Program participant Mondie Gonzales delivered the winning pitch for her business, Escape In 60, during the program’s culminating entrepreneur showcase—taking home the top prize of $10,000. Escape In 60 is a traditional escape room and teambuilding venue, offering thrill-seekers five fully immersive escape room experiences as well as unique,
[VIDEO] Portfolio Company Spotlight: Inphlu
JumpStart’s Focus Fund recently led Inphlu’s $500K funding round, along with participation from angel investors. Inphlu is a Dayton-based social media management platform that helps marketers automate content creation and posting as well as view real-time analytics. The company was founded by Josh Reid, who ran his own digital marketing agency and knew there was