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

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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

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Venture Capital may not be for you (And that’s OK)

While venture capital is largely seen as the most attractive option for startups, it may not be the best path for you… and that’s OK. Before seeking VC investment, some questions to ask yourself include: What are my financial goals? How long do I want to be doing this for? How much time in a

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WOVU JumpStart Fridays, Episode 10: Debt Crowdfunding With Dora Rankin And Monica Grays

JumpStart and WOVU 95.9FM have partnered to bring you JumpStart Fridays, a show focused on supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs in Cleveland. Over the coming weeks, you’ll hear from local business owners, business assistance and funding experts, community organizations and more as we dive into live and honest conversations about entrepreneurship. In this week’s episode, Monica

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WOVU JumpStart Fridays, Episode 8: The Business of Fashion with Charron Martin and Sharia Livingston

JumpStart and WOVU 95.9FM have partnered to bring you JumpStart Fridays, a show focused on supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs in Cleveland. Over the coming weeks, you’ll hear from local business owners, business assistance and funding experts, community organizations and more as we dive into live and honest conversations about entrepreneurship. In this week’s episode, two

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WOVU JumpStart Fridays, Episode 7: Funding For Small Businesses with Katy Fuerst and Patty Ajdukiewicz

JumpStart and WOVU 95.9FM have partnered to bring you JumpStart Fridays, a show focused on supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs in Cleveland. Over the coming weeks, you’ll hear from local business owners, business assistance and funding experts, community organizations and more as we dive into live and honest conversations about entrepreneurship. In this week’s episode, Katy

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VIDEO: JumpStart Investing Q&A Session

Whether you’re looking to learn more about venture capital fundraising in general, or interested in applying for funding specifically from JumpStart, it’s important to have access to the right information and the opportunity to ask questions. In this recorded Q&A session, we cover some of the core concepts of equity-based fundraising, including how investors like

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8 Questions To Ask Yourself When Preparing For Fundraising

Starting your own business is challenging. No matter how unique your idea is, it’s unlikely to get off the ground without proper funding. Securing the necessary funding to start and sustain a business is one of the biggest hurdles that every aspiring entrepreneur faces. Within Northeast Ohio, there is a significant and growing number of

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When It Comes to Startup Success, The Market Is King

Entrepreneurs and investors alike often haggle about which is the more important ingredient for startup success, the product or the team behind it. Is the idea the sun around which everything else orbits? Or, are there truly rock star personalities out there who can turn even mediocre ideas into strong startups? Almost everyone I’ve met

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Identifying and Engaging the Right Investors

One of the most frequently asked questions members of JumpStart’s Services and Investing Team receives is about how to obtain funding. This question is understandable. Growing a technology-based business at scale requires capital. To address capital needs, entrepreneurs often look to pitch investors. The entrepreneurs who are the most successful in both obtaining and leveraging

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VIDEO: Raising Capital in the Midst of COVID

The COVID-19 Pandemic has ground many businesses to a halt, but startups still need to raise capital regardless of the current economic uncertainty. In this recorded webinar, our panel of investors discusses how the venture world is reacting to current market conditions, examines how venture capital investors are evaluating new deals, walks through how deal

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