Meet Our Newest Portfolio Company: Axuall
On September 25, Cleveland startup Axuall closed a $3 million seed financing round. JumpStart led the round with an investment from our Evergreen Fund, and we were joined by large group of prominent investors including Zapis Capital Group, M25, North Coast Angel Fund, Kettledrum Ventures and Drummond Road Capital. Read more about Axuall’s seed round in Crain’s Cleveland Business We’re excited about Axuall because
For Startups, Value Attracts Funding
At the most basic level, you cannot grow a startup without capital. And yet, getting too fixated on the capital-raising process risks losing focus on creating value, which is what potential investors are actually buying. Early-stage investing is a very risky business, which means investors are always looking for some early proof points of value
Financial planning becomes invaluable when trouble looms
Nothing kills a startup faster than running out of money. And nothing can be more paralyzing to an entrepreneur than realizing the business bank account is plummeting toward empty without a plan, or enough time to stop the freefall. Why does this happen to startups? It usually comes down to one of three familiar phrases
Morgenthaler-Pavey Startup Competition Offers CWRU Student And Alumni Founders A Shot At $25K
Last year, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) partnered with university trustee and venture capitalist Bob Pavey, JumpStart and the Morgenthaler family to introduce the first Morgenthaler-Pavey Startup Competition. Designed to identify and support high-potential startup companies coming out of CWRU, the second annual competition is currently seeking applications from ventures whose founding teams include at least
5 Essential Legal Issues To Address Before Securing Venture Capital
According to the MoneyTree™ Report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, venture capitalists invested $71.9 billion in 5,052 deals last year in the U.S., making 2017 the second year that saw dollar funding top $70B. The PwC MoneyTree Report further notes that global funding increased nearly 50% in 2017, with $164B invested across 11,042 deals. So what are these
Understanding Funding: The Stages Of A Typical Startup Company & Its Funding Options
Whether you’re a first-time entrepreneur or a seasoned pro, one of your first and most important tasks is to raise the capital you need to grow your venture. The good news is, there are more options than ever. The bad news is, it can sometimes be difficult to know where each option fits into your
Meet The Winners Of The Inaugural Morgenthaler-Pavey Startup Competition
On Thursday, March 15, 2018 six startups with founding teams consisting of at least one current Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) student or recent alumni pitched at the Larry Sears and Sally Zlotnick Sears think[box] for a shot at $50,000 in total prize money. The six finalists received assistance from JumpStart Inc. to hone their
Meet Our Newest NEXT Fund Portfolio Company: ReadySet Surgical
The JumpStart NEXT Fund has already invested more than $8.5 million in growing tech startups across the state of Ohio. Now, the NEXT Fund has a new portfolio company—Cincinnati-based ReadySet Surgical. Founder & CEO Keerthi Kanubaddi launched the company in 2014 to solve a critical, but little-known problem in medicine—miscommunication among hospitals, surgeons and the
6 Questions To Ask Yourself When Preparing For Fundraising
Let’s face it, starting your own business is difficult, and 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 will face. Fortunately, in Northeast Ohio, there is
New $25k Startup Competition Seeks CWRU Student And Alumni Founders
Late in the summer, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) partnered with university trustee and venture capitalist Bob Pavey, JumpStart and the Morgenthaler family to introduce the new Morgenthaler-Pavey Startup Competition. Designed to identify and support high-potential startup companies coming out of CWRU, the annual competition is currently seeking applications from ventures whose founding teams include
KeyBank Business Boost & Build Program: Frequently Asked Questions
We are extremely excited to announce a new partnership with KeyBank Foundation. The “KeyBank Business Boost & Build Program, Powered by JumpStart” initiative is designed to stimulate economic growth and workforce development by fostering small business success in communities throughout Ohio and upstate New York. Below we have answered some of the questions you’re likely
Recent Acquisition Could Change Ohio Startup Landscape Forever
If you follow venture capital, you’ve no doubt heard the term “unicorn” referring to the rare (almost mythical) startup that reaches a value of $1 billion or more. For all the tens of thousands of tech startups that have launched, only a handful reach a billion dollar valuation. On a global level, there are an