Entrepreneurial Programs :
Featured Stories
Erin O'Brien
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Angel investors play a key role in providing funding and technical assistance to startup companies once funds from friends, families and founders have been exhausted and before venture capital becomes a real option. Across Ohio, increasingly vibrant networks of angel investors are closing the gap, thus facilitating the growth of some of the state's most successful new companies.
Lee Chilcote
Thursday, November 01, 2012
Whether it is health care, information technology, clean tech or business and consumer products, Cleveland's increased level of startup activity is attracting funding from venture capital firms in Northeast Ohio and beyond. But experts say there's a ways to go before the Silicon Valley comparisons stick.
Douglas J. Guth
Thursday, November 01, 2012
The Austen Bioinnovation Institute in Akron harnesses some of the region's core strengths -- namely polymer science, orthopedics, wound healing processes and musculoskeletal studies -- to advance its status as a health care innovator.
Erin O'Brien
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Fifteen years ago, there were almost no student entrepreneurship programs in Ohio's colleges and universities. Today, they're all the rage. Not only do these programs give students real world business skills across an array of disciplines, but they also help to nurture young innovators and grow fresh ideas into companies.
Lee Chilcote
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Steve Case recently came to Cleveland to address entrepreneurial leaders from across the country who had gathered for the National Association of Seed and Venture Funds conference. After praising Ohio's innovation economy, he said that the key to creating more jobs in the U.S. is to support entrepreneurs and high-growth companies and argued policy leaders need to do more to spur innovation.
Joe Baur
Thursday, October 04, 2012
Startup Weekends are intensive, 54-hour events for aspiring entrepreneurs. Fueled by passion, the presence of other innovators and plenty of coffee, would-be founders work in teams to develop their ideas, incorporate feedback from mentors and bring home prizes. Across Ohio, Startup Weekend events are taking hold and creating communities of entrepreneurs -- and even successful companies.
Feoshia Davis
Thursday, October 04, 2012
It's never been easier to validate an idea and launch a new company. Yet access to capital remains a critical issue for entrepreneurs. The upcoming National Association of Seed and Venture Funds Conference, to be held in Cleveland from October 15th-17th, will bring together a community of aspiring entrepeneurs and investors to explore ways to advance innovation capital.
Lee Chilcote
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Thanks to crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter, entrepreneurs often overlooked by traditional investment sources are securing much-needed capital to launch their startups. In addition to raising cash, these sites are proving invaluable for testing new ideas, developing a customer base, gaining exposure, and launching ideas into a larger marketplace.
Joe Baur
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Southeast Ohio may be off the beaten track, but it is also home to some of the state's fastest growing companies. Many of these startups are propelled to success by the Ohio University Innovation Center, which offers flexible, ready-to-go office space, mentoring and proximity to a growing roster of creative companies.
Joe Baur
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Ohio's alternative energy industry is thriving. According to the nonprofit Jumpstart Inc., Ohio ranks # 1 in the nation for renewable and advanced energy, bringing in more renewable energy facility projects than any other state. Yet for Ohio to keep its edge, leaders say, state and federal officials must work together to support the growth of this vital market.
Lee Chilcote
Thursday, September 06, 2012
If you're looking for evidence that venture capitalists are increasingly flocking to Ohio, look no further than the success of Athenian Venture Partners, whose 2003 AVP Ohio fund was recently ranked the top fund of its vintage by Preqin. That success is testament to the increasingly vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in Ohio, which is drawing venture capital.
Erin O'Brien
Thursday, September 06, 2012
On the heels of London's breathtaking Olympic Games comes the Elevator Pitch Olympics. Startup companies will soon have the chance to pitch their ideas to venture capitalists for about as long as it takes to ride an elevator to the 50th floor. That's just one of the events at the upcoming Great Lakes Venture Fair, which takes place October 15th-17th in Cleveland.
Lee Chilcote
Thursday, August 23, 2012
In the past decade, the Youngstown Business Incubator has created more than 400 software jobs in downtown Youngstown. Nearly all of these 32 companies are still in the heart of the Mahoning Valley. hiVelocity recently caught up with YBI Chief Evangelist Jim Cossler to talk about Youngstown's burgeoning tech scene and his unusual model of not graduating companies.
Joe Baur
Thursday, August 09, 2012
Toledo's tech entrepreneurs say that Northwest Ohio is nourishing startups by offering funding, business support and peer-to-peer collaboration. Can the growing entrepreneurial scene here bring new life to this traditional manufacturing town? Here's a look at three Toledo companies -- Classbag, Netronex and Seed Coworking -- shaking things up in The Glass City.
Joe Baur
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Despite its rich, historic assets, the City of Dayton has for decades been outcompeted by larger cities when it comes to attracting young professionals. Now city leaders are launching a broad effort to change that by focusing on recruiting and retaining college graduates through internship programs and other opportunities.