What’s on your summer to-do list? Hanging out at your favorite outdoor café? Taking a dip at Edgewater? Enjoying a Tribe game at Progressive Field? Well, here’s another: touring Cleveland by bicycle. This year it’s easier than ever to see the city via two wheels thanks to new bike-tour operators, public rides, and bike rental companies.

Brand Muscle CEO Philip Alexander freely admits that he was initially opposed to moving his firm to downtown Cleveland because he didn't want to give up his breezy, 17-minute commute to the office.

Research studies have shown that the most powerful predictor of a firm's location is where the top executives live. For Brand Muscle's leadership, it was convenient to commute from the east-side suburbs to their offices in Beachwood, where the software firm has grow... Read more >

Next time that your favorite barista etches a flower in your foamy mug of latte, savor it for a moment before you take a sip. He or she may actually be practicing for For the Love of Latte Art, an educational event and latte art throwdown that is being hosted this weekend by Cleveland-area coffee companies.

The event, which is being hosted by a new coffee collective called CLE Brews, will include skill-building workshops for professional and amateur baristas who are inter... Read more >

Life Core Technologies received a $250,000 investment from JumpStart for its Excel disposable cerebral cooling system, a device that reduces chances of death in a medical emergency.

“Excel has a cooling element that cools the brain 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius very quickly after cardiac arrest, stroke, or traumatic brain injury,” explains Life Core CEO Mike Burke. “The cooling allows the brain to use less oxygen and prevent oxygen depletion and swelling.&rdq... Read more >

DXY Solutions is working with historical societies around the country to put historical information, pictures and maps on iOS and Android systems for a complete and informative history while roaming the city.

“We started this about a year and a half ago with Cleveland State and Epstein Design Partners,” explains DXY’s Dan Young. “We use iOS and Android to connect people who are out and about with historical information."
 
Known a... Read more >

Fixing up an older home can be a daunting task. These days, many homeowners don't know a wrench from a pair of pliers, and even if they are handy, both their tools and their skills may be a little bit rusty.

That's where the Home Repair Resource Center (HRRC), a 40-year-old nonprofit organization based in Cleveland Heights, can help. HRRC offers how-to classes for residents throughout Cuyahoga County and a tool-loan program geared to residents of Cleveland Heights... Read more >

Crowdfunding, the process of raising money for startups, small businesses or charities, has become an increasingly popular way to get investments for products or ideas that wouldn’t otherwise get off the ground through traditional lending institutions.
 
But under the Jobs Act, the rules and restrictions on crowdfunding are changing. JumpStart and Ulmer & Berne will host a seminar, Crowdfunding: From Legislation to Reality, on Monday, May 15 to discuss why t... Read more >

When the Metroparks were planned in the early 20th century, they were envisioned as a chain of connected reservations encircling (but not in) the city of Cleveland -- hence the name “Emerald Necklace.” But as more residents move to the urban core, the Metroparks knew the time was right to follow them.

Mentor native Erin Huber wasn't exactly sure how she would bring together her passion for water conservation and international development when she finished graduate school. She'd grown up in a blue collar family that spent summer weekends camping near lakes, streams and rivers, and those early experiences nourished her love of fresh water.

After completing her master's degree in Environmental Studies at the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State Un... Read more >

The population of Northeast Ohio's 12 most populous counties fell by seven percent from 4.1 million in 1970 to 3.8 million in 2010. Yet at the same time, suburban areas added 400 square miles of roads, shopping centers, housing developments and office parks.

That unabated trend towards urban sprawl is not sustainable, argues the Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium, a new initiative that won a $4.25 million grant from the federal government in 2010 to pla... Read more >

What began in 2005 as a desire to order a Rascal House pizza online rather than over the phone -- as ONOSYS did when launched by college friends Stan Garber, Oleg Fridman and Alex Yakubovich -- has grown into the second largest leader in mobile and online ordering software for the restaurant industry.
 
Last week, Living Social acquired ONOSYS, a move that fits squarely into Garber’s plans and expectations for the company.

“We we’re talking ... Read more >

LeanDog Labs, LaunchHouse and Bizdom have gotten together to host a Startup Mixer today from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at LeanDog Labs. The event intends to bring together developers, designers and other IT types with entrepreneurs launching a new product or service but in need of a CTO.
 
“A lot of people have wonderful ideas and a business background, but they’re usually missing that technical background,” explains Andradia Scovil, recruiting leader for Bizdo... Read more >

Bad Girl Ventures has teamed up with Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream and Accion to host a Speed Coaching event on Monday, May 7 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the COSE offices. The event targets startups in the food and beverage industry.
 
“People in food and beverage have a really hard time getting funding,” explains Rachel Czernin, director of marketing and development for Bad Girl Ventures.

Small business owners spend 20 minutes at each statio... Read more >