MidTown

reps from prior convention host cities offer tips on how best to leverage the big show
Tampa Bay successfully hosted the Republicans in 2012, and Denver hosted the Democrats four years before that. Fresh Water decided to reach out to representatives from each city to see if our fair city could glean some best practices on how to pull off a successful -- and inclusive -- convention.
spruce selects borrow rentals for free pr services promotion
Tom Sarago, owner of Spruce, chose Borrow Rentals as the winning company to receive free marketing and PR services. Sarago, who started his full-service marketing communications firm earlier this summer, offered the services to one company as a way to promote Spruce and help a worthy company.

Spruce received about 20 applications for his services. Sarago chose a few finalists before naming Ann King, owner of Borrow Rentals as the winner. Borrow is an eclectic and vintage rental house for furniture and accessories to furnish any event. “I just found Ann intriguing,” says Sarago. “She’s clearly doing so much of a good thing, I can just step in and enhance.”
 
King, who read about the contest in Fresh Water, applied because she needed the services Spruce provides. “We are such a small boutique company – we don’t have a marketing department and we don’t know how to get in the press,” she says.
 
Professional photography firm Kalman and Pabst shot promotional photos of King as part of the package. Spruce will provide PR services. “"She needs some assistance in a couple of key areas and we're working to develop a plan on how to build new relationships," Sarago says of what he’ll provide. “She wants to find new audiences and engage her existing ones. We’re helping her with social media, starting a newsletter and we will issue regular press releases.”
 
Both Sarago and King see this as the start to an ongoing relationship. “He’s awesome,” says King. “He’s so great and I’m so excited to work together and try to promote our brands. Hopefully we can help each other out – mostly to promote Borrow.”
 
In addition to working with King, Sarago says he enjoyed meeting the other applicants. “It was wonderful to hear about all these companies doing some amazing things,” he says. “Companies I wouldn’t otherwise have met.”
 
recently profiled holmes applesauce exceeds fundraising goals, looks ahead
It’s been a busy month for Ethan Holmes, founder of Holmes Mouthwatering Applesauce. The 20-year-old took home $500 from Entrovation earlier this summer before moving into the Cleveland Culinary Launch and Kitchen (CCLK). He then launched an Indiegogo campaign in hopes of raising $1,500, but raised $2,274. He also received 100 pre-orders and produced 400 jars, or 5,000 ounces, of his original and cinnamon applesauce in two days during his first session at CCLK.

“Producing in the kitchen was challenging,” Holmes says. “I had never made such large quantities in such a short period of time.” But with the help of friends and family, Holmes filled his orders, then hand-delivered jars of applesauce in gift bags to all of the local contributors to the campaign.
 
Holmes plans to sell heavily at local farmers markets this fall and is in talks with area restaurants about some menu collaborations. He also is waiting to hear from some retailers about carrying the applesauce.
 
Holmes headed back to college last weekend feeling optimistic about the future of Holmes Mouthwatering Applesauce.
“It felt amazing to surpass my goal,” he says. “It was unbelievable to have so much support from family, friends and those interested in my product. I tried crowdfunding a year ago on Kickstarter and failed my goal, so having the strength to try again and actually being successful this time is such a great feeling to have.”
techpint's industry digital summit aims to become a regional tech conference
TechPint founder Paul McAvinchey always envisioned that his organization’s regular mini tech conferences could become something larger. When the last event drew more than 400 attendees to talk tech over a beer, McAvinchey knew it was time to go big.

On Friday, September 5, the first Industry Digital Summit will kick off at Hotcards. “The Industry Digital Summit is a national conference -- not just Cleveland-centric -- but a national conference with a focus on the Rust Belt,” McAvinchey says. “We want to show that there is a community in the region.”
 
The event brings some of the biggest names in technology to Cleveland: Ian Sigalow, co-founder and partner at GreycroftVC; Bob Moesta, president and CEO of the Re-Wired Group; and Stephanie Spear, founder and CEO of EcoWatch, to cite a few of the 15 speakers scheduled.
 
There will be a startup demo pitch, with 20 companies signed up, and workshops throughout the day. It’s all capped off with a pig roast and happy hour before the Hotcards space evolves into a “massive party that will go on until late,” says McAvinchey.
 
McAvinchey envisions the Industry Digital Summit as an event that could turn into something like South by Southwest or Big Omaha. “There’s nothing like that around here,” he says. “I think it’s important for the region and to have it in Cleveland is just super. We want to make Cleveland the center of digital innovation in the region.”
 
The conference costs $199, but Fresh Water readers can receive a $50 discount by using the code FRESHWATER upon registration before August 22.
who went where? a roundup of recently filled positions
Amy Martin was named principal of marketing for JumpStart Inc., where she will be responsible for managing all marketing and communication efforts for the nonprofit venture development organization. Previously, Martin was vice president of marketing for the Centers for Families and Children.
 
Hilary Sparks-Roberts has been appointed executive director of Social Venture Partners (SVP), the philanthropic venture fund that supports and strengthens local nonprofits. Hilary moves into the position after three years at SVP Cleveland, first as director of partner engagement, and then as deputy director.
 
Sparks-Roberts is a graduate of Kenyon College and CWRU Law School. She served as briefer to Governor Richard Celeste, and later as a mediator in the Cleveland Prosecutor’s Office, a Judicial Law Clerk to former Juvenile Court Judge Peter Sikora, and freelance writer and editor for arts and educational organizations. Prior to joining SVP Cleveland in 2011, Sparks-Roberts taught AP and honors English for 10 years at Lake Ridge Academy where she helped found and advise an extensive Mock Trial program.
 
SVP program assistant Caroline Linden was promoted to manager of programs and operations. Former executive director Linda Springer will remain a partner with SVP.

MidTown Cleveland announced that Jeff Epstein has been named the Health-Tech Corridor’s first director. As director, Epstein will be responsible for the development, coordination and implementation of the business and marketing strategy for the organization. He will work with public, nonprofit and private sector partners to spur new development, attract businesses, create new jobs and tax base, and develop economic stability for the area and the surrounding residential neighborhoods.  Previously, Epstein was vice president of development for the Coral Company.

Have a new hire to share? Email Karin with the details and we’ll spread the word!
cnn reports on cle heartlab and health-tech corridor
In a CNN Money feature titled “Cleveland: Booming in more ways than Lebron,” Tom Thriveni reports on the work being done at Cleveland Heartlab specifically and the Health-Tech Corridor in general.

“[Jake] Orville is the CEO of five-year-old Cleveland Heartlab, which has licensed several innovations from researchers at nearby -- and world-renowned -- Cleveland Clinic. The partnership was initiated by the clinic as part of its mission to turn its inventions into commercially viable medical products, generating profits for both parties. To date, besides Heartlab, 66 neighboring companies have spun out from Cleveland Clinic ideas since 2000. All told, the clinic has 525 patents and 450 licensing agreements,” Thriveni writes.

“The 1,600-acre Health-Tech Corridor acts as Cleveland's biomedical nerve center, housing three major health-care institutions besides the Cleveland Clinic, four higher education institutions, more than 130 biomedical and other technology companies and eight incubators that lease space and provide consulting and other business development services. This is where the Cleveland Clinic and other partner organizations, such as incubator BioEnterprise, interact with researchers, clinical caregivers, academics and business executives. State-funded groups like Team NEO (for North East Ohio) were launched to help attract new business to the region. Since Cleveland Heartlab opened in the Health-Tech Corridor's first building, eight additional buildings have opened for tenants. A ninth will open soon.”
 
Read the rest here.
while sports are fun, gay games will leave a positive legacy long after closing ceremony
As the 2014 Gay Games play out with eclectic events all over town, it becomes clear how they will leave a lasting positive effect on the host city of Cleveland. Uniting beneath a banner of inclusion, collaboration and unity, participants and sponsors establish a spirit that will endure long after the lights have dimmed and the last athlete has left the track.
local guide co. offers gay games visitors 'tours for every taste'
Since launching Discover My Cleveland in November 2012, owner Lynde Vespoli has seen tourism in the city grow substantially. “There are exciting changes in Cleveland and the tourism business,” says Vespoli. “We’re getting more multi-day events -- groups coming for four-, five-, six-day events. Our company has seen significant growth in the past year as the number of tourists to the Cleveland area has increased.”

Business has increased so much that Vespoli recently hired two additional tour guides and predicts that she’ll again increase staff in the coming year.
 
Last summer, the destination management company hosted tours for the Senior Games. Next week, Discover My Cleveland will host unique tours for the Gay Games 9 as the exclusive tour and activates provider for the marquee event.
 
Tours are designed for every taste. The Beer and Bourbon tour includes a pub dinner and libations at places such as Cleveland WhiskeyMarket Garden Brewery and Indigo Imp Brewery. The Out on the Town tour, billed as “an open bar on the open seas,” features a dinner cruise on the Nautica Queen and an after party at Bounce Nightclub, Cleveland’s largest LGBT club. Vespoli also has more traditional city tours planned.

All of the events are open to the public. “The tours are open to everybody and I really hope the people of Cleveland come and join us,” she says. “These people are coming from all over the world. When they are here they want to experience everything, not just participate in the athletics, but experience all the wonderful things we have here. In addition to coming here as athletes, they’re coming here for the activities, events, tours and fun.”
 
magnet and nasa invite startups to present 'tech-based products' at prototech
The Incubator at MAGNET and NASA Glenn Research Center are looking for product-focused startup companies to join its pitch competition on September 18 at Ariel International Center. Unlike other pitch competitions in the region, ProtoTech focuses on those companies with an actual product to market.
 
“There are a number of pitch competitions, but most of them are IT focused,” says Dave Crain, MAGNET’s director of entrepreneurial services. “What we’re trying to do is highlight product-focused startups in the region.”
 
What is a technology based product exactly? “At the end of the day, when a customer buys your product and you put it in a box and you ship it to them, that’s a product,” says Crain.
 
Six companies will be selected as finalists and receive promotion and fundraising tools. The teams will then pitch their products to a panel of judges and a live audience. The teams will be rated on their products’ feasibility, investability and the quality of their pitches. The audience also gets a vote.
 
Each team gets to keep any money raised for their products through the event, and the top three teams will receive matching funds.
 
Crain says they are hoping to receive 20 to 30 submissions for ProtoTech. The competition is open to anyone who meets the entry guidelines listed on the submission form. The deadline for submission is mid-August.
 
In addition to the pitch competition there will be an Investors Hall Exhibition, where 15 to 20 more established startups will have tables among an invited group of investors.
“These are later-stage startups who have entered the market,” explains Crain. “We’ve already chosen two companies to exhibit. We’ll continue to choose companies until the tables are filled. To be considered for the Investors Hall, submit an exhibitor request form.  
who's hiring in cle: urbancode, dwellworks, y.o.u.
Welcome to the latest edition of Who’s Hiring in Cleveland?
 
There are plenty of good jobs to be found here in Cleveland. This is the latest installment in regular series of posts in which we feature companies that are hiring, what those employers are looking for, and how to apply.
 
IBM UrbanCode, a DevOps software product line, needs a software developer to work on its market-leading DevOps product line. Work on coding new features, bug fixes, integrations with other software development lifecycle tools, and help develop new products. Define, test, research and review code. For more information and to apply, click here.
 
Dwellworks, a support service provider for the relocation industry, has six open positions in a variety of disciplines, including a manager of property management to oversee the day-to-day services of portfolio properties. This job requires frequent interaction with homeowners and tenants. To apply for this position, click here. To see all of Dwellworks’ job openings, click here.
 
Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U), a nonprofit youth workforce development organization, is hiring a development and marketing administrator who will assist in all aspects of Y.O.U.'s development process; assist and manage all aspects of Y.O.U.'s marketing efforts; and coordinate organizational events. Send resume and cover letter here.
 
The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) is transforming urban education. CMSD has teaching, administration, and other opportunities available. See the full list of openings and apply here
 
Have hiring news you’d like to share? Email Karin at Fresh Water Cleveland and send us this information or career links!
with historic influx of urban residents, cities are seeing a rise in amenities
After decades of population loss, cities like Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Pittsburgh are now growing faster than the rest of their metro areas. Urban developers are trying to attract the right amenities to support the new wave of urbanites. So what’s needed to sustain a dense and vibrant city? The answers might surprise you.
putting art at the heart of neighborhood redevelopment
Artists are often the first to move into urban neighborhoods, and also the first to move out when rents escalate. Yet in the post-recession landscape, many communities are working with artists to transform blight, engage residents and reimagine their neighborhoods.
from bust to boom: how the city's brand is on the rise, within our borders and beyond
There has been a flood of new businesses that tout the city through an assortment of Cleveland-themed apparel and products or by integrating the city name right into the company’s branding. Many point to the recent recession as the dawn of this entrepreneurial movement, which coincided with a newfound pride of place.
university study ranks cities' walkability; cleveland in top 10
In a recently released report by the Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis at George Washington University School of Business in conjunction with Smart Growth America, the 30 largest U.S. cities were ranked by how walkable they are. This is key indicator on how cities are shifting from suburban sprawl to urban infill.
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“The researchers, including Leinberger, first looked at Walkscore heat maps, focusing on areas that scored high. They then looked at areas with significant regional importance, meaning they have at least 1.4 million square feet of office space and more than 340,000 square feet of retail space. They combined these factors to determine areas they call "walkable urban places" or WalkUPs.”

But the report doesn’t just evaluate the present; it looks ahead.

“Researchers then tried to predict how these areas would grow in the future by looking at trend lines and pricing premiums in rent space, which indicate demand level. For example, demand around train stations in places like Washington, D.C. is so high commercial and residential renters can pay a premium of between 50 and 80 percent, said Emerick Corsi, president of Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises Real Estate Services.

Coming in at No. 10 is Cleveland.

“Ohio's largest city hangs on to the bottom spot in the Top 10, but that may change soon. It's set to plummet to No. 24 in the future. Cleveland is one of a handful of older industrial cities where walkability is largely rooted in the past, where a strong city center is walkable while the rest of the surrounding suburban area lacks any kind of walkable urban space.”

Read the rest here.
job satisfaction: employee perks pay off with loyal staff that works as hard as they play
Everybody has those days when they just don’t feel like going to work. But some employers offer perks that make coming to work a little less painful. From all-you-can-eat snack bars to pursuing outside interests on company time -- and free beer! -- these companies help make coming to the office a little easier to swallow.
all-natural applesauce start-up something both 'mothers and kids love'
Ethan M. Holmes learned how to make applesauce from his grandfather at a young age. By the time he was 15, he had mastered the recipe and decided to go into business with it. “I looked at the market and saw an opportunity,” says Holmes. “I looked at other applesauces and they were all made with corn syrup and artificial flavoring.”
 
Holmes Mouthwatering Applesauce makes an all-natural product in plain and cinnamon varieties. “My goal was to take all the stuff out of it and make something mothers and kids love,” Holmes explains. “The only ingredients are apples, pears and apple cider.”
 
Today, at age 20, Holmes sells his applesauce at farmers’ markets, area events and through his website. He is in talks with local grocery stores and is joining the Cleveland Culinary Launch and Kitchen.
 
Recently, Holmes gave out samples of his sauce at Entrovation. The attendees voted the company one of the top five at the event, earning Holmes the chance to pitch his applesauce company to a panel of judges at the Innovative Entrepreneur of The Year Competition. Holmes took home $500 from the event, tying for third place.
 
Holmes is using the money to cover the Culinary Launch fees and inventory. “We are on our way this upcoming month to producing our first run in their facility,” Holmes says of his move to the Culinary Launch. “This will help us create a large amount of product and educate us in the licenses and procedures needed to be in retail markets.”
 
Holmes donates 10 percent of his profits toward fighting childhood obesity.
 
lab chat: why the heck does drug development take so long?
Welcome to the latest round of Lab Chat, in which we try to demystify the often complex field of biomedical research. Today, our well informed post-doc takes on commercial drug development, specifically, why the heck does it take so long for prescription drugs to move from lab to local pharmacy?
 
we've got options: alternative transportation takes root in cleveland
There's more than one way to get around Cleveland. As more and more alternative transportation options like Lyft, Uber and pedicabs enter the local market, residents are discovering that it's increasingly becoming easier to leave the wheels at home. Fresh Water took them for a test drive.