When Deej Lincoln bought Interior Products Company two years ago, he thought he would build upon the commercial millwork company’s reputation for creating beautiful libraries. While the company continues to do library work, a new business built on sustainability, recycling and a bit of nostalgia has evolved.
Reclaimed Cleveland harvests wood from Cleveland properties slated for demolition and turns what they find into functional works of art. “We wanted to build the business in a new direction, and we got into wood reclamation,” explains Lincoln. “The idea resonated with our Interior Products Company customers.”
From benches and console tables to bottle openers and iPhone skins, every Reclaimed Cleveland product is stamped with the address of the property from which it came. Much of the focus is on old homes, which have a lot of old-growth wood, and churches.
“Obviously, there’s a sustainability component to it,” says Lincoln. “But there’s an aesthetic component that comes from a talented designer.”
The inspiration to create products from reclaimed wood came almost out of necessity. “About a year ago, we were sitting on all this wood and we had no furniture designed or built,” says Lincoln. “I said we have to have some holiday gift items at a low price point.”
From there, Reclaimed Cleveland made a bottle opener and marketed it through flash sales. “We immediately sold out of them,” says Lincoln. “We were impressed and pleased with the fact it took off as well as it did. I regret as a company, we didn’t do it sooner.” The products have even found a following outside of Cleveland.
Aaron Gogolin, who co-founded A Piece of Cleveland (APOC), joined the company in 2011 He helped produce the original products for Reclaimed Cleveland and helps maintain assembly and design standards. David Meyers joined in 2011 and is key in new product designs and branding of Reclaimed Cleveland. The company employs a total of 12 people.
Source: Deej Lincoln
Writer: Karin Connelly
Reclaimed Cleveland harvests wood from Cleveland properties slated for demolition and turns what they find into functional works of art. “We wanted to build the business in a new direction, and we got into wood reclamation,” explains Lincoln. “The idea resonated with our Interior Products Company customers.”
From benches and console tables to bottle openers and iPhone skins, every Reclaimed Cleveland product is stamped with the address of the property from which it came. Much of the focus is on old homes, which have a lot of old-growth wood, and churches.
“Obviously, there’s a sustainability component to it,” says Lincoln. “But there’s an aesthetic component that comes from a talented designer.”
The inspiration to create products from reclaimed wood came almost out of necessity. “About a year ago, we were sitting on all this wood and we had no furniture designed or built,” says Lincoln. “I said we have to have some holiday gift items at a low price point.”
From there, Reclaimed Cleveland made a bottle opener and marketed it through flash sales. “We immediately sold out of them,” says Lincoln. “We were impressed and pleased with the fact it took off as well as it did. I regret as a company, we didn’t do it sooner.” The products have even found a following outside of Cleveland.
Aaron Gogolin, who co-founded A Piece of Cleveland (APOC), joined the company in 2011 He helped produce the original products for Reclaimed Cleveland and helps maintain assembly and design standards. David Meyers joined in 2011 and is key in new product designs and branding of Reclaimed Cleveland. The company employs a total of 12 people.
Source: Deej Lincoln
Writer: Karin Connelly
There’s a new cab company in town, and owner Ray Ibrahim boasts that his cabs are decked out with the latest technology. Ibrahim, who has logged 30 years in the taxi business in Chicago, moved to Cleveland this past October to expand his Wolley Taxi Company.
“The city is growing and so we came here to help out,” says Ibrahim, who sees demand for speedy cab service in Cleveland. “On Fridays and Saturdays, people wait over an hour to get a cab. It shouldn’t be that way.”
Based downtown, Wolley Taxi has 40 cars equipped with televisions, GPS and credit card readers. “They’re brand new cabs -- nice and clean. We will take people anywhere they want. We’ve trained our drivers to be very nice.”
Ibrahim has appealed to the city this week for permission to serve Hopkins airport. He says the airport could use an additional cab company as customers often have to wait for cab service. “We need these people here to do business,” he says. “We should be waiting for them, they shouldn’t be kept waiting for us.”
Right now Wolley employs 40 drivers and eight to 10 office personnel. Ibrahim expects to create another 20 to 25 jobs, as well as add another 40 to 60 cabs, if he gets a contract to service the airport.
Ibrahim has some family here, and has been impressed with Cleveland’s growth. Best of all, he enjoys the food the area has to offer. “I like the steak a lot here,” he says. “It’s better than Chicago.”
Source: Ray Ibrahim
Writer: Karin Connelly
“The city is growing and so we came here to help out,” says Ibrahim, who sees demand for speedy cab service in Cleveland. “On Fridays and Saturdays, people wait over an hour to get a cab. It shouldn’t be that way.”
Based downtown, Wolley Taxi has 40 cars equipped with televisions, GPS and credit card readers. “They’re brand new cabs -- nice and clean. We will take people anywhere they want. We’ve trained our drivers to be very nice.”
Ibrahim has appealed to the city this week for permission to serve Hopkins airport. He says the airport could use an additional cab company as customers often have to wait for cab service. “We need these people here to do business,” he says. “We should be waiting for them, they shouldn’t be kept waiting for us.”
Right now Wolley employs 40 drivers and eight to 10 office personnel. Ibrahim expects to create another 20 to 25 jobs, as well as add another 40 to 60 cabs, if he gets a contract to service the airport.
Ibrahim has some family here, and has been impressed with Cleveland’s growth. Best of all, he enjoys the food the area has to offer. “I like the steak a lot here,” he says. “It’s better than Chicago.”
Source: Ray Ibrahim
Writer: Karin Connelly
Donna Lee, CEO of MascotSecret, has always eyed with envy the vacant good seats at sporting events. She thought there had to be some way to get those unused good seats into the hands of those sitting in the cheap seats. So Lee and co-founder Jennifer Jeng set out to find a way.
“This is the problem we had growing up -- we always wanted better seats,” says Lee. “You go to the game, you see all the empty seats, and we thought there has to be a better solution.”
This past summer, Lee and Jeng moved to Cleveland from San Francisco to develop MascotSecret through Bizdom, a non-profit startup accelerator founded by Dan Gilbert, founder and chairman of Quicken Loans and majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. “It allows you to upgrade your seats during game time through your mobile phone,” explains Lee. “All you need to do is open the app, put in how many tickets you want to upgrade, and then move to your new seats.”
Lee says the price to upgrade might be cheaper or more expensiver than face value depending on availability, the game, and other factors.
So far, MascotSecret has been testing the app at Cavs games. As a Bizdom company, they have gotten the support from Gilbert and Veritix. “We’ve had a really great response so far," says Lee. "Customers who have heard about it want to try it.”
MascotSecret recently received a $25,000 grant from the Lorain County Community College Foundation Innovation Fund, which they will use to further develop the app. The company is beginning talks with the Indians to use the app. The goal is to sell the app to markets across the country.
“Of course we want to expand as quickly as possible,” says Lee. As they expand, the company will be looking for technical and marketing talent.
Source: Donna Lee
Writer: Karin Connelly
“This is the problem we had growing up -- we always wanted better seats,” says Lee. “You go to the game, you see all the empty seats, and we thought there has to be a better solution.”
This past summer, Lee and Jeng moved to Cleveland from San Francisco to develop MascotSecret through Bizdom, a non-profit startup accelerator founded by Dan Gilbert, founder and chairman of Quicken Loans and majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. “It allows you to upgrade your seats during game time through your mobile phone,” explains Lee. “All you need to do is open the app, put in how many tickets you want to upgrade, and then move to your new seats.”
Lee says the price to upgrade might be cheaper or more expensiver than face value depending on availability, the game, and other factors.
So far, MascotSecret has been testing the app at Cavs games. As a Bizdom company, they have gotten the support from Gilbert and Veritix. “We’ve had a really great response so far," says Lee. "Customers who have heard about it want to try it.”
MascotSecret recently received a $25,000 grant from the Lorain County Community College Foundation Innovation Fund, which they will use to further develop the app. The company is beginning talks with the Indians to use the app. The goal is to sell the app to markets across the country.
“Of course we want to expand as quickly as possible,” says Lee. As they expand, the company will be looking for technical and marketing talent.
Source: Donna Lee
Writer: Karin Connelly
When a patient needs a breathing tube or feeding tube, proper placement is critical. Miach Medical Innovations, a company formed in 2011 out of CWRU, is developing tubes with built-in sensors to ensure proper placement.
“Several statistics show the need for properly placing these tubes,” says operations manager Cullen Dolan, who is working on his masters in engineering management. “Ten percent of breathing tubes are not initially placed properly. We found other statistics that show 20 percent of breathing tubes experience unplanned movement and 70 percent of feeding tubes experience unplanned movement. Also, 15 percent of extubate patients need to be reintubated." The ramifications can be damaging and even cause death.
The Miach Medical team, which includes CWRU doctors James Reynolds, Jim Rowbottom and Jeff Ustin, is developing sensors to assist caregivers with placement. “It will help caregivers know the tube is properly placed, unplanned movement, and when it is safe for the tube to come out,” explains Dolan.
Miach’s developments earned the company top honors at JumpStart's Northeast Ohio Entrepreneur Expo’s student competition. The company won $1,500 for placing first in the competition. Additionally, Miach was awarded $25,000 by the Lorain County Community College Foundation Innovation Fund.
The team will use the money on sensor development. “The key is finding a sensor that is cost effective and still meets all of our technical needs,” Dolan says. “We’re working with academic groups and companies to find the sensor we need.”
Dolan has found the experience educational and rewarding. “The sensor tube is something that’s needed, and with my background in biomedical engineering this was something I wanted to be a part of,” he says. Representing the company at the expo was a great experience. Winning the competition was just icing on the cake.”
Source: Cullen Dolin
Writer: Karin Connelly
“Several statistics show the need for properly placing these tubes,” says operations manager Cullen Dolan, who is working on his masters in engineering management. “Ten percent of breathing tubes are not initially placed properly. We found other statistics that show 20 percent of breathing tubes experience unplanned movement and 70 percent of feeding tubes experience unplanned movement. Also, 15 percent of extubate patients need to be reintubated." The ramifications can be damaging and even cause death.
The Miach Medical team, which includes CWRU doctors James Reynolds, Jim Rowbottom and Jeff Ustin, is developing sensors to assist caregivers with placement. “It will help caregivers know the tube is properly placed, unplanned movement, and when it is safe for the tube to come out,” explains Dolan.
Miach’s developments earned the company top honors at JumpStart's Northeast Ohio Entrepreneur Expo’s student competition. The company won $1,500 for placing first in the competition. Additionally, Miach was awarded $25,000 by the Lorain County Community College Foundation Innovation Fund.
The team will use the money on sensor development. “The key is finding a sensor that is cost effective and still meets all of our technical needs,” Dolan says. “We’re working with academic groups and companies to find the sensor we need.”
Dolan has found the experience educational and rewarding. “The sensor tube is something that’s needed, and with my background in biomedical engineering this was something I wanted to be a part of,” he says. Representing the company at the expo was a great experience. Winning the competition was just icing on the cake.”
Source: Cullen Dolin
Writer: Karin Connelly
LaunchHouse showed off the inaugural 10 tech startup companies in its LaunchHouse Accelerator (LHX) Showcase Day on Wednesday, November 28, as the companies made their first public pitches to attendees and potential investors.
LaunchHouse selected the 10 companies from a pool of more than 50 initial applicants last summer. The LHX companies received an initial $25,000 investment and participated in a 12-week program to grow their companies to the validation point.
“We took a customer-centric approach to our accelerator,” explains LaunchHouse founder Todd Goldstein. “We’re different than the typical, ‘I have an idea, I’m going to build it and then sell it to customers.’ We took the idea, identified who the customer was, and who was going to buy the product.”
This customer-centric approach meant that many of the LHX companies altered their original ideas as they talked to potential customers and develop their products. “They started with one solution and ended up with something completely different,” says Goldstein.
For instance, Tagora originally had an idea for an online marketplace like Craigslist or eBay. “What they found was there were 20 other sites out there trying to be a marketplace,” says Goldstein. “After talking to 200 strangers from all walks of life, they developed an aggregate site, providing one-stop shopping for posting all second-hand commerce online.”
Goldstein says the customer-centric approach works for both the companies and the region. “We really believe this is the way to do it -- for job creation, for wealth creation,” he says. “All 10 companies started at the same time, and they started feeding off each others' ideas and helping each other.”
More than 140 investors from across the country came to Showcase Day to hear the 10 pitches.
Source: Todd Goldstein
Writer: Karin Connelly
LaunchHouse selected the 10 companies from a pool of more than 50 initial applicants last summer. The LHX companies received an initial $25,000 investment and participated in a 12-week program to grow their companies to the validation point.
“We took a customer-centric approach to our accelerator,” explains LaunchHouse founder Todd Goldstein. “We’re different than the typical, ‘I have an idea, I’m going to build it and then sell it to customers.’ We took the idea, identified who the customer was, and who was going to buy the product.”
This customer-centric approach meant that many of the LHX companies altered their original ideas as they talked to potential customers and develop their products. “They started with one solution and ended up with something completely different,” says Goldstein.
For instance, Tagora originally had an idea for an online marketplace like Craigslist or eBay. “What they found was there were 20 other sites out there trying to be a marketplace,” says Goldstein. “After talking to 200 strangers from all walks of life, they developed an aggregate site, providing one-stop shopping for posting all second-hand commerce online.”
Goldstein says the customer-centric approach works for both the companies and the region. “We really believe this is the way to do it -- for job creation, for wealth creation,” he says. “All 10 companies started at the same time, and they started feeding off each others' ideas and helping each other.”
More than 140 investors from across the country came to Showcase Day to hear the 10 pitches.
Source: Todd Goldstein
Writer: Karin Connelly
Amplified Wind Solutions, a Cleveland State University company behind a wind amplification system that can produce up to six times more electricity than a typical wind turbine, won second place and $600 in the student business competition at JumpStart’s Entrepreneur Expo November 13.
The AWS founders are targeting the telecommunications industry. “This system can be placed on top of cell phone towers in remote and urban locations, and be used to power the equipment on site,” explains CEO Niki Zmij. “In today's world, wireless communication is growing explosively and as a result more and more towers are going up in the U.S. and abroad. Each new tower has to be powered.”
Amplified Wind Solutions was founded in February 2012, based on technology invented by Majid Rashidi, chair of CSU’s engineering technology department. Zmij is working on her MBA. Other company members include Terry Thiele, director of sustainable product strategies at the Lubrizol Corporation. The team recently added Jon Stehura, financial manager at Laird Technologies and former CFO of ParkOhio.
AWS has two prototypes -- one at CSU and one at Progressive Field -- and a third prototype in the works that will be the version marketed to the telecommunications industry.
Zmij was so busy at the Entrepreneur Expo that she didn’t sit down all day. “It really helped AWS gain exposure within our community as well as make important connections that will support our business development,” she says, adding that she might have found some investment leads as well. “I did speak with a few individuals in the venture capital space who thought our idea was a compelling one and are interested in learning more about our plans.”
In addition to the $600, AWS has the opportunity to receive mentoring from JumpStart. “The mentoring alone has an incredible value for our business development,” says Zmij. Student teams from CWRU and Kent State were also winners in the competition.
Source: Niki Zmij
Writer: Karin Connelly
The AWS founders are targeting the telecommunications industry. “This system can be placed on top of cell phone towers in remote and urban locations, and be used to power the equipment on site,” explains CEO Niki Zmij. “In today's world, wireless communication is growing explosively and as a result more and more towers are going up in the U.S. and abroad. Each new tower has to be powered.”
Amplified Wind Solutions was founded in February 2012, based on technology invented by Majid Rashidi, chair of CSU’s engineering technology department. Zmij is working on her MBA. Other company members include Terry Thiele, director of sustainable product strategies at the Lubrizol Corporation. The team recently added Jon Stehura, financial manager at Laird Technologies and former CFO of ParkOhio.
AWS has two prototypes -- one at CSU and one at Progressive Field -- and a third prototype in the works that will be the version marketed to the telecommunications industry.
Zmij was so busy at the Entrepreneur Expo that she didn’t sit down all day. “It really helped AWS gain exposure within our community as well as make important connections that will support our business development,” she says, adding that she might have found some investment leads as well. “I did speak with a few individuals in the venture capital space who thought our idea was a compelling one and are interested in learning more about our plans.”
In addition to the $600, AWS has the opportunity to receive mentoring from JumpStart. “The mentoring alone has an incredible value for our business development,” says Zmij. Student teams from CWRU and Kent State were also winners in the competition.
Source: Niki Zmij
Writer: Karin Connelly
Last May, Brandt Butze had what he calls an “Aha! moment.” He was 370 pounds and wanted to lose the weight and get in shape. He went on Facebook and posted that he was committed to walking.
“I had 225 comments on my Facebook page and all sorts of support,” he recalls. That first morning, his sister and a group of people met Butze and they went for a 30-minute walk. “We jogged the last block,” he says. “I was in tears there was so much support. Thirty-minute walks turned into 45-minute walks and in three weeks, I was walking six to seven miles a day.”
In fact, Butze had so much support that trying to schedule people to walk with him was interfering with actually walking. “I was spending three to four hours a day trying to plan walks,” he says.” I looked for an app to help and I realized other people were in the same boat I was -- finding some way to have a workout schedule where people can work out with other people.”
So Butze and friends Aaron Marks, Jonathan Schultz and Kevin Rahilly created FitVia, a mobile app that allows users to post their workout schedules and find others to join them.
“We tried different hypotheses, talked to friends and friends of friends and asked them what motivated them, what de-motivated them,” Butze says. “We realized we were on to something.”
The four approached LaunchHouse for help developing FitVia and were accepted to the accelerator program. FitVia will launch by the end of the year. “We’re launching this as a premier app initially,” says Butze. “We’re hoping to gain as many people as possible as quickly as possible.”
FitVia plans to hire additional staff as they grow. Butze plans to branch out to corporate America as they grow, targeting HR departments as a way to keep healthcare costs down.
To date, Butze has lost 71 pounds.
Source: Brandt Butze
Writer: Karin Connelly
“I had 225 comments on my Facebook page and all sorts of support,” he recalls. That first morning, his sister and a group of people met Butze and they went for a 30-minute walk. “We jogged the last block,” he says. “I was in tears there was so much support. Thirty-minute walks turned into 45-minute walks and in three weeks, I was walking six to seven miles a day.”
In fact, Butze had so much support that trying to schedule people to walk with him was interfering with actually walking. “I was spending three to four hours a day trying to plan walks,” he says.” I looked for an app to help and I realized other people were in the same boat I was -- finding some way to have a workout schedule where people can work out with other people.”
So Butze and friends Aaron Marks, Jonathan Schultz and Kevin Rahilly created FitVia, a mobile app that allows users to post their workout schedules and find others to join them.
“We tried different hypotheses, talked to friends and friends of friends and asked them what motivated them, what de-motivated them,” Butze says. “We realized we were on to something.”
The four approached LaunchHouse for help developing FitVia and were accepted to the accelerator program. FitVia will launch by the end of the year. “We’re launching this as a premier app initially,” says Butze. “We’re hoping to gain as many people as possible as quickly as possible.”
FitVia plans to hire additional staff as they grow. Butze plans to branch out to corporate America as they grow, targeting HR departments as a way to keep healthcare costs down.
To date, Butze has lost 71 pounds.
Source: Brandt Butze
Writer: Karin Connelly
Cleveland native Marcellus Nealy was "window shopping" for a camera on the Internet when he came across information about Canon’s Project Imaginat10n contest. The contest involves director Ron Howard selecting 91 photos in 10 categories to be made into films by celebrity directors. Nealy decided to enter, and his photo “Sharing a Smoke” was named a winner in the “relationship” category.
"While I was window shopping I stumbled on a site that mentioned last year's contest,” recalls Nealy. “That site made me want to know more about this year's contest. I Googled it, saw that they were still taking submissions, and sent in some photos. I never actually expected to be a winner.”
Nealy grew up on Scoville Avenue and the Lee Harvard neighborhoods of Cleveland and attended John Carroll. He now spends most of his time in Tokyo, or with his sister in Willoughby Hills.
Nealy’s photo is one of the 91 that celebrity directors -- Eva Longoria, Jamie Foxx, designer and co-founder of Marchesa Georgina Chapman and James Murphy -- will pick from to use for their short films.
Nealy shot the photo while on a shoot for a Tokyo-based band. Two of the band members were sharing a cigarette when the inspiration hit Nealy. “Suddenly, I had a vision of them exchanging souls or some cosmic energy or the spirit of creativity or Anima, or whatever you want to call it,” he says. “I thought the smoke would be the best way to express this vision in a tangible way.”
The first five films are scheduled to go into production later this year and early 2013, with five more celebrity directors to be named at a later date.
Source: Marcellus Nealy
Writer: Karin Connelly
"While I was window shopping I stumbled on a site that mentioned last year's contest,” recalls Nealy. “That site made me want to know more about this year's contest. I Googled it, saw that they were still taking submissions, and sent in some photos. I never actually expected to be a winner.”
Nealy grew up on Scoville Avenue and the Lee Harvard neighborhoods of Cleveland and attended John Carroll. He now spends most of his time in Tokyo, or with his sister in Willoughby Hills.
Nealy’s photo is one of the 91 that celebrity directors -- Eva Longoria, Jamie Foxx, designer and co-founder of Marchesa Georgina Chapman and James Murphy -- will pick from to use for their short films.
Nealy shot the photo while on a shoot for a Tokyo-based band. Two of the band members were sharing a cigarette when the inspiration hit Nealy. “Suddenly, I had a vision of them exchanging souls or some cosmic energy or the spirit of creativity or Anima, or whatever you want to call it,” he says. “I thought the smoke would be the best way to express this vision in a tangible way.”
The first five films are scheduled to go into production later this year and early 2013, with five more celebrity directors to be named at a later date.
Source: Marcellus Nealy
Writer: Karin Connelly
NorTech received one of seven Regional Innovation Cluster contracts from the Small Business Administration to grow its flexible electronics cluster FlexMatters. The four-year, $385,000 contract will allow NorTech to train and assist small companies in the FlexMatters cluster in attracting larger market leaders as customers through its Anchor Customer Engagement (ACE) Academy.
“One of the really important things about this contract is it gives us recognition on a federal basis,” says NorTech vice president Byron Clayton. “Being nationally recognized as an emerging cluster helps us bring more federal funding to the region.”
This is the fourth time the FlexMatters cluster has been recognized on a national level. The ACE Academy will help give the region an upper hand in terms of both jobs and securing the first customers for new technologies.
“It’s designed to help small, emerging businesses capture the first significant customers,” says Clayton of the academy. “It helps them be prepared so if they do get that opportunity to present themselves, they put their best foot forward. The goal is to go away with something concrete.”
Success of these businesses translates into more jobs in the region. “It really helps small businesses grow and create high paying jobs in growth industries,” says Clayton. “We’re already seeing success, and we’re just getting started.”
The SBA award is for one year, with a four year renewal option.
Source: Byron Clayton
Writer: Karin Connelly
“One of the really important things about this contract is it gives us recognition on a federal basis,” says NorTech vice president Byron Clayton. “Being nationally recognized as an emerging cluster helps us bring more federal funding to the region.”
This is the fourth time the FlexMatters cluster has been recognized on a national level. The ACE Academy will help give the region an upper hand in terms of both jobs and securing the first customers for new technologies.
“It’s designed to help small, emerging businesses capture the first significant customers,” says Clayton of the academy. “It helps them be prepared so if they do get that opportunity to present themselves, they put their best foot forward. The goal is to go away with something concrete.”
Success of these businesses translates into more jobs in the region. “It really helps small businesses grow and create high paying jobs in growth industries,” says Clayton. “We’re already seeing success, and we’re just getting started.”
The SBA award is for one year, with a four year renewal option.
Source: Byron Clayton
Writer: Karin Connelly
Big River helps organizations get the most out of their online giving campaigns with a simple theory: Appeal to what the potential donors react to and they will donate. The theory apparently proves correct. The 18-month-old cloud-based online fundraising platform has won accolades from clients such as the Cleveland Museum of Art and Lorain County Metro Parks in Big River’s ability to increase online giving.
“It’s almost like the last 17 years of e-commerce hasn’t made itself accessible to nonprofits,” says Big River founder and CEO Ron Cass. “Nonprofits haven’t done more than PayPal. The Big River product puts the most effective appeal in front of the donor at the right time to maximize that donation.”
The key is telling donors what the impact of their donations will be. “They want to know what their money does,” explains Cass. “They want to know what impact their gift is going to have. We allow organizations to create donation products, and then target those asks based on the donor’s history with the organization.”
Big River has eight customers of varying sizes and is already generating revenue. The Cleveland Museum of Art is one fan of Big River, reporting that membership has doubled since they hired Big River.
One of the first companies to be a part of Bizdom’s Cleveland operation, Big River is expanding within the Bizdom offices. JumpStart announced on Tuesday, November 13th a $250,000 investment in Big River to further expand.
“Any time you get an investment it changes the slope of the company,” says Cass. “We are going to focus on sales, marketing and product development.”
In addition to adding some new tools and bringing some ideas to reality, Cass also hopes to expand his staff. “A big part of the investment is hiring -- rapidly,” he says. “Around the order of four people in marketing and development.”
In the meantime, Cass was impressed with the connections he made at JumpStart’s Entrepreneur Expo this week. “I spoke to a lot of people who said, ‘I know someone with this organization,’” he says. “I got about 20 leads. I was very impressed.”
Source: Ron Cass
Writer: Karin Connelly
“It’s almost like the last 17 years of e-commerce hasn’t made itself accessible to nonprofits,” says Big River founder and CEO Ron Cass. “Nonprofits haven’t done more than PayPal. The Big River product puts the most effective appeal in front of the donor at the right time to maximize that donation.”
The key is telling donors what the impact of their donations will be. “They want to know what their money does,” explains Cass. “They want to know what impact their gift is going to have. We allow organizations to create donation products, and then target those asks based on the donor’s history with the organization.”
Big River has eight customers of varying sizes and is already generating revenue. The Cleveland Museum of Art is one fan of Big River, reporting that membership has doubled since they hired Big River.
One of the first companies to be a part of Bizdom’s Cleveland operation, Big River is expanding within the Bizdom offices. JumpStart announced on Tuesday, November 13th a $250,000 investment in Big River to further expand.
“Any time you get an investment it changes the slope of the company,” says Cass. “We are going to focus on sales, marketing and product development.”
In addition to adding some new tools and bringing some ideas to reality, Cass also hopes to expand his staff. “A big part of the investment is hiring -- rapidly,” he says. “Around the order of four people in marketing and development.”
In the meantime, Cass was impressed with the connections he made at JumpStart’s Entrepreneur Expo this week. “I spoke to a lot of people who said, ‘I know someone with this organization,’” he says. “I got about 20 leads. I was very impressed.”
Source: Ron Cass
Writer: Karin Connelly
NASA will showcase its best developments in its Space Technology Program November 28-30 at NASA Technology Days, held at Cleveland Public Auditorium. The event will allow the public to see what technological developments come out of NASA Glenn Research Center, many of which could be adopted and implemented in the private sector.
NASA Glenn is working with NASA’s Office of Chief Technologies, which conducts ground experiments to further space technology. “Ninety-nine NASA technologies will be showcased,” says Joe Shaw, deputy director of NASA’s Office of Technology Partnerships and Planning. “We want to demonstrate the existing technologies.”
Attendees will have the chance to see technologies ready for commercialization, learn about opportunities to partner with NASA on technology development and meet with major research companies.
The technologies featured can be transferred into a variety of industries, says Shaw, such as advanced energy, automotive, human health and innovative manufacturing. “These are technology experts showing off their technologies,” says Shaw. “Even though they were developed for space aeronautics, they can be broadly used across many sectors. These industries are extremely important, not just for Northeast Ohio, but for to the Midwest. There are a large number of people in these sectors.”
The hope is Technology Days will build partnerships and foster technology transfer between NASA and local businesses. “These technologies can be moved quickly to the commercial sector, which creates economic development, which creates jobs,” says Shaw. This will give companies a chance to learn about the opportunities.”
The event is free and open to the public.
Source: Joe Shaw
Writer: Karin Connelly
NASA Glenn is working with NASA’s Office of Chief Technologies, which conducts ground experiments to further space technology. “Ninety-nine NASA technologies will be showcased,” says Joe Shaw, deputy director of NASA’s Office of Technology Partnerships and Planning. “We want to demonstrate the existing technologies.”
Attendees will have the chance to see technologies ready for commercialization, learn about opportunities to partner with NASA on technology development and meet with major research companies.
The technologies featured can be transferred into a variety of industries, says Shaw, such as advanced energy, automotive, human health and innovative manufacturing. “These are technology experts showing off their technologies,” says Shaw. “Even though they were developed for space aeronautics, they can be broadly used across many sectors. These industries are extremely important, not just for Northeast Ohio, but for to the Midwest. There are a large number of people in these sectors.”
The hope is Technology Days will build partnerships and foster technology transfer between NASA and local businesses. “These technologies can be moved quickly to the commercial sector, which creates economic development, which creates jobs,” says Shaw. This will give companies a chance to learn about the opportunities.”
The event is free and open to the public.
Source: Joe Shaw
Writer: Karin Connelly
JumpStart, NorTech and the Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP) each were recognized by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) for their work in economic development efforts in the region with gold excellence in economic development awards.
JumpStart received the award for entrepreneurship, NorTech received the award for technology-based economic development, and GCP received the award for its business retention and expansion program.
Although each organization won in different categories, JumpStart director of communications Samantha Fryberger says it shows the unified effort put behind Cleveland’s economic success. “I think it shows a collaborative regional approach to economic development,” she says. “It recognizes that the approach we’re taking is innovative. The framework is set for a community that comes together collectively as a model.”
JumpStart’s efforts to support and grow technology entrepreneurs earned the organization honors. NorTech was recognized in particular for its innovation cluster models, which identify and foster growing industry groups. In the first half of 2012, the GCP’s business retention and expansion team completed 17 projects that resulted in 2,010 jobs created and 3,492 jobs retained. Thirty-three projects are now in the works.
Fryberger is pleased that each organization’s efforts are being recognized on a national level. “There’s a collaborative spirit of regionalism and it’s starting to get noticed,” she says. “And that’s really a great thing.”
Source: Samantha Fryberger
Writer: Karin Connelly
JumpStart received the award for entrepreneurship, NorTech received the award for technology-based economic development, and GCP received the award for its business retention and expansion program.
Although each organization won in different categories, JumpStart director of communications Samantha Fryberger says it shows the unified effort put behind Cleveland’s economic success. “I think it shows a collaborative regional approach to economic development,” she says. “It recognizes that the approach we’re taking is innovative. The framework is set for a community that comes together collectively as a model.”
JumpStart’s efforts to support and grow technology entrepreneurs earned the organization honors. NorTech was recognized in particular for its innovation cluster models, which identify and foster growing industry groups. In the first half of 2012, the GCP’s business retention and expansion team completed 17 projects that resulted in 2,010 jobs created and 3,492 jobs retained. Thirty-three projects are now in the works.
Fryberger is pleased that each organization’s efforts are being recognized on a national level. “There’s a collaborative spirit of regionalism and it’s starting to get noticed,” she says. “And that’s really a great thing.”
Source: Samantha Fryberger
Writer: Karin Connelly
John Carroll University is hosting the fifth annual Government Career Fair today, November 8, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Dolan Center for Science and Technology. The fair, sponsored by Cleveland Federal Executive Board and co-hosted by six other area schools, is designed to give attendees in a variety of disciplines insight into landing a government job.
“We’re here to educate the public and students about the process, because it is different than applying for a [private sector] job,” explains Barb Koeth, assistant director of the Center for Career Services at JCU. “There are thousands of jobs available on the local, state and federal level.”
Fifty-two government agencies will be on hand to recruit for internships and open positions. For the first time this year, the State Department will be in attendance. Workshops specifically for students and recent graduates, veterans, and working for Ohio will be held throughout the day. Informational sessions will be hosted by the Northeast Ohio Regional Fusion Center, the Federal Reserve Bank and the Ohio Legislative Service Commission.
The Legislative Service Commission, for instance, has 34 fellowships open each year. “They are in every demographic, for 13 months with full state benefits,” says Koeth.
Keynote speaker Stephen Anthony, special agent in charge of the Cleveland FBI office will talk at noon.
The event and parking are free and open to the public. The other schools involved are Baldwin-Wallace College, Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Cleveland State University, Hiram College, Notre Dame College and Ursuline College.
Source: Barb Koeth
Writer: Karin Connelly
“We’re here to educate the public and students about the process, because it is different than applying for a [private sector] job,” explains Barb Koeth, assistant director of the Center for Career Services at JCU. “There are thousands of jobs available on the local, state and federal level.”
Fifty-two government agencies will be on hand to recruit for internships and open positions. For the first time this year, the State Department will be in attendance. Workshops specifically for students and recent graduates, veterans, and working for Ohio will be held throughout the day. Informational sessions will be hosted by the Northeast Ohio Regional Fusion Center, the Federal Reserve Bank and the Ohio Legislative Service Commission.
The Legislative Service Commission, for instance, has 34 fellowships open each year. “They are in every demographic, for 13 months with full state benefits,” says Koeth.
Keynote speaker Stephen Anthony, special agent in charge of the Cleveland FBI office will talk at noon.
The event and parking are free and open to the public. The other schools involved are Baldwin-Wallace College, Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Cleveland State University, Hiram College, Notre Dame College and Ursuline College.
Source: Barb Koeth
Writer: Karin Connelly
There’s a new radio station in town, playing adult album alternative (AAA) music. Boasting that it's a local station for Clevelanders, by Clevelanders, WLFM 87.7 FM Cleveland’s Sound is independently owned and operated by Tom Wilson and his partners. The group has been buying low-power television stations for the past 12 years. In 2008, they ventured into the low end of the radio dial with a smooth jazz station in Chicago. As former president and general manager of two major Cleveland radio stations, Wilson is a Cleveland radio veteran as well as a native.
The Cleveland station has been in the works for about a year and finally went live on September 9. “Basically, it’s a station that delivers a need in the market," says Wilson. “There’s nothing in the Cleveland market, aside from college stations, that’s doing what we’re doing.”
Marketing director Kendall Embrescia is excited to bring an out-of-the-box approach to Cleveland radio. “We want to bring a fresh, edgy station to market that really serves a need,” she says. “Within eight weeks of being on the air, we’ve had an incredible response.”
The station is bringing back The Inner Sanctum, a weekly show that features only local artists and “is legendary around here,” says Embrescia.
Organizers held an open casting call at the Beachland Ballroom in July to staff 87.7, and collected more than 100 resumes. The station built offices and studios from scratch on the fourth floor of the Agora. There are 17 people on staff, plenty of whom are Cleveland radio veterans. Embrescia says they are working with local colleges to put together an internship program for spring.
But for Embrescia, it’s all about putting out great music. “We just want to give the listeners the best experience they can possibly have,” she says.
The station plans its official launch party on Friday, November 16 from 7-10 p.m. at the Barley House. The event is open to the public.
Sources: Tom Wilson and Kendall Embrescia
Writer: Karin Connelly
The Cleveland station has been in the works for about a year and finally went live on September 9. “Basically, it’s a station that delivers a need in the market," says Wilson. “There’s nothing in the Cleveland market, aside from college stations, that’s doing what we’re doing.”
Marketing director Kendall Embrescia is excited to bring an out-of-the-box approach to Cleveland radio. “We want to bring a fresh, edgy station to market that really serves a need,” she says. “Within eight weeks of being on the air, we’ve had an incredible response.”
The station is bringing back The Inner Sanctum, a weekly show that features only local artists and “is legendary around here,” says Embrescia.
Organizers held an open casting call at the Beachland Ballroom in July to staff 87.7, and collected more than 100 resumes. The station built offices and studios from scratch on the fourth floor of the Agora. There are 17 people on staff, plenty of whom are Cleveland radio veterans. Embrescia says they are working with local colleges to put together an internship program for spring.
But for Embrescia, it’s all about putting out great music. “We just want to give the listeners the best experience they can possibly have,” she says.
The station plans its official launch party on Friday, November 16 from 7-10 p.m. at the Barley House. The event is open to the public.
Sources: Tom Wilson and Kendall Embrescia
Writer: Karin Connelly
Developing Cleveland area businesses will show off their ideas, technologies and talents at the 2012 Northeast Ohio Entrepreneurial Expo and JumpStart Community Meeting on Tuesday, November 13 from 1 to 5:40 p.m. at CSU’s Wolstein Center.
“The theme is, ‘What’s next Northeast Ohio,’” says Samantha Fryberger, JumpStart director of communications. “The idea being, a lot of companies are really early in their development.”
The expo will feature 96 area tech startups as well as 32 support organizations, such as Bizdom, Youngstown Business Incubator, Shaker LaunchHouse, Akron ARCHAngels and Ohio Aerospace Institute. Nine student companies will also be featured, one of which will be presented with an award at the event’s close.
The showcase will be followed by a panel discussion featuring success stories of area companies that have grown into multi-million dollar businesses. “We’ll have some of the biggest success stories who have merged, sold, been bought out or exited,” explains Fryberger.
Goldman Sachs will talk about its 10,000 Small Businesses program, followed by an announcement of JumpStart’s newest portfolio companies.
And of course, investors will also be on hand to see what the next great thing is in the region. Fryberger says 25 investors attended the event last year, and she expects the same this year.
“It’s a little bit of everything,” says Fryberger. “It’s an opportunity to network. There are some of these companies who could help each other quite a bit. And if you’re very early in development, this is your first opportunity for exposure.”
The event is free and open to the public.
Source: Samantha Fryberger
Writer: Karin Connelly
“The theme is, ‘What’s next Northeast Ohio,’” says Samantha Fryberger, JumpStart director of communications. “The idea being, a lot of companies are really early in their development.”
The expo will feature 96 area tech startups as well as 32 support organizations, such as Bizdom, Youngstown Business Incubator, Shaker LaunchHouse, Akron ARCHAngels and Ohio Aerospace Institute. Nine student companies will also be featured, one of which will be presented with an award at the event’s close.
The showcase will be followed by a panel discussion featuring success stories of area companies that have grown into multi-million dollar businesses. “We’ll have some of the biggest success stories who have merged, sold, been bought out or exited,” explains Fryberger.
Goldman Sachs will talk about its 10,000 Small Businesses program, followed by an announcement of JumpStart’s newest portfolio companies.
And of course, investors will also be on hand to see what the next great thing is in the region. Fryberger says 25 investors attended the event last year, and she expects the same this year.
“It’s a little bit of everything,” says Fryberger. “It’s an opportunity to network. There are some of these companies who could help each other quite a bit. And if you’re very early in development, this is your first opportunity for exposure.”
The event is free and open to the public.
Source: Samantha Fryberger
Writer: Karin Connelly
Huntington Bank has lived up to its $4 billion commitment to small business and was honored October 24 by the Small Business Administration as the Grand Slam winner for SBA lending in the Cleveland district for fiscal year 2012. The bank led in every SBA lending category: number of loans; loan volume; minority lending; and 504 lending. Huntington also earned the Grand Slam title in 2011 and the Triple Play title in 2010. Huntington is the third largest SBA lender in the country.
“We’re committed to Cleveland as a company,” says Huntington’s Greater Cleveland president Dan Walsh. “We’re pleased with the results, not just for Huntington, but for Cleveland. There’s a great renaissance going on here and we believe we can lead the country in investments.”
Melt Bar and Grilled is just one growing small business that has benefitted from Huntington’s commitment. Melt owner Matt Fish was self-funded through his first three restaurants, but looked to banks when he decided to expand even more.
“We were looking for a financial institution we could partner with long term,” says Fish. “Huntington really stepped up. I was looking for a bank to perform for us, and the SBA was looking for a strong company. It was a win-win situation.” Fish opens his fourth restaurant this week in Mentor.
Walsh sees Melt as the ideal client to grow the economy in Northeast Ohio. “They are the lifeblood for jobs creation and economic growth for our community,” he says. “They have a sustainability model that helps grow and sustain business, which is good for our business.”
Sources: Dan Walsh, Matt Fish
Writer: Karin Connelly
“We’re committed to Cleveland as a company,” says Huntington’s Greater Cleveland president Dan Walsh. “We’re pleased with the results, not just for Huntington, but for Cleveland. There’s a great renaissance going on here and we believe we can lead the country in investments.”
Melt Bar and Grilled is just one growing small business that has benefitted from Huntington’s commitment. Melt owner Matt Fish was self-funded through his first three restaurants, but looked to banks when he decided to expand even more.
“We were looking for a financial institution we could partner with long term,” says Fish. “Huntington really stepped up. I was looking for a bank to perform for us, and the SBA was looking for a strong company. It was a win-win situation.” Fish opens his fourth restaurant this week in Mentor.
Walsh sees Melt as the ideal client to grow the economy in Northeast Ohio. “They are the lifeblood for jobs creation and economic growth for our community,” he says. “They have a sustainability model that helps grow and sustain business, which is good for our business.”
Sources: Dan Walsh, Matt Fish
Writer: Karin Connelly
NorTech will host the Advanced Energy B2B Conference and Expo in Columbus next week, Oct. 30 and 31 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The conference focuses on companies, technologies and researchers driving progress in advanced energy in Ohio.
NorTech officials decided to move the conference to Columbus this year to make it a state-wide event. Last year the event was held in Akron. “We moved it to Columbus this year to make the networking as broad as possible,” says NorTech CEO Rebecca Bagley. “The conference will show ideas around new innovations and technologies provide networking and capitalize on future synergies.”
However, the issues covered impact Cleveland’s economic base. Advanced energy means $30 billion in new or expanded businesses -- including 6,800 new jobs over the next seven years in Northeast Ohio alone.
Nineteen Northeast Ohio companies will be participating in four Technology Showcases: energy storage and fuel cells; smart grid technology; waste and biomass to energy; and solar technology. There will also be student showcases included that are looking for collaboration and funding.
NorTech has created a software program using LinkedIn to connect companies with similar interests. “With this system, it’s as conducive as it can be to find businesses and research opportunities,” says Bagley. “Companies obviously get generalized networking out of the event, but we also have this system that connects companies to potential opportunities. This will connect companies so they can preliminarily talk.”
Keynote speakers include Bill Ritter, Jr., Colorado's 41st Governor and director of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University and Todd A. Snitchler, chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
Source: Rebecca Bagley
Writer: Karin Connelly
NorTech officials decided to move the conference to Columbus this year to make it a state-wide event. Last year the event was held in Akron. “We moved it to Columbus this year to make the networking as broad as possible,” says NorTech CEO Rebecca Bagley. “The conference will show ideas around new innovations and technologies provide networking and capitalize on future synergies.”
However, the issues covered impact Cleveland’s economic base. Advanced energy means $30 billion in new or expanded businesses -- including 6,800 new jobs over the next seven years in Northeast Ohio alone.
Nineteen Northeast Ohio companies will be participating in four Technology Showcases: energy storage and fuel cells; smart grid technology; waste and biomass to energy; and solar technology. There will also be student showcases included that are looking for collaboration and funding.
NorTech has created a software program using LinkedIn to connect companies with similar interests. “With this system, it’s as conducive as it can be to find businesses and research opportunities,” says Bagley. “Companies obviously get generalized networking out of the event, but we also have this system that connects companies to potential opportunities. This will connect companies so they can preliminarily talk.”
Keynote speakers include Bill Ritter, Jr., Colorado's 41st Governor and director of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University and Todd A. Snitchler, chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
Source: Rebecca Bagley
Writer: Karin Connelly
Team Wendy, a designer and manufacturer of multiple-application products that serve to protect against serious and potentially life-threatening impact-related injuries, is returning to where it began with the release of a new and complete helmet solution, the EXFIL.
The company developed and manufactured its line of W Helmets for the skiing, biking and multi-sport markets from 1998 to 2004 before moving away from complete helmet solutions and into helmet liner protection systems for the U.S. military. The company has supplied the U.S. military with more than five million Zorbium Action Pad (ZAP) protection systems since 2005.
Team Wendy’s new helmet uses technology partially developed through collaboration on a key U.S. Army Natick Soldier RD&E Center program. The helmet features a hybrid sling/polymer structure impact management system that stands up to multiple impacts.
“With the EXFIL, we are not only excited about a return to complete helmet solutions but we are also pleased with our ongoing advancements in liner protection technology,” says CEO Jose Rizo-Patron.
While Team Wendy continues to produce the seven-pad ZAP sets for standard issue military helmets, they are also now assembling the new EXFIL helmet at its 50,000-square-foot Collinwood facility. “We really make it a concerted effort to stay local,” says Rizo-Patron. “Cleveland and greater Northeast Ohio’s strong manufacturing and engineering roots allow us to maintain a hiring pool that is largely local. The majority of our vendors are also companies based in Ohio.”
Team Wendy consistently employs between 50 and 75 people in pre-assembly, final assembly and fabrication jobs. The company also works with local and state universities and design institutes to recruit new talent.
Source: Jose Rizo-Patron
Writer: Karin Connelly
The company developed and manufactured its line of W Helmets for the skiing, biking and multi-sport markets from 1998 to 2004 before moving away from complete helmet solutions and into helmet liner protection systems for the U.S. military. The company has supplied the U.S. military with more than five million Zorbium Action Pad (ZAP) protection systems since 2005.
Team Wendy’s new helmet uses technology partially developed through collaboration on a key U.S. Army Natick Soldier RD&E Center program. The helmet features a hybrid sling/polymer structure impact management system that stands up to multiple impacts.
“With the EXFIL, we are not only excited about a return to complete helmet solutions but we are also pleased with our ongoing advancements in liner protection technology,” says CEO Jose Rizo-Patron.
While Team Wendy continues to produce the seven-pad ZAP sets for standard issue military helmets, they are also now assembling the new EXFIL helmet at its 50,000-square-foot Collinwood facility. “We really make it a concerted effort to stay local,” says Rizo-Patron. “Cleveland and greater Northeast Ohio’s strong manufacturing and engineering roots allow us to maintain a hiring pool that is largely local. The majority of our vendors are also companies based in Ohio.”
Team Wendy consistently employs between 50 and 75 people in pre-assembly, final assembly and fabrication jobs. The company also works with local and state universities and design institutes to recruit new talent.
Source: Jose Rizo-Patron
Writer: Karin Connelly
Freelance designers Eric Bockmuller and Dan Klammer noticed that family and friends were coming to them for help when they wanted to create announcements, invitations and other such items and needed a creative mind.
“We thought, why can’t people publish their own content without going through us,” recalled Bockmuller. “We saw a need for something that was more than 140 characters, but not a blog.”
That thought sparked the idea for Tackk, an online design tool where users can instantly create and share their own content. The online editor provides fonts, color palettes and backgrounds to design the perfect announcement with no design skill needed.
"It’s a super simple format to create and share your content instantly,” says Bockmuller. “They’re simple designs, but they always look beautiful.” Users don’t have to sign in or create an account to use the site.
Tackk launched in early September. “It’s been great,” says Bockmuller. “We’re taking all the data and learning from it.”
Bockmuller has two goals for his new product: “First, Tackk becomes the next verb on the web,” he says. “And we build a great company here in Cleveland. It’s not every day you see something like this happening in Cleveland.”
In addition to Bockmuller and Klammer, there are four other people on the Tackk team: CEO Christopher Celeste, CTO and developer Ryan Niemann, COO Robert Hatta and developer Ryan Pastorelle. Tackk plans on hiring additional staff as they get off the ground.
Source: Eric Bockmuller
Writer: Karin Connelly
“We thought, why can’t people publish their own content without going through us,” recalled Bockmuller. “We saw a need for something that was more than 140 characters, but not a blog.”
That thought sparked the idea for Tackk, an online design tool where users can instantly create and share their own content. The online editor provides fonts, color palettes and backgrounds to design the perfect announcement with no design skill needed.
"It’s a super simple format to create and share your content instantly,” says Bockmuller. “They’re simple designs, but they always look beautiful.” Users don’t have to sign in or create an account to use the site.
Tackk launched in early September. “It’s been great,” says Bockmuller. “We’re taking all the data and learning from it.”
Bockmuller has two goals for his new product: “First, Tackk becomes the next verb on the web,” he says. “And we build a great company here in Cleveland. It’s not every day you see something like this happening in Cleveland.”
In addition to Bockmuller and Klammer, there are four other people on the Tackk team: CEO Christopher Celeste, CTO and developer Ryan Niemann, COO Robert Hatta and developer Ryan Pastorelle. Tackk plans on hiring additional staff as they get off the ground.
Source: Eric Bockmuller
Writer: Karin Connelly