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Meet App Press- Design-First Mobile App Authoring

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INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana—December 15, 2014—App Press® announced that it has completed a fully subscribed seed investment round from a nationwide coalition of investors to transform enterprise and consumer mobility through a new method of app creation—bringing a design-first approach to mobile app authoring.

The seed round was led by Elevate Ventures and included participation by VisionTech Angels and several individual angel investors.

“App Press is at a pivotal point. Companies in all sectors are looking for more efficient, cost effective ways to develop and deploy custom apps to build business and customer relationships,” said Grant Glas, App Press’ Founder & CEO. “Having Elevate, VisionTech and this strong group of individual investors will give App Press the resources and guidance to rapidly grow our business.”

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App Press aims to use the funding from this round to redefine the way app creation will get done, address key industry mobility challenges and spark true mobile-led business and consumer change.

The App Press design-first for iOS and Android solution draws on the distinct strengths of two app creation approaches: coding capabilities, with the power to use web-based building blocks like HTML5 and JavaScript, fused with App Press’ revolutionary design-first experience. The combination creates a platform that transforms specific aspects of how businesses build and deploy apps, allowing companies to achieve new levels of efficiency, effectiveness and customer satisfaction—faster and easier than ever before.

“We are very impressed with App Press’ strong mobile product offering and the excitement the company has generated from its customer base,” said Phil Lodato of Elevate Ventures. “We are proud to have several B2B software companies in our portfolio that have successfully built upon Indiana’s talent and capital base in that sector. We firmly believe that App Press is well positioned to join those ranks.”

Don Scifres, co-founder and managing partner of VisionTech Partners, is pleased to add App Press to the VisionTech Angels’ investment portfolio. “We are committed to bringing our investors early stage and early growth Indiana-based companies with the potential for strong return on investment. We welcomed the opportunity to invest in App Press, which has a strong, highly desirable solution in the fast-growth sector of mobile apps.”

App Press’ mobile experts have been at the forefront of mobile innovation. App Press has secured over 100 paying customers worldwide, including Nordstrom, WeddingWire, Simon Property Group and some of the largest creative agencies in the United States.

For more information regarding the App Press solution, please visit www.app-press.com.


Check Out Michigan’s Start Garden

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Grand Rapids based Start Garden has a simple mission, “create an ecosystem that helps ideas become businesses.”
Their goal is to build a place where “a thousand ideas can get started, knowing that a few will adapt and become those innovations we’re looking for.”

Have an idea? Here’s the place to start:

$5,000, an idea

Our investing process is designed to close the gap between $0 and $500,000. In Michigan, where a new ecosystem is in its formative stages, we’re turning ideas that would have remained on the back of a napkin into startups.

Each week we invest $5,000 into a new idea. You’re encouraged to get visitors to the website to endorse your idea. We don’t consider ourselves experts in anything, so endorsements help us decide what to fund. Visit the site for more.

Start Garden How it Works from Start Garden on Vimeo.

Get Involved with Mobile Monday Cleveland

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For 2015, the Cleveland chapter of Mobile Monday is pleased to present two different programs, designed to bring together the business and technology communities around mobility.

In addition to their long running Speaker Series and Networking Events, which will continue to feature a business or IT executive who will talk about how their organization is leveraging mobile technology to improve their business and/or engage their customers. They also offer Mobile Mondays Tech Labs, an effort is focused on the inclusion of the mobile development members along side the business leaders driving mobile initiatives in the community.

The Tech Labs are comprised of four sessions that will teach you high-level Android concepts, how to configure environments, build a simple app, learn movement and graphics and interface with third party systems (i.e. social media networks). This is a jam packed instructional course taught by a master teacher, and it’s absolutely free to members of the Mobile Monday Cleveland community. Click on events for more.

The Brandery To Offer Larger Grants in 2015

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The Brandery accelerator in Cincinnati, Ohio, announces $50,000 grants for its startups as applications for its sixth class open.

In the past, The Brandery has provided $20,000 for 6% equity to each startup accepted to the program. For the Class of 2015, The Brandery is increasing the grant size per startup to $50,000, in
order to extend the startups’ runway beyond the four month accelerator program. The larger grant size is possible due in part to an increase in funding received through the State of Ohio’s Third
Frontier Program.

The Brandery is a seed stage startup accelerator that leverages the expertise of the Cincinnati region, namely branding, marketing and design. We believe that building your brand– and not just a product– is a way startups can be more resource efficient and increase their probability of success. In addition to an elite mentor list, startups will be paired with world-class creative agencies and have access to some of the biggest companies in the world, including Procter & Gamble, dunnhumby, and Kroger. The Brandery runs a four-month program each year focused on taking technology startups to the next level. The Brandery accepts 10-12 startups, who receive $50,000 in seed funding and at least $175,000 in additional benefits in exchange for about 6% equity stake in the company. The Brandery is accepting applicants for the Class of 2015 from February 1 to April 16. Visit brandery.org/accelerator for more information.

Founded in 2010, The Brandery has graduated five classes of startups, who have raised over $65 million in funding. The Brandery is a non-profit whose mission is to fuel the economy, by way of the
startup ecosystem, in Cincinnati. The program has been consistently ranked in the top 15 startup accelerators in the nation, most recently being ranked #10. Sub-rankings from the Seed Rankings
project include The Brandery ranked as #1 for Industry Specific Mentorship, #4 in Average Valuation across all portfolio companies, both 1 and 2 years post-graduation, and #5 in Average $ Raised 1
Year After Program.

For more information visit http://www.brandery.org/our-story.

Highlights of TechWeek Detroit 2015

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This year’s TechWeek Detroit offered a new venue, vision and vibe. The event offered visitors the chance to access regional tech companies, both startups and beyond, and hear from local leaders about the area’s renewed focus on innovation.

IMG_4872Last year’s downtown experience, in an empty building that was brought to life just for the event, had an energy that was somewhat lacking at this year’s Ford Field location. TechWeek seemed swallowed whole by Ford Field, and what seemed to be a frenetic and crowded pace last year, was distilled in this massive venue.

But the vision and focus on hot topics like mobility and health care added more concrete relevance beyond just startups, for the sake of startups. With conversations from the area’s notable tech leaders like Ted Serbinski of TechStars Mobility, Dug Song of Duo Security, Matt Burns from TechCrunch and Jacob Cohen from Detroit Venture Partners bolstered by a list of regional startup founders, investors and corporate “intrapreneurs”, there was plenty of activity to keep the event sticky through an afternoon.

Overall, it’s always awesome to see great things focused on innovation going on in Detroit and we’re looking forward to next year’s event!

The Mobile Majority is On the Move

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Matthew Russo, The Mobile Majority

Mobile marketing platform, The Mobile Majority rolled in to TechWeek Detroit last week ready to talk mobile marketing and showcase their rapid growth in the hot space.

The company is scaling to meet client demand of their mobile creative and adtech services, bolstered by their proprietary technology platform. With roots in Columbus, they currently have about 25 job openings spread across all of their offices which also includes Santa Monica, San Francisco, New York City, Detroit, Chicago, Bogota, and São Paulo.

TechWeek Detroit took place in Ford Field this year, and included an increased corporate presence, which was something to be leveraged for later stage companies looking beyond startup mode like The Mobile Majority.

The company pivoted a few years ago from a gamification play to creative services and a proprietary platform.

Matthew Russo, Lead Educator at the company, presented at TechWeek Detroit on key topics effecting the current and future of the mobile marketing space. He was also joined by Evan Krauss, Chief Revenue Officer who also presented at the annual conference.

We sat down with Matthew Russo for a quick conversation about where the company’s been and where they are headed.

“Before transforming into The Mobile Majority, we were PaeDae, a startup specializing in reward-based advertising with two on-staff developers. We pivoted to a vertically integrated mobile platform and recently closed an 8 million dollar Series B.”

With a list of Fortune 1000 brands, sports teams and entertainment companies as clients, it would seem the decision to move away from the concept of PadDae; play games, win deals, was a good one. They now offer customizable ad units that fold in the gamification concept.

“People don’t want to do bad mobile ads. We focus on the KPI and audience and build out an awesome creative experience with our (in-house) studio.”

The ability for the company to offer a vertically integrated platform gives their clients, both brands and agencies, a one-stop shop for media, audience, creative and measurement. According to their website, “The Mobile Majority is the only company with access to data from both mobile ad exchanges and user interaction points for each ad.”

The company’s position on the front lines of mobile marketing allows them to proactively deliver the kind of creative their client’s need to convert their target audience. Russo explains, “Some of the hot trends we’re seeing right now with mobile advertising is activation, direct response, downloading of apps and a focus on what they’re trying to achieve”.

With a burgeoning presence in Columbus, a great place to connect with retails brands, and a growing client list, The Mobile Majority is well positioned to take advantage of the predicted exponential growth of mobile marketing and the consumer data that’s intrinsic to the space. Although Santa Monica is considered the company’s headquarters, the Columbus office is their marketing division and is on the short list of offices with job openings.

For more information on The Mobile Majority, please visit their website and sizzle reel: https://vimeo.com/mobilemajority

GreenLancer Closes Series B, $5 Million Capital Raise

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Detroit-based solar design and permitting company GreenLancer just completed a capital raise of $5 Million to close their Series B Financing on April 1, 2015.

The investment came from a syndicate of new and existing investors, and will help fuel accelerated growth for the company. Due to that growth and rapid expansion of the team, GreenLancer has expanded their offices to the tenth floor of the Ford Building in downtown Detroit, Michigan. GreenLancer is excited to be a part of the fast growing business community in Detroit. The move seats the team in the epicenter of the bustling central business district of downtown Detroit. It also positions GreenLancer side by side with other Detroit based companies like Quicken Loans, General Motors, and countless others who know that downtown is where you want to be to attract the best talent.

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GreenLancer is currently looking for experienced software developers to join the team. “Downtown Detroit is transforming into an explosive high-tech corridor and technology has become the cornerstone of its revival. It’s very exciting to be part of today’s generation of innovators helping to rebuild the city and breathe in new life that has been missing for decades,” said EVP Michael Sharber.

The investment and expansion was needed to keep up with the growing demand for residential solar design services throughout the nation. Favorable policies and increasing electricity rates in markets such as New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Oregon, New Mexico are driving that demand.

“We strive to be the industry’s premier choice for residential solar system designs. As we continue gaining market share, we’re ramping up investments that revolve around technology improvement, our product, and customer experience,” said CEO Zac MacVoy.

Exclusive Discount to Content Inc. Summit

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Are you an entrepreneur looking to get more out of your marketing or to drive innovation in your industry? Then you’ll want to check out, the Content Inc. Summit, a one-of-a-kind day-long workshop happening right here in Cleveland, Friday, September 11, 2015 following Content Marketing World 2015, the largest content marketing event in the world.

The Content Inc. Summit is based on a NEW entrepreneurial model that gives the advantage back to entrepreneurs like you – who may not have as many resources as other giants in your industry. The idea is to build an audience through content first, and then sell your prospects… well… whatever you want.

The Content Inc. Summit brings together not only leading thinkers and strategists, but also actual entrepreneurs who started with nothing and built multi-million dollar platforms.

Content Inc. speakers include:

  • Joe Pulizzi, founder, Content Marketing Institute. Joe will present a six-step process to build your own Content Inc. machine and fulfill your business dreams.
  • Matthew Patrick, founder, Game Theory. Matthew is one of the leading YouTubers, and will share his secrets on how he built a business with over 4 million subscribers.
  • John Lee Dumas, founder, EntrepreneurOnFire. John will go, step-by-step, into how he built his podcasting empire and turned it into a business on steroids.
  • Brian Clark, founder, Copyblogger Media. Brian will relay his secrets to how he went from zero to a $10 million+ business by building an audience through targeted content.

As an entrepreneur, you don’t miss the opportunity of a lifetime to listen to, meet and network with peers going through the same exact struggles as you. Take the next step at Content Inc.

Register Today! Use discount code CONTENTINC for your exclusive $500 discount.


Become a Java Developer with Grand Circus

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Looking for change careers, build something amazing or just learn a new skill? Consider checking out Detroit’s Grand Circus and their  upcoming 10 week Java Bootcamp.

Grand Circus Paid Search Course Logo

Here’s a quick snapshot of their curriculum, which provides the skills to be an entry-level Java developer.

  • Introduction to Java and Objects
  • Arrays, Classes and Methods
  • Packages, Interface, Soft Skills and Version Control
  • Exceptions, Structures, HTML and JSP page
  • Sessions, Cookies, JSTL and Streams

Application deadline is Feb. 12th 2016 and they also provide various payment options, including scholarships.

For more information visit their website, and online application.

Rook Security CEO Recognized as ‘Indy’s Best and Brightest’ in Technology

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Rook Security CEO J.J. Thompson Recognized as ‘Indy’s Best and Brightest’ in Technology
Award Program Recognizes Outstanding Professionals Who Demonstrate Leadership,
Significant Business Achievement, Commitment to Indiana Community

INDIANAPOLIS – October 19, 2015 – Rook Security, a provider of global IT security solutions
protecting sensitive data against dynamic, emerging threats, today announced that president
and CEO J.J. Thompson was selected as the winner in the ‘Technology’ category at the 12th
annual Indy’s Best and Brightest event, presented by KPMG LLP. The awards program honors
100 of central Indiana’s outstanding young professionals, age 40 and under, in ten different
industries.

“KPMG is proud to serve as the presenting sponsor for this noteworthy event for the 12th
consecutive year,” said Mark Shaffer, Office Managing Partner of KPMG LLP. “We understand
the importance of honoring these young professionals who also serve as outstanding role
models and mentors for the youth of our community.”

The Best and Brightest event was created by Junior Achievement of Central Indiana to
recognize up-and-coming talent and the next generation of leaders in the community. Finalists
were judged on professional accomplishments, civic contributions, character and leadership
qualities. With this award, J.J. Thompson joins the ranks of past winners in the ‘Technology’
category, such as ExactTarget CEO Scott Dorsey and Scale Computing CEO Jeff Ready.

In the last two years, Rook Security scaled from 20 full-time employees to a work force of 57
employees and seven interns. In August, Rook Security announced that the IBDC offered Rook
Security nearly $3 million in conditional tax credits and training grants based on the company’s
commitment to create more than 130 new local jobs by the year 2024.

“At Rook Security, we hold Junior Achievement’s work preparing youths for success in high
regard,” said J.J. Thompson, CEO, Rook Security. “Rook Security has maintained its position as
the fastest-growing technology company in Indiana for the past two years. Cybersecurity has
become one of the most sought-after professions in the United States, and we are proud of the
work we do to identify and train the next generation of cybersecurity experts right here in
Indiana.”

J.J’s recognition is the latest in a recent series of accolades regarding Rook Security’s business
achievements. This past summer, Rook Security was named by the Indianapolis Business
Journal as the second-fastest growing company in Indianapolis. Last year, Rook Security
earned a coveted spot on the renowned Inc. 500 to make it the No. 9 fastest-growing privately
held security company in the United States. Rook Security was recognized by TechPoint the
same year as the fastest-growing technology company in Indiana. Rook Security was also
honored as one of the 2014 Indiana Companies to Watch by the Indiana Office of Small
Business and Entrepreneurship (OSBE) and the Indiana Small Business Development Center
(ISBDC).

Rook Security is a provider of global IT security solutions protecting sensitive data against
dynamic, emerging threats. Rook’s advisory and managed security services deliver visibility,
intelligence, and response® in security operations to overcome the complex problems that
continue to plague most organizations. As an integrated extension of their internal team, Rook
helps organizations achieve a mature security and risk management program. Rook’s advisory
and managed security services have helped to improve the way organizations from start-ups to
Fortune 100 firms protect their data and manage their risk. For more information visit them on
Twitter @RookSecurity, Facebook, or www.rooksecurity.com.

@POTUS to Speak at SXSWi 2016

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AUSTIN, TEXAS (March 2, 2016) — South by Southwest® (SXSW®) is honored to
announce President Barack Obama will appear as part of a Keynote Conversation at
SXSW Interactive on Friday, March 11 and First Lady Michelle Obama will be the
opening Keynote at SXSW Music on Wednesday, March 16. This marks the first time in
the 30-year history of SXSW that a sitting President and the First Lady have participated
in the event, which is known for showcasing the most innovative ideas and creative
talent of our time.

Over the past 30 years, SXSW has become the premier destination to discover gamechanging
new technologies, films, and artists while networking with some of the brightest minds where ideas and topics converge to unite all industries and cultures.

President Obama will sit down with Editor in Chief of The Texas Tribune Evan Smith for
a conversation about civic engagement in the 21st Century before an audience of
creators, early adopters and entrepreneurs who are defining the future of our connected
lives. The President will call on the audience to apply their ideas and talents to make
technology work for us – especially when it comes to tackling big challenges like
increasing participation in the political process and fighting climate change. In the leadup
to the event, The Texas Tribune will also source questions for the discussion from its
online audience.

First Lady Michelle Obama comes to SXSW Music to discuss the Let Girls Learn
initiative, which aims to break barriers for the 62 million girls around the world who are
not in school today, more than half of whom are adolescent. The SXSW Music
Conference brings the global music industry together and offers the perfect platform to
celebrate Women’s History Month, as the First Lady provides her call to action to
support girls’ education.

“I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate our event’s 30th year than to welcome both
the President and First Lady to SXSW,” said SXSW Co-founder Roland Swenson. “As
each new generation comes up at SXSW they look for ways they can be of service, and
it’s important to reflect and support that message. President and Mrs. Obama’s visit
here will inspire attendees to that purpose.”

President Obama’s appearance is open to all SXSW Interactive, Gold, and Platinum
registrants. First Lady Michelle Obama’s event is open to all SXSW Music, Film, Gold, and Platinum registrants.

More details regarding location, time, streaming, and access to both events will be
announced in the coming days.

About SXSW
The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conferences & Festivals offer the unique industry
convergence of music, film, and emerging technologies. Fostering creative and
professional growth, SXSW is the premier destination for discovery. The event is a
launch pad for innovative content with new media presentations, music showcases and
film screenings providing exposure for creators and compelling entertainment for
attendees. SXSW 2016 takes place March 11-20 in Austin, TX. For more information,
please visit http://www.sxsw.com.

Content Marketing World 2016 – Registration Savings!

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Will you be at Content Marketing World? The biggest content marketing event on the planet is back for a 6th year! If you’re a marketer, this is a can’t-miss event. Learn all you need to know about the changes happening in marketing today, and how you can stay ahead of the curve. From visual storytelling, to demand generation, to content strategy, to sales enablement and so much more.

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Visit the CMI website and agenda page for a glimpse into what is in store for this year’s event. Read some comments from CMWorld 2015 attendees on their favorite part of last year’s event:

“The contagious enthusiasm for content marketing! CMWorld is always inspiring to me, and gives me new life back on the job.” – TB, California

“The takeaways. There are always many things from CMWorld that I can implement immediately, or add to future planning.” – JM, Canada

“It’s hard to choose the best *one* thing about #CMWorld, but I think the spirit of the event is what I liked the most. The networking was awesome, both with peers and the opportunity to meet industry leaders and influencers. Many of the breakout sessions were downright inspiring and have left me motivated to do more and be more internally and for the industry.” – CS, Ohio

“The sessions were fantastic! For as many people that attended, the event was EXTREMELY organized. I really enjoyed the opening session speaker and of course, networking and evening events (concert, etc.!)” – LD, Michigan

“Best presentations, best networking opportunities.” – MK, South Africa

“CMI is working hard to create an agenda filled with the BEST presentations by the BEST practitioners, for YOU, the BEST community.”

So what do you say? Are you ready to register for Content Marketing World 2016 today? Use code MEDIA100 to save an additional $100 off these rates!

RegisterNow

Work at a Detroit or Cleveland startup!

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Things are happening in Detroit and Cleveland! Check out the list of startup job openings from Bizdom Portfolio Companies by visiting this link.

What is Bizdom? Bizdom serves as an investment vehicle and a platform for connecting entrepreneurs to resources within the Rock Ventures Family of Companies and non-profit partners.

Bizdom will engage individually with interested businesses to identify capital opportunities and connections within the Family of Companies and its network of non-profit partners. Programming for technology startups includes:

  • Capital investments with tools ranging from seed to growth to equity
  • Classes for cohorts of entrepreneurs
  • Events that leverage the experience of local, national, and international entrepreneurs
  • Connectivity to the Rock Ventures Family of Companies

A new focus on neighborhoods will include similar programming, as well as input from community leaders to address the needs of individual entrepreneurs.

iOS App Development Crash Course

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It’s time to live your dream of becoming a mobile app developer, register now for the General Assembly iOS App Development Crash Course!In this workshop, you will learn how to build an app in Xcode using the latest techniques and tools. You will be working with Storyboards and Swift source code to rapidly build an app where you will learn the essential concepts of iOS user interface development. Additionally, you will learn how to access backend services via REST API, enabling your app to link into websites or your own custom backend. You will spend most of your time in this class hacking in Xcode. There will also be discussion of good design patterns, latest development technology and trends, and resources you can use to further develop your iOS skills.

Takeaways

  • Quickly build native apps in Xcode using minimal code
  • Develop clean, maintainable structure in your apps, whether they are prototypes or finished products
  • Understand how to use essential controls in UIKit
  • Integrate apps with backend services via REST API
Prereqs & PreparationStudents should have some programming background, but no specific language or level of expertise is required. Students should come with the latest version of Xcode installed on their laptops. Download here: https://developer.apple.com/xcode/download/
About the Instructor
Scott Baumbich Photo

Freelance,
Swift Developer

Scott Baumbich is a charismatic freelance Swift developer with a background in systems side networking and web development. Having worked on projects for clients such as the NFL and Boeing, all the way down to small business’s there’s no shortage of experience here.

Furthermore, Scott was amongst the first group of individuals to receive a certified Swift Nanodegree, endorsed by industry leaders such as Google, Facebook, and AT&T. In his free time, you can catch Scott hosting the Chicago Swift Developer Meetup or actively pursuing startup ventures.

Whatever the case may be, Scott’s keen ability for thinking outside the box, while comprehending and teaching swift, will inspire you to build your own world-class apps.

Register Now!

Countdown to Major Kickstarter Funding for Ohio Based Grypshon

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The Grypmat – The World’s Most Versatile Tool Mat
Funded In Under 10 Hours

Organize and Revolutionize how you Work with Tools

Ohio based Grypshon’s founder Tom Burden has a military background, a Midwestern work ethic and a vision. He set out to solve a simple problem, tools that slide off the side of fighter jets when mechanics are working on them. His inspiration? “I was riding in my mom’s car and she had a sticky mat for holding her cell phone.” Tom’s light bulb moment developed into a grant funded prototype, trade show product launch and orders from distributors to NASA. His company now has a few part-time employees, is bringing in revenue and is closing in on a $100k Kickstarter campaign for product expansion.

ColumbusThe Kickstarter campaign ends this week, so he’s getting the word out now. “We would recommend Kickstarter, it’s rare to get over $100k in funding, but we’re closing in on it. It takes a lot of work to put together the content, but we can use the  videos and collateral for years.” Contributors have their choice of Grypmat in exchange for their donation. The funds will be used to create the new sizes, which all came from feedback from the marketplace.

The Grypmat – a high performance, non-magnetic, non slip, chemical resistant, anti-static rubber tool mat keeping tools and hardware in place, no matter where you need to put them. Thanks to the Grypmat, tool users can focus on their work without having to worry about runaway screws or misplaced hardware.

Due to its unique polymer-silicone blend,the Grypmat’s insane grip can hold tools at extreme angles (up to 70 degrees) on a variety of work surfaces, making it the ultimate companion for working on engines, cars, and planes  – simply anywhere tools are used. The Grypmat is resistant to all types of chemicals, and if it gets gunked up with grease, dust or any dirt, wiping it with a damp cloth will make it as good as new. Grypmat’s versatility and ease of use makes it an essential tool for trade professionals, mechanics, tinkerers, gadget junkies and DIYers alike. With Grypmat, users can get the job done without ever having to chase a runaway screw again.

To suit a wide range of needs, the bright orange Grypmat is available in three sizes: large, medium and small. The small Grypmat consists of six compartments that keep hardware organised and within an arm’s reach. The medium is designed to help keep hand tools together in close proximity, and the large Grypmat is designed for more advanced jobs with larger tools.

“Working as a mechanic in the United States Air Force, I grew increasingly tired of not having my tools within easy reach when working on top of the aircraft – tool loss and missing hardware was a constant problem, and I nearly fell off the plane chasing a sliding tool! I invented the Grypmat to prevent these issues, and to make it truly easy to keep tools and hardware within comfortable reach – so you can just focus on the work in front of you,” says Burden.

The product is manufactured overseas but the product design, sales and marketing teams are based in Columbus, Ohio. With global demand for the product, Tom says focusing on growing white collar jobs in Ohio is his focus. “We have orders coming in from all over the world and now have distribution partnerships in place in several countries in order to meet the demand. Because Columbus has an affordable white collar workforce, we’ve decided to base our operation here. ” Burden says his company is growing so quickly he is currently not seeking outside investment aside from the Kickstarter campaign.

His advice to other Midwest startup founders is to focus on creating a good product or solving a problem and not to get caught up in where you’re based. “People are realizing that the cost of living is just cheaper here. It’s 2017, you can be based anywhere. At the end of the day, it’s about the people and the team, not the location and I think investors are starting to realize that.”

About Grypshon Industries

Grypshon Industries was founded in 2013 by Tom Burden, an F-16 mechanic in the United States Air Force. In late 2013, Burden showcased the Grypmat to the judges at the Toledo Startup Weekend and won first prize. Having spent over two years prototyping and testing, the Grypmat has received exceptionally positive feedback from mechanics and tool users – and is now ready for large scale production.

From January 3, 2017 until February 3, 2017 the Grypmat can be pre-ordered via Kickstarter.

Campaign page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/grypmat/264952085?token=0517c2dc
For additional information about the Grypmat please visit our website, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


From Rust Belt to Tech Town: Calling all Clevelanders

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Cleveland, Ohio– Cleveland is in the midst of a rust belt revolution. Transforming a manufacturing city to an innovative tech powerhouse is no easy task, but Cleveland, along with other former manufacturing hubs like Buffalo and Pittsburgh, is doing just that. Flashstarts aims to be on the cutting edge of that revitalization, and we know it’s only possible with community support.

Flashstarts invested in their first round of portfolio companies in 2013 and has spent the past several years carefully building our portfolio (see this year’s companies), launching a top tier accelerator, and expanding our programs to become a more comprehensive startup resource into the Cleveland community. From hosting the RNC and the World Series to a basketball championship, Cleveland has developed incredible momentum this year, and it’s time to put that momentum to work in the startup industry.

Click here to view the complete annual report.

At Flashstarts, they bring together the raw materials necessary for a startup – people ideas, and money – to help form successful businesses, and this year, we’ve really begun to see our efforts pay off. We have seen an increasing number of successful company launches with each accelerator class, and once startups are on a track for success, they serve as one of the primary sources of wealth generation and job creation in our community.

We have seen an increasing number of successful company launches with each accelerator class, and once startups are on a track for success, they serve as one of the primary sources of wealth generation and job creation in our community.

Each of Flashstarts’ core offerings are concentrated in one of three primary areas that are critical for startups: capital, resources, and talent. Within each of these segments, we have seen notable progress over the past few years both as part of the larger Ohio startup community and through the initiation of several of our own programs.

We recently published the Flashstarts 2016 Annual Report (included below). This report is intended to offer a high level view of our operations, progress, and newly launched programs to investors, aspiring startups, Cleveland entrepreneurs, and everyone in between.

A few highlights from the Annual Report include:

Flashstarts Labs Program – The Labs program is our pre-accelerator mentoring program that helps startups form and test their business concepts while simultaneously serving as a highly efficient due diligence filter for the accelerator and increasing our deal flow potential.

Ohio Third Frontier – The State of Ohio Third Frontier disseminated $200M in seed funding last month which will be invested in 400+ startups over the next 3 years, meaning the demand for startups exceeds the current market supply.

Global EIR Program – The Global Entrepreneur In Residence (EIR) program establishes collaborative partnerships between universities and international entrepreneurs. This program serves as a resource for collegiate entrepreneurship centers and attracts international entrepreneurs and their innovative ideas to our region.

These efforts are only a few of the many we have implemented at Flashstarts and represent an aggregation of what we have learned thus far. Please consider joining us in strengthening Cleveland’s entrepreneurial community.

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View their complete 2016 Annual Report to see where we’re going and how you can join our efforts or contact us directly at investor.relations@flashstarts.com.

Register Now for Digital Summit Detroit! Sept. 11-13, 2017

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Last year’s Digital Summit Detroit was jam packed with informative sessions and awesome networking. This is the event where ideas and inspiration are born! We’re proud to sponsor this year’s event and offer complete coverage live from the event! Get to this year’s event to learn from industry leading brands offering practical, actionable solutions you can immediately apply back at the office.

Brilliant speakers bring phenomenal content on Marketing Strategies, UX & Design, Email, Search, Mobile, Video, SEO and so much more. Digital Summit is not only a place for keeping up with the trends, but also for being an active player in their creation.

This year’s speaker highlights include:

  • JONAH PERETTI, Buzzfeed
  • MORGAN SPURLOCK, Award-winning filmmaker
  • ANNE GHERINI, INC. Magazine

Much more!

Get tickets now by visiting this link!

Content Marketing World Conference and Expo, Cleveland, September 5-8 2017

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What can you expect from Content Marketing World 2017?

Content Marketing World is the conference for the marketing/PR professional who develops the strategy or handles the execution of content marketing initiatives. This is the person that, in some way, develops or curates valuable, relevant and compelling content through one or multiple channels to attract and retain customers. We’re a proud sponsor of this year’s event because it’s an invaluable event for the #Rustbelt startup and digital scene!

If content marketing is in any way part of what you do, you will come away from Content Marketing World 2017 excited, inspired, and ready for action. No matter what role you play – from CEO to content creator and everyone between – this is the place to learn from the people who are not only succeeding at content marketing today, but can tell you how things will evolve tomorrow.

Here’s a sampling of what you can learn in just a few short days:

  • How to level the playing field through the strategic use of content marketing
  • How to set your organization up for content marketing success
  • How to answer the “quantity vs. quality” question for your organization
  • How to dominate search with content
  • How to accurately measure the value of your content
  • How to trouble shoot an ineffective content marketing strategy
  • … and so much more

If this show reel doesn’t convince you, contact us and we will!

Get your tickets now by clicking here! 

The Rust Belt Goes Big at SXSW 2018

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From Michigan House to the Akron Bounce Booth, Rust Belt startups and supporters were at this year’s SXSWi in Austin in full force! It was truly an awesome show of Rust Belt pride this year and it extended beyond just the locals showing up to support friends and colleagues. Highlights included Michigan House, the launch of the University of Michigan’s School of Information Center for Social Media Responsibility and Akron’s effort to promote the city’s Bounce Akron programing at the SXSW Trade Show.

Michigan House:
We love the manifesto of Michigan House: “BECAUSE THE RUMORS OF OUR DEMISE HAVE BEEN GREATLY EXAGGERATED, AND THE REBIRTH STORIES HAVE MISSED THE POINT. BECAUSE WE BUILT YOUR CAR, YOUR OFFICE, AND YOUR KITCHEN, AND STILL GAVE YOU SLIM SHADY, MADONNA, AND MAGIC. BECAUSE OF SANDY BEACHES. BECAUSE OF ART DECO MONUMENTS. BECAUSE OF FRESH WATER WAVES AND UNTOUCHED FOREST. BECAUSE OUR POTHOLES WILL SWALLOW YOU WHOLE. SEE, YOU’RE TALKING TO WHITE STRIPES AND TEMPTATIONS, MUSCLE CARS AND CORN FLAKES, SO DON’T EVEN THINK OF CALLING IT A COME BACK. CALL IT STILL STANDING. YOU ASK, WHY MICHIGAN HOUSE? BECAUSE MICHIGAN.”

Special guests included Dhani Jones and leadership teams from some of Michigan’s biggest brands and brightest startups like GM to Duo Security. Michigan pride was in the house, from the special programming to the swag shop. Michigan is a special place and SXSW attendees that were from there or live there still, popped in to check out the vibe and fresh ideas coming from The Mitten.

University of Michigan’s Center for Social Media Responsibility
We also sat down with the speakers from the “Infocalypse: The Future of Misinformation & How We Stop It” panel, who are also leaders at the brand-new U-M School of Information’s Center for Social Media Responsibility

Garlin Gilchrist is the Executive Director of the Center, and was the social media manager for Obama’s groundbreaking campaign in 2008 as well as the National Campaign Director for MoveOn.org.
The Center itself just launched last week, with the mission to help society measure the true extent of issues such as echo chambers and fake news and will offer research based solutions. Faculty involved with the Center include the two authors of the most-cited paper in history on Facebook, for example.

Gilchrist, a native of Detroit, also worked in the city for a number of years and has extensive experience as a technology innovator and community organizer. He recently served as director of innovation and emerging technology for the city of Detroit. He is a Michigan grad with degrees in computer science and computer engineering.

The School of Information has launched this project with an investment of its own resources and significant funding support from the Office of the Provost.

Gilchrist co-presented a session titled “Infocalypse: The Future of Misinformation and How We Stop It” at SXSW 2018.

Watch this video and hear Gilchrist speak about the Center for Social Media Responsibility and its mission.

Bounce Akron
We also thought it was great to see Akron having a presence at the SXSW Trade Show. Their booth featured some Akron city government employees that were there to talk about Akron’s rich history as a hot bed of innovation and their Bounce Akron initiative.

Bounce serves community innovators such as startups, founders, universities, corporations, investors and makers by offering programming, event space, private office space, conference rooms, co-working space, a maker space, and an online community.

Bounce Innovation Hub is the region’s first open innovation hub serving northeast Ohio’s entrepreneurial and innovation community.

Bounce encourages open collaboration among diverse groups through unique opportunities, programs and events that engage anyone and everyone with a mind for innovation. This includes startup founders, small businesses, large corporations, investors, makers, individual innovators, artists and universities. We aim to create meaningful connections, where new ideas are born through collaboration and relationships with like-minded innovators.

Bounce is here to help grow Akron’s innovation ecosystem.

Incubation Program
Affordable office, lab and light manufacturing space coupled with expert business counseling and advice (EIRs), mentoring services and networking opportunities for young tech companies looking to take their business to the next level.

Request an Application

The Bit Factory
Intensive mentoring services for young startups in internet, software, internet-connected hardware, mobile apps and gaming coupled with investment. Clients are provided co-working space and active mentoring to become venture ready, funded and profitable.

Apply to TBF

Entrepreneurial Events
Bounce currently hosts, as well as offers event space, for entrepreneurial-focused events. Get connected to learn more about what’s happening at Bounce.

Overall SXSWi 2018 received the midwest startup scene with open arms!

Meet the “Stars” of Techstars Startup Week Detroit

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Highlighting 2018 Startup Week Detroit

Techstars recently hosted the third annual Techstars Startup Week Detroit. The event brings in visitors and entrepreneurs from all across Metro Detroit—including a number of local startups—to a gathering for businesses to connect with each other and to get their name out there.

Startup Week Detroit

During the week, startups in the area have the opportunity to show off what their business is all about. The celebration offers local entrepreneurs learning opportunities, business presentations, a platform for networking and access to investors. This year, attendees also had a chance to visit the job fair, get free head shots and receive business tips from keynote speaker Marcus Lemonis of CNBC’s “The Profit.” The five-day volunteer-based event was held outside at Grand Circus Park in Detroit.

Young Detroit Entrepreneurs

Austin Mack and Undra Mack

New startup Apply It was one of the businesses in attendance this year. 12-year-old Undra Mack and 11-year-old Austin Mack founded the business, and have already reached great success garnering a growing interest in their apps. One of the apps that these youngsters were promoting allows witnesses who are videotaping a crime to call the police while continuing to record the actions of the crime. The app is called C-Call.

“There’s been a lot of crimes going around where people have been videotaping and don’t call the police, so this app gives you the option to call the police while you’re videotaping,” Undra said.

Undra created another app that was similar to a “Would You Rather” game for kids. Undra said it already has 1,000 downloads and looks. Austin also made an app where people can see what particular glasses will look like on them before they make a purchase. They’ve already become pros at pitching their business efforts.

“We started it about two years ago, and we’ve just been trying to work hard and inspire other kids to try and work like us,” Undra said.

The two entrepreneurs also have their own lawn mowing business. They were selling their books, Mack Brother’s Lawn Service, at the event for $20 a piece. The book was written in hopes that it would inspire other kids to start making money at a young age.

LaToyia Mack

The kids are currently looking for more investors for their company. Their current investor, mother and teacher is LaToyia Mack.

“Obviously, being their mom, I had some initial interest in their ideas, so I allowed them to earn some seed money as well as matching their seed money,” LaToyia said.

Supporting The Event

Apply It was among numerous other emerging businesses at Techstars Startup Week Detroit this year. This year’s event had about 700 volunteers, and Chase for Business was the title sponsor for the third year in a row. Techstars works to find companies with similar missions for Detroit entrepreneurship to form partnerships with rather than typical sponsorships. Thanks to the partnership and support from Chase, the events are free and open to the pubic.

Quicken Loans was among the handful of other Startup Week sponsors. Lauren Hoffman is the Venture Community Liaison of Rock Ventures, which is part of the Quicken Loans family of companies that has formed a partnership with Startup Week Detroit. The company has been  a sponsor for Startup Week for the past several years.

One of their main goals is supporting entrepreneurs in Detroit.

Hoffman said that she loves getting people together in Detroit to show off the businesses that are growing here and to demonstrate that Detroit is a great place to start a company as well as make connections. She expressed her excitement about the job fair because of the many Detroit jobs that attendees can be exposed to. She noted that another plus about the partnership with Startup Week Detroit is gaining exposure for their own company.

What Makes Detroit Startup Week Unique

Event Lead Kyle Bazzy

Co Event Lead Kyle Bazzy explained that Techstars is a global organization, and that there are hundreds of startup week events around the world.

“They are very big into ecosystem building, so they help provide the resources and they brokered the partnership with Chase. Then they bring it to cities like Detroit,” Bazzy said. “Then they tap into people like myself to help with the program.”

This year, there were about 11 to 12 thousand participants in the event compared to 7,000 last year. The number of startups involved has grown tremendously since the very first year.

“In year one, I could almost name all of them,” Bazzy said. “This year I have no idea.”

Bazzy said that part of what makes Startup Week Detroit different from the gathering in other cities is its diverse culture. Techstars made the choice to invest time in Detroit neighborhoods and the kids especially because the students may not able to afford as many opportunities. Code {D}etroit allowed 5,000 Detroit students exposure to coding basics during Startup Week through volunteer-based instruction.

Bazzy said that his favorite programs are the seminars and workshops that serve this community, and that you can find your tribe here. He just learned the story of the Mack brothers’ startup on Tuesday.

“As they were talking to somebody else, our volunteers were pulling other people aside and pointing them out saying ‘that’s why I do this,’” Bazzy said. “These kids know that there’s this community here that wants to pour into them; I think that’s one of the most powerful things that happens throughout the week.”

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