Entrepreneurs + Innovators
When Tom Nolan was at South by Southwest (SXSW) last year, he was moved by the startup companies on the stage during the business accelerator. “It was inspiring to see the companies go and pitch their hearts out with something they’ve been working on for months and years,” Nolan says. “I remember sitting in the audience and I had the idea for Plotter and I thought, ‘I’m going to go home and work on it.'"
Plotter is Nolan’s social mapping app -- just launched for iPhone on March 1. Plotter allows users to not only perform typical mapping functions, but also lets users interact and view friends’ maps or plot multiple destinations.
Nolan quit his job last September to develop Plotter and hasn’t stopped since. “We kind of hit the ground running in October and November,” he says. “We logged thousands of hours in a short amount of time.”
Nolan and his three partners, Chad Milburn, Tim Zeller and Chris Jungjohann, applied in November to compete in the SXSW accelerator in the social division. In December they got word that Plotter had beat out more than 500 companies for the chance to pitch their app at the conference last week.
The Plotter team made it through the first round, giving a two-minute pitch to judges and investors and made it into the final three in their category. They went on to give a five-minute pitch and a 10-minute Q & A before they were declared the winner.
The next step is to roll out Plotter for Android. Nolan also wants to target the auto industry. “We’re talking to car manufacturers to bring Plotter in dashboards of cars,” he says. “We want to become the first mapping app in cars. The in-dash systems are so outdated.”
Nolan says he plans to keep Plotter in Cleveland and expand the team as soon as possible. “It’s been kind of a whirlwind,” he says. “We need to figure out the next steps and what direction to go in.”
Source: Tom Nolan
Writer: Karin Connelly
Plotter is Nolan’s social mapping app -- just launched for iPhone on March 1. Plotter allows users to not only perform typical mapping functions, but also lets users interact and view friends’ maps or plot multiple destinations.
Nolan quit his job last September to develop Plotter and hasn’t stopped since. “We kind of hit the ground running in October and November,” he says. “We logged thousands of hours in a short amount of time.”
Nolan and his three partners, Chad Milburn, Tim Zeller and Chris Jungjohann, applied in November to compete in the SXSW accelerator in the social division. In December they got word that Plotter had beat out more than 500 companies for the chance to pitch their app at the conference last week.
The Plotter team made it through the first round, giving a two-minute pitch to judges and investors and made it into the final three in their category. They went on to give a five-minute pitch and a 10-minute Q & A before they were declared the winner.
The next step is to roll out Plotter for Android. Nolan also wants to target the auto industry. “We’re talking to car manufacturers to bring Plotter in dashboards of cars,” he says. “We want to become the first mapping app in cars. The in-dash systems are so outdated.”
Nolan says he plans to keep Plotter in Cleveland and expand the team as soon as possible. “It’s been kind of a whirlwind,” he says. “We need to figure out the next steps and what direction to go in.”
Source: Tom Nolan
Writer: Karin Connelly
Although it wasn't obvious to Thomas Fox at the time, losing his job at Go Media several years ago may have been the best thing that ever happened to him. It led him to create Bad Racket Recording Studio with partners James Kananen and Adam Wagner.
Since launching the studio in 2010, the group has expanded its presence in the music scene. Last year, they took on additional space, bolstered sound panels to create a better recording experience, and began hosting additional live concerts.
"January was our busiest month ever -- we were booked almost every day," says Fox, who handles marketing and operations for Bad Racket. "We're building a community of people that we're working with. Our customers have come from as far away as Philly and West Virginia, but right now it's mostly Cleveland bands."
What's different about Bad Racket, which occupies a warehouse space at W. 45th and Lorain (below Go Media's offices), is that it has created a recording space that feels like a cross between a living room and a comfortable stage.
"We're not a clean, polished space, but our emphasis is on creating a space for performance," says Fox. "All you do is show up, play your songs at your best and the rest is taken care of. People prefer live recordings -- although we do both."
Bad Racket, which charges $45 per hour for studio time, also handles video production. The recording space doubles as a stage used for live concerts.
Fox and his cohorts self-financed the studio and have reinvested profits back into the space. They've built walls from rockwall insulation and acoustic panels from "rolls of bike helmet padding from Zero Waste Landfill and whatever is cheapest at JoAnn Fabric." The result? A 1,200-square-foot space with great acoustics.
It's a labor of love that's paying off. "When there's a project we really, really want to do, budget is not an issue. Everyone here just wants to make great music. Most of us have separate jobs, but if anyone asks us what we do, we'd say Bad Racket."
Fox is also a leading force behind Brite Winter Fest (he books the music), which recently attracted 20,000 people to Ohio City on a cold, snowy February evening.
Source: Thomas Fox
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Since launching the studio in 2010, the group has expanded its presence in the music scene. Last year, they took on additional space, bolstered sound panels to create a better recording experience, and began hosting additional live concerts.
"January was our busiest month ever -- we were booked almost every day," says Fox, who handles marketing and operations for Bad Racket. "We're building a community of people that we're working with. Our customers have come from as far away as Philly and West Virginia, but right now it's mostly Cleveland bands."
What's different about Bad Racket, which occupies a warehouse space at W. 45th and Lorain (below Go Media's offices), is that it has created a recording space that feels like a cross between a living room and a comfortable stage.
"We're not a clean, polished space, but our emphasis is on creating a space for performance," says Fox. "All you do is show up, play your songs at your best and the rest is taken care of. People prefer live recordings -- although we do both."
Bad Racket, which charges $45 per hour for studio time, also handles video production. The recording space doubles as a stage used for live concerts.
Fox and his cohorts self-financed the studio and have reinvested profits back into the space. They've built walls from rockwall insulation and acoustic panels from "rolls of bike helmet padding from Zero Waste Landfill and whatever is cheapest at JoAnn Fabric." The result? A 1,200-square-foot space with great acoustics.
It's a labor of love that's paying off. "When there's a project we really, really want to do, budget is not an issue. Everyone here just wants to make great music. Most of us have separate jobs, but if anyone asks us what we do, we'd say Bad Racket."
Fox is also a leading force behind Brite Winter Fest (he books the music), which recently attracted 20,000 people to Ohio City on a cold, snowy February evening.
Source: Thomas Fox
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Two years ago, Matt Benton and his partner Jeremy Amos had an idea for adding social media to the college search process. So they quit their jobs doing investment work at KeyBank to develop College with Friends, a free mobile app that allows users to build a list of schools and see where their friends are going.
“It’s a way of saying, 'Hey, I want to go to Ohio State; who else wants to go there?'" says Benton. "The main idea is seeing who your future classmates might be."
It also gives colleges an alternate way of contacting students who are interested in their schools, as opposed to blindly marketing through the mail.
“At Key, time and again we heard parents complaining about kids going to college,” recalls Benton. “In addition to financing, they were getting all this mail, and kids wanted to know where everyone else is going. We wanted to create a time and a place for the college search and solve a lot of these problems.”
The app contains all the academic information prospective students need about the schools, and shows what friends are looking at those schools. Benton and Amos launched the app in January after talking to schools about their marketing process.
“We spent a ton of time with colleges,” says Benton. “The number-one thing they do is mailings through buying zip code data. We create the ability for colleges to come in and connect directly with the kids interested in going to that college.” Benton and Amos also talked to high school students about what they’d like to see in College with Friends.
Benton and Amos plan to add a news feed to the app, in which students can share their campus visits.
Right now the two work with a development firm for the technical aspects of the app while they focus on the design side. Benton says they plan to move the technical side in-house, as well as hire a “pretty sizeable” sales force.
Source: Matt Benton
Writer: Karin Connelly
“It’s a way of saying, 'Hey, I want to go to Ohio State; who else wants to go there?'" says Benton. "The main idea is seeing who your future classmates might be."
It also gives colleges an alternate way of contacting students who are interested in their schools, as opposed to blindly marketing through the mail.
“At Key, time and again we heard parents complaining about kids going to college,” recalls Benton. “In addition to financing, they were getting all this mail, and kids wanted to know where everyone else is going. We wanted to create a time and a place for the college search and solve a lot of these problems.”
The app contains all the academic information prospective students need about the schools, and shows what friends are looking at those schools. Benton and Amos launched the app in January after talking to schools about their marketing process.
“We spent a ton of time with colleges,” says Benton. “The number-one thing they do is mailings through buying zip code data. We create the ability for colleges to come in and connect directly with the kids interested in going to that college.” Benton and Amos also talked to high school students about what they’d like to see in College with Friends.
Benton and Amos plan to add a news feed to the app, in which students can share their campus visits.
Right now the two work with a development firm for the technical aspects of the app while they focus on the design side. Benton says they plan to move the technical side in-house, as well as hire a “pretty sizeable” sales force.
Source: Matt Benton
Writer: Karin Connelly
This summer, the Tremont neighborhood will have a new gateway welcoming people to the neighborhood: Cleveland's first dedicated hop farm. Boasting 16-foot tall posts laden with vines, the parcel on W. 14th Street, just south of the I-490 bridge, will not only create a dramatic entranceway into the area, it will also be used to grow three to four different varieties of fresh hops.
"Shortly after opening, Cory Riordan [Director of Tremont West Development Corporation], came into the shop. He actually signed up for a beer-making class," says Paul Benner, owner of the Cleveland Brew Shop in Tremont and creator of the hop farm. "He mentioned they had a piece of land controlled by ODOT down the street. He asked, 'Is there anything you can do to help make it productive?'"
"It actually makes sense to grow hops there," says Benner, who got excited and soon struck a partnership with Tremont West. He will share the unused parcel of land with a group of Tremont gardeners who have raised crops there for years.
Benner's purpose is twofold: to sell wet fresh hops to homebrewers at harvest time, and to partner with local breweries to create a new, locally-sourced beer.
Fresh hops are not often available to homebrewers, who typically rely on dried hops that can be used year-round. Benner believes there is unmet demand. "If you can get hops immediately off the vine and use them in your beer, the flavor and aroma will be so much higher than if you buy something dried online," he says." A lot of times you can’t purchase fresh wet hops, or you can get them, but not to brew the same day. This is like picking a strawberry and eating it right off the vine."
Benner estimates that the plot will yield 20 to 25 pounds of hops, enough for about 50 five-gallon batches of beer (or 2,500 12-ounce beers). He has already gotten a strong response from the homebrewing community and volunteers. Because he is planting mature, three-year-old vines, he's anticipating a harvest this August.
The locally-sourced beer will come later. Benner will employ volunteers to help cultivate the site and will offer workshops on growing hops. Great Lakes Brewing Company, Market Garden Brewery and Nano Brew already use fresh hops from Ohio City Farm, but his plot will be the only farm dedicated to growing hops.
"This will be another great thing to see when you're coming into Tremont," he says.
Source: Paul Benner
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"Shortly after opening, Cory Riordan [Director of Tremont West Development Corporation], came into the shop. He actually signed up for a beer-making class," says Paul Benner, owner of the Cleveland Brew Shop in Tremont and creator of the hop farm. "He mentioned they had a piece of land controlled by ODOT down the street. He asked, 'Is there anything you can do to help make it productive?'"
"It actually makes sense to grow hops there," says Benner, who got excited and soon struck a partnership with Tremont West. He will share the unused parcel of land with a group of Tremont gardeners who have raised crops there for years.
Benner's purpose is twofold: to sell wet fresh hops to homebrewers at harvest time, and to partner with local breweries to create a new, locally-sourced beer.
Fresh hops are not often available to homebrewers, who typically rely on dried hops that can be used year-round. Benner believes there is unmet demand. "If you can get hops immediately off the vine and use them in your beer, the flavor and aroma will be so much higher than if you buy something dried online," he says." A lot of times you can’t purchase fresh wet hops, or you can get them, but not to brew the same day. This is like picking a strawberry and eating it right off the vine."
Benner estimates that the plot will yield 20 to 25 pounds of hops, enough for about 50 five-gallon batches of beer (or 2,500 12-ounce beers). He has already gotten a strong response from the homebrewing community and volunteers. Because he is planting mature, three-year-old vines, he's anticipating a harvest this August.
The locally-sourced beer will come later. Benner will employ volunteers to help cultivate the site and will offer workshops on growing hops. Great Lakes Brewing Company, Market Garden Brewery and Nano Brew already use fresh hops from Ohio City Farm, but his plot will be the only farm dedicated to growing hops.
"This will be another great thing to see when you're coming into Tremont," he says.
Source: Paul Benner
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"Ever dream of running your own restaurant as an executive chef, pastry chef or sommelier?"
That is the question asked by leaders of EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute. Fulfilling that dream would be a challenge for most anyone, but what about a person reentering society after incarceration?
Hoping to provide the answer is Brandon Chrostowski, general manager, sommelier and fromanger at L'Albatros restaurant. He is also founder of EDWINS, a Cleveland nonprofit providing free restaurant training to underprivileged adults. The 26-week program teaches cooking methods, pastry techniques, food pairings, nutrition and other facets that come with the culinary arts.
Ohio's recidivism rate stands at about 30 percent, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Chrostowski, 33, believes these numbers reflect the lack of opportunities available for ex-inmates.
"There's no guidance and no jobs out there," he says. "Our goal is to provide these people with a skill and a solid path."
Students are rotated through every station of a restaurant, providing them with a variety of skills and real-world experience. Over the last two years, the program has assisted about 30 graduates in finding employment as line cooks, dishwashers and servers. Some students have already been promoted from these entry-level positions.
Chrostowski hit his own "rough patch" a decade ago, and was able to go back to school and hone his culinary craft. The restaurateur wants others to have the same opportunity he did. EDWINS' ultimate goal is to open a restaurant staffed entirely by program graduates.
"Everyone deserves a second shot," Chrostowski says. "This is a chance for people to change their lives."
SOURCE: Brandon Chrostowski
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
That is the question asked by leaders of EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute. Fulfilling that dream would be a challenge for most anyone, but what about a person reentering society after incarceration?
Hoping to provide the answer is Brandon Chrostowski, general manager, sommelier and fromanger at L'Albatros restaurant. He is also founder of EDWINS, a Cleveland nonprofit providing free restaurant training to underprivileged adults. The 26-week program teaches cooking methods, pastry techniques, food pairings, nutrition and other facets that come with the culinary arts.
Ohio's recidivism rate stands at about 30 percent, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Chrostowski, 33, believes these numbers reflect the lack of opportunities available for ex-inmates.
"There's no guidance and no jobs out there," he says. "Our goal is to provide these people with a skill and a solid path."
Students are rotated through every station of a restaurant, providing them with a variety of skills and real-world experience. Over the last two years, the program has assisted about 30 graduates in finding employment as line cooks, dishwashers and servers. Some students have already been promoted from these entry-level positions.
Chrostowski hit his own "rough patch" a decade ago, and was able to go back to school and hone his culinary craft. The restaurateur wants others to have the same opportunity he did. EDWINS' ultimate goal is to open a restaurant staffed entirely by program graduates.
"Everyone deserves a second shot," Chrostowski says. "This is a chance for people to change their lives."
SOURCE: Brandon Chrostowski
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
On March 31st, Cuyahoga County will turn over the Global Health Innovation Center -- formerly known as the Medical Mart -- to its individual tenants so they can begin to build out each of their spaces.
It will be a landmark moment for the project, says Dave Johnson, Director of Public Relations and Marketing for the GHIC. He expects the project to be majority leased when the ribbon is cut in June.
"The project will open ahead of schedule and under budget," says Johnson, who also cites the building's LEED Silver (Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Design) status, a sought-after sustainable building rating.
GHIC tenants include a partnership between the Cleveland Clinic and GE Healthcare, a partnership between University Hospitals and Phillips Healthcare, Johnson Controls, and the Health Information Management Society.
The GHIC will include a display of the "home of the future," which will be built out by vendors and will feature medical devices that allow people to stay in their homes. UH and Phillips will showcase scanning equipment, while Johnson Controls will display the latest in hospital operating systems. Visitors will be able to view the behind-the-wall systems that would otherwise be invisible.
The Health Information Management Society will rotate exhibits based on what's hot in healthcare management. "It will be like a pretend hospital," says Johnson. "This is the organization around healthcare IT. The display will show equipment and how it interfaces. This is an entity bumped from the cancelled Nashville Med Mart project. It will become a magnet for companies to test IT equipment."
Officials are planning a public grand opening in June with a weekend of festivities.
Source: Dave Johnson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
It will be a landmark moment for the project, says Dave Johnson, Director of Public Relations and Marketing for the GHIC. He expects the project to be majority leased when the ribbon is cut in June.
"The project will open ahead of schedule and under budget," says Johnson, who also cites the building's LEED Silver (Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Design) status, a sought-after sustainable building rating.
GHIC tenants include a partnership between the Cleveland Clinic and GE Healthcare, a partnership between University Hospitals and Phillips Healthcare, Johnson Controls, and the Health Information Management Society.
The GHIC will include a display of the "home of the future," which will be built out by vendors and will feature medical devices that allow people to stay in their homes. UH and Phillips will showcase scanning equipment, while Johnson Controls will display the latest in hospital operating systems. Visitors will be able to view the behind-the-wall systems that would otherwise be invisible.
The Health Information Management Society will rotate exhibits based on what's hot in healthcare management. "It will be like a pretend hospital," says Johnson. "This is the organization around healthcare IT. The display will show equipment and how it interfaces. This is an entity bumped from the cancelled Nashville Med Mart project. It will become a magnet for companies to test IT equipment."
Officials are planning a public grand opening in June with a weekend of festivities.
Source: Dave Johnson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Captain Jeff Sanders has spent the past few decades training ship captains. He operates a training school in Seattle, where he lives full time. Yet the Cleveland native has always wanted a place to stay when he comes back to Cleveland, which he does frequently to visit his 95-year-old mother in a nursing home.
Recently, Sanders completed renovations on a historic four-unit property that seemed destined for the wrecking ball until Detroit Shoreway Community Development Corporation (DSCDO) steered it into the hands of the right owner.
The Trenton sits at 7418 Franklin Boulevard (at the corner of W. 75th Street). The unique property features Italianate architectural details, a two-story front porch and an interior courtyard that lets additional light into the apartments.
Sanders, who converted the home into a three-unit, just received a community improvement award from DSCDO for his efforts. The project received special financing from the Cleveland Restoration Society's Heritage Home Program.
The renovation was a gut job. Sanders tore off the vinyl siding and restored the exterior with a handsome olive and red color scheme, redesigned the interior and installed all new mechanicals. The property includes many sustainable features.
Sanders combined two units into a townhouse-style apartment. "We blew out the dining room and created a cool interior staircase," he says. "We retained the old fireplaces."
One surprise was the floors. Initially, Sanders did not believe the old, three-inch pine floors were salvageable, but once sanded down, they refinished quite nicely.
Sanders plans to rent out two of the units -- including the 2,000-square-foot townhome for $1,400 per month -- while keeping one apartment for himself.
Source: Jeff Sanders
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Recently, Sanders completed renovations on a historic four-unit property that seemed destined for the wrecking ball until Detroit Shoreway Community Development Corporation (DSCDO) steered it into the hands of the right owner.
The Trenton sits at 7418 Franklin Boulevard (at the corner of W. 75th Street). The unique property features Italianate architectural details, a two-story front porch and an interior courtyard that lets additional light into the apartments.
Sanders, who converted the home into a three-unit, just received a community improvement award from DSCDO for his efforts. The project received special financing from the Cleveland Restoration Society's Heritage Home Program.
The renovation was a gut job. Sanders tore off the vinyl siding and restored the exterior with a handsome olive and red color scheme, redesigned the interior and installed all new mechanicals. The property includes many sustainable features.
Sanders combined two units into a townhouse-style apartment. "We blew out the dining room and created a cool interior staircase," he says. "We retained the old fireplaces."
One surprise was the floors. Initially, Sanders did not believe the old, three-inch pine floors were salvageable, but once sanded down, they refinished quite nicely.
Sanders plans to rent out two of the units -- including the 2,000-square-foot townhome for $1,400 per month -- while keeping one apartment for himself.
Source: Jeff Sanders
Writer: Lee Chilcote
For six decades, Young Audiences of Northeast Ohio has been promoting creative learning through the arts for local children and teenagers. A 60th-anniversary celebration requires something special, say the nonprofit's leaders. That means awarding residents who are harnessing the organization's arts-infused mission of contributing to the region's vitality.
Young Audiences is currently accepting nominations for its 2013 Arts, Education, and Entrepreneurship Awards. The nonprofit seeks those who have made a lasting impact in the three areas, as the innovation and creative thinking promoted by the arts help individuals succeed across all aspects of life, says development director Jerry Smith. Examples include teaching geometry through dance, or learning storytelling through digital game design.
"It's about the intersection of arts education and entrepreneurship," Smith says. "How does a creative education help drive that next entrepreneur?"
To answer that question, Smith's organization hosts workshops, performances, professional development programs and residencies for young people in the artistic realms of dance, music, theater and the visual arts.
Award nominees are due by April 12. Three winners from the categories of arts, education and entrepreneurship will be recognized at Young Audiences' 60th anniversary gala in September. Winners will receive a commemorative award and a contribution in their name made to the Young Audiences' Fund for Their Future.
An arts background is critical to melding young minds, believes the organization's leadership. Recognizing the individuals shaping that process is a natural step for the group, says Smith.
"Arts and culture are at the core of so much we do and how we succeed," he says.
SOURCE: Jerry Smith, Jennifer Abelson
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Young Audiences is currently accepting nominations for its 2013 Arts, Education, and Entrepreneurship Awards. The nonprofit seeks those who have made a lasting impact in the three areas, as the innovation and creative thinking promoted by the arts help individuals succeed across all aspects of life, says development director Jerry Smith. Examples include teaching geometry through dance, or learning storytelling through digital game design.
"It's about the intersection of arts education and entrepreneurship," Smith says. "How does a creative education help drive that next entrepreneur?"
To answer that question, Smith's organization hosts workshops, performances, professional development programs and residencies for young people in the artistic realms of dance, music, theater and the visual arts.
Award nominees are due by April 12. Three winners from the categories of arts, education and entrepreneurship will be recognized at Young Audiences' 60th anniversary gala in September. Winners will receive a commemorative award and a contribution in their name made to the Young Audiences' Fund for Their Future.
An arts background is critical to melding young minds, believes the organization's leadership. Recognizing the individuals shaping that process is a natural step for the group, says Smith.
"Arts and culture are at the core of so much we do and how we succeed," he says.
SOURCE: Jerry Smith, Jennifer Abelson
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
JumpStart recently invested $250,000 in Casentric, a Shaker Heights developer of a cloud-based software-as-a-service application to help insurance companies resolve property and injury claims quickly and fairly. CaseXpert streamlines the information needed to resolve a claim by integrating liability, injury and medical reports into one, making the adjuster’s job easier and un-biased.
“This tool helps insurance companies resolve their cases more accurately and faster,” explains Jim Kaiser, Casentric CEO. “CaseXpert helps adjusters evaluate claims in a balanced way that is fair to the customer, but represents the companies’ interests as well.”
Before CaseXpert, adjusters often were left to rely on their own experience to determine claims. “Claims were determined through their own expertise,” says Kaiser. “Adjusters had to grapple with claims.”
Casentric launched the first version of CaseXpert in September, and relied on user feedback before releasing its second version early this year. “We heard adjusters get bombarded with a lot of information, and it’s hard for them to get their arms around,” says Kaiser. “We made sure the information is easy to use. The users said, ‘It makes me more confident in figuring out what’s going on with the case.'”
Kaiser says Casentric plans to use the JumpStart investment to roll out additional components to CaseXpert and generate sales. The next component will be a negotiation tool. “Adjusters spend a good part of the day negotiating,” says Kaiser. “Our virtual dashboard tells users how it’s going, are we miles apart and does this look like it’s going the right way.”
Casentric currently outsources three positions. Kaiser says he hopes to hire some permanent staff members with the JumpStart investment.
Source: Jim Kaiser
Writer: Karin Connelly
“This tool helps insurance companies resolve their cases more accurately and faster,” explains Jim Kaiser, Casentric CEO. “CaseXpert helps adjusters evaluate claims in a balanced way that is fair to the customer, but represents the companies’ interests as well.”
Before CaseXpert, adjusters often were left to rely on their own experience to determine claims. “Claims were determined through their own expertise,” says Kaiser. “Adjusters had to grapple with claims.”
Casentric launched the first version of CaseXpert in September, and relied on user feedback before releasing its second version early this year. “We heard adjusters get bombarded with a lot of information, and it’s hard for them to get their arms around,” says Kaiser. “We made sure the information is easy to use. The users said, ‘It makes me more confident in figuring out what’s going on with the case.'”
Kaiser says Casentric plans to use the JumpStart investment to roll out additional components to CaseXpert and generate sales. The next component will be a negotiation tool. “Adjusters spend a good part of the day negotiating,” says Kaiser. “Our virtual dashboard tells users how it’s going, are we miles apart and does this look like it’s going the right way.”
Casentric currently outsources three positions. Kaiser says he hopes to hire some permanent staff members with the JumpStart investment.
Source: Jim Kaiser
Writer: Karin Connelly
An entertainment industry veteran who watched the rise and fall of the Flats has opened a nightclub inside the historic Centrum Theatre in Coventry Village. He believes it can add to entertainment options in the community and help bring the venue back to life.
Mike Mercer, who ran Club Coconuts and Howl at the Moon on the West Bank, among other properties, recently opened Club Centrum inside the theatre. The property is owned by TRK LLC, a development company based in Columbus. The owners have put $3.5 million into the property since they purchased it in 2007.
"Thursday is 18 and over college ID night, and that has been tremendously successful with Case, John Carroll and Notre Dame students," says Mercer, who opened the venue in mid-February. "We're making use of the 50 by 50 theatre screen and bringing that back to life. We put in a brand-new DJ booth and probably have $100,000 in light and sound -- it's pretty spectacular."
The video dance club is open Thursday to Saturday from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. There is a large dance floor and raised areas for the exhibitionists. The screen offers an added element of fun (think dancing in front of a 50-foot Diana Ross).
"I'm happy to be coming home to an area like Coventry Village, where there's so much fun to be had," says Mercer, a Cleveland Heights native. "We saw this as a missing element that would help to take the area to another level."
The property previously housed a Johnny Malloy's that closed after several years. Fracas, a white-tablecloth restaurant, attempted to make a go of it but closed after six months.
Mercer claims that he will avoid the pitfalls that beset so many other clubs by maintaining a strict attitude towards security and a proactive stance with the Cleveland Heights police. "I meet with the chief's office every single week."
The developers have also brought back to life the Centrum Theatre marquee, investing $10,000 -- $5,000 in light bulbs alone -- in its restoration.
Source: Mike Mercer
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Mike Mercer, who ran Club Coconuts and Howl at the Moon on the West Bank, among other properties, recently opened Club Centrum inside the theatre. The property is owned by TRK LLC, a development company based in Columbus. The owners have put $3.5 million into the property since they purchased it in 2007.
"Thursday is 18 and over college ID night, and that has been tremendously successful with Case, John Carroll and Notre Dame students," says Mercer, who opened the venue in mid-February. "We're making use of the 50 by 50 theatre screen and bringing that back to life. We put in a brand-new DJ booth and probably have $100,000 in light and sound -- it's pretty spectacular."
The video dance club is open Thursday to Saturday from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. There is a large dance floor and raised areas for the exhibitionists. The screen offers an added element of fun (think dancing in front of a 50-foot Diana Ross).
"I'm happy to be coming home to an area like Coventry Village, where there's so much fun to be had," says Mercer, a Cleveland Heights native. "We saw this as a missing element that would help to take the area to another level."
The property previously housed a Johnny Malloy's that closed after several years. Fracas, a white-tablecloth restaurant, attempted to make a go of it but closed after six months.
Mercer claims that he will avoid the pitfalls that beset so many other clubs by maintaining a strict attitude towards security and a proactive stance with the Cleveland Heights police. "I meet with the chief's office every single week."
The developers have also brought back to life the Centrum Theatre marquee, investing $10,000 -- $5,000 in light bulbs alone -- in its restoration.
Source: Mike Mercer
Writer: Lee Chilcote
During a recent address at the City Club of Cleveland, Joel Ratner of Neighborhood Progress Inc. touted recent success stories that the nonprofit has invested in, including a new home for The Intergenerational School underway at the Saint Luke's campus.
Ratner believes that even though Cleveland has been hard hit by the foreclosure crisis, the city can stabilize its population and begin to grow again through promoting thoughtful, equitable, synergistic development that helps everyone succeed.
"For a long time, there was a debate over whether it makes sense to invest in people or place," said Ratner. "However, we believe it should be people and place."
Ratner cited Pittsburgh as an example of a city whose population has been right-sized and has even begun to grow again in recent years.
As examples of why community development matters, Ratner presented statistics showing that neighborhoods where NPI invested heavily over the past decade not only fell less steeply in the recession, but are also coming back more quickly than others. He also believes that every Cleveland neighborhood can be successful.
Ratner touted the recently-announced Slavic Village Reclaim Project, which leverages private investment by Safeco Properties and Forest City to help rehab 2,000+ properties on 440 acres, as one example of innovative best practices.
He also cited NPI's partnership with the Key Bank Financial Education Center to help low-income residents build wealth through savings and investment programs. Through a possible merger with Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition and LiveCleveland, Ratner hopes to begin serving additional neighborhoods.
Source: Joel Ratner
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Ratner believes that even though Cleveland has been hard hit by the foreclosure crisis, the city can stabilize its population and begin to grow again through promoting thoughtful, equitable, synergistic development that helps everyone succeed.
"For a long time, there was a debate over whether it makes sense to invest in people or place," said Ratner. "However, we believe it should be people and place."
Ratner cited Pittsburgh as an example of a city whose population has been right-sized and has even begun to grow again in recent years.
As examples of why community development matters, Ratner presented statistics showing that neighborhoods where NPI invested heavily over the past decade not only fell less steeply in the recession, but are also coming back more quickly than others. He also believes that every Cleveland neighborhood can be successful.
Ratner touted the recently-announced Slavic Village Reclaim Project, which leverages private investment by Safeco Properties and Forest City to help rehab 2,000+ properties on 440 acres, as one example of innovative best practices.
He also cited NPI's partnership with the Key Bank Financial Education Center to help low-income residents build wealth through savings and investment programs. Through a possible merger with Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition and LiveCleveland, Ratner hopes to begin serving additional neighborhoods.
Source: Joel Ratner
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Bizdom and the Shaker LaunchHouse Accelerator (LHX) program each received $200,000 from the Third Frontier Ohio’s New Entrepreneurs (ONE) Fund to invest in a total of 20 startups. The two are the only business accelerators in Ohio to receive the funding.
While Bizdom’s program focuses on software and web opportunities in healthcare, consumer finance, real estate, entertainment, sports, online marketing and gaming, the LHX program centers on technology, internet, mobile and hardware/robotics industries.
However, Bizdom leader Paul Allen says they welcome all types of businesses to apply for their accelerator. “Every company today uses technology in some way, so the definition of technology companies is evolving,” he says. “We do like software, web and apps companies because they are less capital intensive, but we want to see everything. We’ll look at any technology business.”
LaunchHouse will accept applications for the August 12-week accelerator program starting tomorrow. Bizdom's application deadline for the summer program is March 17 and July 7 for the fall program.
The two organizations are looking forward to running their fall programs simultaneously. “We’re looking to collaborate and build jobs and the best businesses in Northeast Ohio,” says LaunchHouse CEO Todd Goldstein.
Allen says the two programs will be of historical importance in the region. “As far as I know, we’ve never had 20 companies at the same time,” he says. “We collaborate whenever we can, wherever it makes sense. The goal is to create lots of successful new businesses, create jobs and replace jobs that have been lost.”
Since January 2012, Bizdom has launched 18 new tech businesses in Cleveland, nine of which received follow-on funding and are profitable. LaunchHouse, which was recently named one of the best incubators in the North and Midwest by Elite Daily, has launched 10 companies in its inaugural accelerator program last summer, and has invested in 40 companies and raised $9 million in follow-on funding since 2008.
Sources: Paul Allen, Todd Goldstein
Writer: Karin Connelly
While Bizdom’s program focuses on software and web opportunities in healthcare, consumer finance, real estate, entertainment, sports, online marketing and gaming, the LHX program centers on technology, internet, mobile and hardware/robotics industries.
However, Bizdom leader Paul Allen says they welcome all types of businesses to apply for their accelerator. “Every company today uses technology in some way, so the definition of technology companies is evolving,” he says. “We do like software, web and apps companies because they are less capital intensive, but we want to see everything. We’ll look at any technology business.”
LaunchHouse will accept applications for the August 12-week accelerator program starting tomorrow. Bizdom's application deadline for the summer program is March 17 and July 7 for the fall program.
The two organizations are looking forward to running their fall programs simultaneously. “We’re looking to collaborate and build jobs and the best businesses in Northeast Ohio,” says LaunchHouse CEO Todd Goldstein.
Allen says the two programs will be of historical importance in the region. “As far as I know, we’ve never had 20 companies at the same time,” he says. “We collaborate whenever we can, wherever it makes sense. The goal is to create lots of successful new businesses, create jobs and replace jobs that have been lost.”
Since January 2012, Bizdom has launched 18 new tech businesses in Cleveland, nine of which received follow-on funding and are profitable. LaunchHouse, which was recently named one of the best incubators in the North and Midwest by Elite Daily, has launched 10 companies in its inaugural accelerator program last summer, and has invested in 40 companies and raised $9 million in follow-on funding since 2008.
Sources: Paul Allen, Todd Goldstein
Writer: Karin Connelly
A student-operated restaurant, a Cleveland-centric advocacy group, and a venture aiming to transform vacant lots into summer program spots for kids were the big winners of The Cleveland Colectivo's fast- pitch presentation event on February 28.
The high-energy affair hosted by Shaker LaunchHouse drew over 125 attendees. They voted on 46 presenters who came with innovative ideas and hopes of getting funding from the Colectivo, a grassroots, Cleveland-based giving circle that pools funds to make contributions in the community.
The three top vote-getters -- Edwins Leadership and Restaurant Institute, The 1990 Project and Literary Lots -- came with accessible, concisely presented ideas that inspired the crowd, says Colectivo founding member Judy Wright. As the crowd favorite, Edwins took home $770 in donations collected at the event.
Colectivo members will next consider the remaining projects to join the crowd's picks. As many as 12 additional ventures will have a chance at this year's grants, which generally range from $500 to $5,000. Grants will be determined and distributed in May.
"We're not a traditional grant-maker," says Wright. "We spend our entire budget every year, and there's no overhead costs. It's basically people putting cash in a pot and giving it away."
Wright, a Lakewood resident, created the Colectivo in 2004 with a group of like-minded friends from the nonprofit sector. She deems this year's fast-pitch event a success, even if every presenter will not be getting their idea funded. It's always good to see a disparate slice of Cleveland's demography getting together, she believes.
"There's some genuine connections being made," Wright says. "It's exciting and energizing. There is some real value in that."
SOURCE: Judy Wright
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
The high-energy affair hosted by Shaker LaunchHouse drew over 125 attendees. They voted on 46 presenters who came with innovative ideas and hopes of getting funding from the Colectivo, a grassroots, Cleveland-based giving circle that pools funds to make contributions in the community.
The three top vote-getters -- Edwins Leadership and Restaurant Institute, The 1990 Project and Literary Lots -- came with accessible, concisely presented ideas that inspired the crowd, says Colectivo founding member Judy Wright. As the crowd favorite, Edwins took home $770 in donations collected at the event.
Colectivo members will next consider the remaining projects to join the crowd's picks. As many as 12 additional ventures will have a chance at this year's grants, which generally range from $500 to $5,000. Grants will be determined and distributed in May.
"We're not a traditional grant-maker," says Wright. "We spend our entire budget every year, and there's no overhead costs. It's basically people putting cash in a pot and giving it away."
Wright, a Lakewood resident, created the Colectivo in 2004 with a group of like-minded friends from the nonprofit sector. She deems this year's fast-pitch event a success, even if every presenter will not be getting their idea funded. It's always good to see a disparate slice of Cleveland's demography getting together, she believes.
"There's some genuine connections being made," Wright says. "It's exciting and energizing. There is some real value in that."
SOURCE: Judy Wright
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
This week, Ohio City Incorporated and Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization launched an unprecedented joint process to develop a streetscape plan for long-suffering Lorain Avenue.
The street, which runs through the heart of Cleveland's west side, was historically a bustling neighborhood retail corridor. Although it fell on hard times beginning in the 70s, it has recently drawn investment by entrepreneurs like Ian P.E. of Palookaville Chili and David Ellison of D.H. Ellison Architects.
The street's classic, character-filled architecture as well as investment by major players like St. Ignatius High School and Urban Community School have made it an attractive breeding ground for up-and-coming members of the creative class.
If this week's public meeting was any indication, neighborhood residents, businesses and stakeholders will have plenty of passionate opinions about the future of this main street. They won't hold back in sharing them, either.
A capacity crowd that showed up to the meeting at Urban Community School voiced concerns about on-street parking, bike lanes, retaining the mixed-use character of the street and ensuring that low-income residents are engaged.
Behnke Associates and Michael Baker Jr. Inc. have been hired to help develop a plan that will include "traffic analysis, utility and signage recommendations as well as cycling analysis, green infrastructure and complete streetscape treatments," according to a handout provided by OCI, DSCDO and the City of Cleveland.
Early signs indicate that the plan will be quite different from those developed for Detroit Avenue and West 25th Street. For one thing, Lorain Avenue is narrower than those streets, which will make it tougher to widen sidewalks and create dedicated bike lanes. Secondly, the street's tenants range from antique shops to manufacturing businesses, making it a distinct challenge to serve all of them.
Nonetheless, representatives of the city and both CDC's pledged to create an inclusive plan that could serve as a model for "complete and green streets" that incorporate all modes of transportation and minimize environmental impacts.
Want to voice your vision for Lorain? A survey will be available beginning March 11th on the OCI and DSCDO websites, and a workshop is scheduled for May 28th.
Source: OCI, DSCDO, City of Cleveland
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The street, which runs through the heart of Cleveland's west side, was historically a bustling neighborhood retail corridor. Although it fell on hard times beginning in the 70s, it has recently drawn investment by entrepreneurs like Ian P.E. of Palookaville Chili and David Ellison of D.H. Ellison Architects.
The street's classic, character-filled architecture as well as investment by major players like St. Ignatius High School and Urban Community School have made it an attractive breeding ground for up-and-coming members of the creative class.
If this week's public meeting was any indication, neighborhood residents, businesses and stakeholders will have plenty of passionate opinions about the future of this main street. They won't hold back in sharing them, either.
A capacity crowd that showed up to the meeting at Urban Community School voiced concerns about on-street parking, bike lanes, retaining the mixed-use character of the street and ensuring that low-income residents are engaged.
Behnke Associates and Michael Baker Jr. Inc. have been hired to help develop a plan that will include "traffic analysis, utility and signage recommendations as well as cycling analysis, green infrastructure and complete streetscape treatments," according to a handout provided by OCI, DSCDO and the City of Cleveland.
Early signs indicate that the plan will be quite different from those developed for Detroit Avenue and West 25th Street. For one thing, Lorain Avenue is narrower than those streets, which will make it tougher to widen sidewalks and create dedicated bike lanes. Secondly, the street's tenants range from antique shops to manufacturing businesses, making it a distinct challenge to serve all of them.
Nonetheless, representatives of the city and both CDC's pledged to create an inclusive plan that could serve as a model for "complete and green streets" that incorporate all modes of transportation and minimize environmental impacts.
Want to voice your vision for Lorain? A survey will be available beginning March 11th on the OCI and DSCDO websites, and a workshop is scheduled for May 28th.
Source: OCI, DSCDO, City of Cleveland
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The Burton D. Morgan Foundation, which supports entrepreneurship education and programming in Northeast Ohio, awarded a $1 million grant to JumpStart last week for an entrepreneurial mentoring program over the next three years.
“Our goal is to reach aspiring entrepreneurs by using the talent and time of the mentors to help these businesses move along with their plans,” explains Deborah D. Hoover, Burton D. Morgan Foundation CEO and president.
The mentoring program has been operating as a pilot program for about a year at JumpStart, with 24 mentor teams participating. The goal is to provide mentoring and support services to 1,500 early stage businesses in the region through 2015.
“This is an amazing investment the Burton D. Morgan Foundation made in JumpStart and the work we’re doing in the region,” says JumpStart COO Cathy Belk. “This is an incredible opportunity for entrepreneurs to access the wisdom and insight of people who have been through the same things they’re going through, people who know how to grow a business in tough positions.”
The grant will allow for the creation of a mentorship council, which will help form the most effective mentoring program. “The council will learn about best practices, understand other programs in the region and the differences between them,” says Belk.
Mentoring was one of Morgan’s core values as an entrepreneur himself. This program fits exactly with the foundation’s mission. “Mr. Morgan helped mentor hundreds of businesses,” says Hoover. “He loved to talk to people and had an open door policy.” Belk adds that JumpStart CEO Ray Leach once received mentoring from Morgan.
Source: Deborah Hoover and Cathy Belk
Writer: Karin Connelly
“Our goal is to reach aspiring entrepreneurs by using the talent and time of the mentors to help these businesses move along with their plans,” explains Deborah D. Hoover, Burton D. Morgan Foundation CEO and president.
The mentoring program has been operating as a pilot program for about a year at JumpStart, with 24 mentor teams participating. The goal is to provide mentoring and support services to 1,500 early stage businesses in the region through 2015.
“This is an amazing investment the Burton D. Morgan Foundation made in JumpStart and the work we’re doing in the region,” says JumpStart COO Cathy Belk. “This is an incredible opportunity for entrepreneurs to access the wisdom and insight of people who have been through the same things they’re going through, people who know how to grow a business in tough positions.”
The grant will allow for the creation of a mentorship council, which will help form the most effective mentoring program. “The council will learn about best practices, understand other programs in the region and the differences between them,” says Belk.
Mentoring was one of Morgan’s core values as an entrepreneur himself. This program fits exactly with the foundation’s mission. “Mr. Morgan helped mentor hundreds of businesses,” says Hoover. “He loved to talk to people and had an open door policy.” Belk adds that JumpStart CEO Ray Leach once received mentoring from Morgan.
Source: Deborah Hoover and Cathy Belk
Writer: Karin Connelly
Startup Weekend is returning to Cleveland March 8-10 at the 5th Street Arcades. An event that originated in Seattle, Startup Weekends occur all over the world and are designed to get people with the entrepreneurial bug together to pitch ideas, form teams to hash the ideas out and potentially form companies.
The event has not been held in Cleveland since 2009, but thanks to the efforts of Hyland Software employees Ryan Marimon and Brian Adams, it’s back and promises to be a jam-packed weekend of ideas. Anyone with a business idea, or just the desire to help build on an idea, is welcome to attend.
“There are no restrictions,” says Marimon. “The interesting thing about Startup Weekend is that many people have the notion, ‘I’m not ready to pack up and quite my job to start a new business.’ The reality is this is about community building, networking with people who have like-minded skills. You can really learn so much, no matter what you are doing.”
Participants give their pitches and the audience votes on the best ideas. Teams are then formed around the best ideas. The rest of the weekend is spent flushing out the businesses before final presentations are made to judges Kendall Wouters, CEO of Reach Ventures; Morris Wheeler of Drummond Road Capital; and Jeff Hoffman, co-founder of ColorJar.
Teams will have access to coaches from successful local businesses for advice. Teams can work around the clock throughout the weekend if they choose.
“Come prepared to not get a lot of sleep,” says Marimon. “It’s an awesome, exciting and intense weekend.” The event begins at 5:30pm Friday and run through 9pm Sunday.
Marimon says 2013 seemed like the perfect time to bring Startup Weekend back to Cleveland. “When you look at what’s happening downtown, it’s definitely a renaissance,” explains Marimon. “We wanted to use this as a springboard for that.”
Registration is $99 for the weekend and includes meals and coffee – all locally sourced. Fresh Water readers however can receive a $25 discount using the code “freshwater” in the promotional code section during registration.
Source: Ryan Marimon
Writer: Karin Connelly
The event has not been held in Cleveland since 2009, but thanks to the efforts of Hyland Software employees Ryan Marimon and Brian Adams, it’s back and promises to be a jam-packed weekend of ideas. Anyone with a business idea, or just the desire to help build on an idea, is welcome to attend.
“There are no restrictions,” says Marimon. “The interesting thing about Startup Weekend is that many people have the notion, ‘I’m not ready to pack up and quite my job to start a new business.’ The reality is this is about community building, networking with people who have like-minded skills. You can really learn so much, no matter what you are doing.”
Participants give their pitches and the audience votes on the best ideas. Teams are then formed around the best ideas. The rest of the weekend is spent flushing out the businesses before final presentations are made to judges Kendall Wouters, CEO of Reach Ventures; Morris Wheeler of Drummond Road Capital; and Jeff Hoffman, co-founder of ColorJar.
Teams will have access to coaches from successful local businesses for advice. Teams can work around the clock throughout the weekend if they choose.
“Come prepared to not get a lot of sleep,” says Marimon. “It’s an awesome, exciting and intense weekend.” The event begins at 5:30pm Friday and run through 9pm Sunday.
Marimon says 2013 seemed like the perfect time to bring Startup Weekend back to Cleveland. “When you look at what’s happening downtown, it’s definitely a renaissance,” explains Marimon. “We wanted to use this as a springboard for that.”
Registration is $99 for the weekend and includes meals and coffee – all locally sourced. Fresh Water readers however can receive a $25 discount using the code “freshwater” in the promotional code section during registration.
Source: Ryan Marimon
Writer: Karin Connelly
Expedient and Fast Switch are bringing their Tech Strategy event to Northeast Ohio. Started in 2007 in Columbus by Fast Switch, the Tech Strategy events are relaxed invitation-only networking events between senior level IT executives and promising technology startup companies.
Expedient got on board as a co-sponsor soon after the group’s inception, and now the two companies brought the concept to 70 attendees at Lockkeepers in Independence on Tuesday, Feb. 26 for its inaugural Tech Strategy NEO. “I think it’s a great, unique concept for this area,” says Michael DeAloia, Expedient’s regional vice president. “It’s invitation-only to senior IT executives so they can meet with their peers while at the same time meeting with a select group of startups.”
The goal is to help the startups generate local customers, find advisory board candidates, access capital, gather employee referrals and receive business plan and strategy critiques. While the structure is casual, startup founders are given a short time to give their elevator pitches to the executives.
Eight startups pitched their companies, including Widdle, DragonID and J-Lynn Entertainment. Additionally, Fast Switch New Ventures and North Coast Angel Fund pitched to the group. “When was the last time a venture group pitched a room full of entrepreneurs,” asked DeAloia.
“It was a fascinating mix of people, creeds and generations in the room and I am always jazzed to be in the company of entrepreneurs and the energy and enthusiasm they possess,” says DeAloia. “I dig hanging out with the experienced executive and enjoy the opportunity to explore their experiences.”
No selling is a firm rule at these meetings, which will occur every two months, although DeAloia admits that occasionally the meetings have led to client relationships. The objective is to provide a casual yet controlled forum for executives to learn about technology start-ups in the region and explore ways to help them succeed.
For information about future Tech Strategy events, contact DeAloia.
Source: Michael DeAloia
Writer: Karin Connelly
Expedient got on board as a co-sponsor soon after the group’s inception, and now the two companies brought the concept to 70 attendees at Lockkeepers in Independence on Tuesday, Feb. 26 for its inaugural Tech Strategy NEO. “I think it’s a great, unique concept for this area,” says Michael DeAloia, Expedient’s regional vice president. “It’s invitation-only to senior IT executives so they can meet with their peers while at the same time meeting with a select group of startups.”
The goal is to help the startups generate local customers, find advisory board candidates, access capital, gather employee referrals and receive business plan and strategy critiques. While the structure is casual, startup founders are given a short time to give their elevator pitches to the executives.
Eight startups pitched their companies, including Widdle, DragonID and J-Lynn Entertainment. Additionally, Fast Switch New Ventures and North Coast Angel Fund pitched to the group. “When was the last time a venture group pitched a room full of entrepreneurs,” asked DeAloia.
“It was a fascinating mix of people, creeds and generations in the room and I am always jazzed to be in the company of entrepreneurs and the energy and enthusiasm they possess,” says DeAloia. “I dig hanging out with the experienced executive and enjoy the opportunity to explore their experiences.”
No selling is a firm rule at these meetings, which will occur every two months, although DeAloia admits that occasionally the meetings have led to client relationships. The objective is to provide a casual yet controlled forum for executives to learn about technology start-ups in the region and explore ways to help them succeed.
For information about future Tech Strategy events, contact DeAloia.
Source: Michael DeAloia
Writer: Karin Connelly
