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News
Our funding locations and their portfolio companies are making news across the U.S. and we’ve put it all right here. Read the latest headlines in your region.
Lorain County Community College Donates Medical Supplies To Hospitals
Lorain County Community College donated hundreds of boxes of medical supplies to four Lorain County hospitals: Cleveland Clinic Avon Hospital; Mercy Health’s Lorain and Allen hospital locations; and University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center in an effort to assist with an on-going shortage of... Read More
Innovation Fund Company JuggerBot 3D Is Addressing The PPE Shortage
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Medical centers across the country are facing a shortage of the personal protective equipment to safely treat patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Caring for a patient in intensive care for a full day requires 36 pairs of gloves, 14 gowns, three pairs of goggles and 13 N-95 face... Read More
Innovation Fund Company Navage's Timing Is On The Nose
In 2015, RhinoSystems Inc., the Brooklyn seller of Navage, a nasal irrigation system, trademarked the phrase, "Nasal Hygiene will be to the 21st Century what Oral Hygiene was to the 20th!" The catchphrase even is plastered over the entrance to the company's offices and manufacturing facility in Br... Read More
Innovation Fund Graduate Mbrio Tech Featured In Cleveland Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, Ohio — In 2006, Julianne Klinger was pregnant with her first child with husband Jonathan. They were living in Jonathan’s native England, where midwives urge pregnant women to play music for their unborn babies to promote bonding. Julianne looked for a device that would make it easy t... Read More
AI startups LIFTR and Prophit.ai want to hire people, not replace them
The Cleveland startup LIFTR uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help companies model how audiences will engage with ads, saving businesses the time and money of traditional A/B testing. Although it just released its first product in January, the company has already attracted a number of significan... Read More
Innovation Fund Awards $225,000 to 4 Northeast Ohio Start-Up Companies
February 17, 2019 |Elyria, OH: Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio, the region’s most active pre-seed fund for technology-based startups, has awarded a combined $225,000 to 4 young companies. These companies will receive Innovation Fund awards ranging from $25,000 to $100,000, allowing them t... Read More
See How Innovation Fund NEO Recipient RooSense Is Using Cutting-Edge Technology To Battle Dehydration
For athletes, getting enough water is simple, right? You take a drink when you’re thirsty. But one Ohio company is showing that runners, competitors and others have been approaching hydration with a stone-age mindset. Akron startup RooSense has developed a wearable textile that can monitor fluid l... Read More
Innovation Fund Company Hedgemon is a Game Changer
AKRON, Ohio — Emily Kennedy, and her Akron-based start-up Hedgemon, just might be part of the solution to football's concussion troubles. Kennedy and her team are hoping to change the game with help from a hedgehog. "We were pretty surprised by what we learned about the hedgehog," Kennedy said. "... Read More
Innovation Fund Winner Fontus Blue is Using Tech to Clean Your Drinking Water
How The Akron Startup Is Fixing Old Methods With New Tech After decades of technological advances, you would assume the tech used to clean our drinking water has kept up with other industries. But that’s not necessarily true — just ask Fontus Blue President, CEO and founder Chris Miller. The... Read More
Innovation Fund Recipient RoadPrintz Inc. signs license agreement with CWRU to advance robotic street-painting technology
Automated truck invention makes road-painting safer, faster, cheaper A new invention by a former Cleveland Heights auto repair-shop owner and Case Western Reserve University engineering professor promises to make painting streets cheaper, faster and less risky to road workers. Their company is c... Read More
Innovation Fund Winners Hyr Medical and Axuall are partnering up to pilot digital credentialing for physicians
Hyr Medical — a Cleveland startup that connects health care providers to places to practice — has partnered with Axuall, a digital verification company, also in Cleveland, to pilot portable digital credentials across portions of Hyr's network of more than 650 physicians, according to a... Read More
The Birth of a Baby-tech Startup
Inspiration arrives in unexpected ways. Thirteen years ago, Jonathan Klinger came home from work to find his wife, Julianne, in the living room of their home in Cambridge, England. She was holding a CD player and had big earmuff-sized headphones strapped to her preg... Read More
Innovation Fund Commits $275,000 to 5 Northeast Ohio Startup Companies
December 9, 2019 |Elyria, OH: Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio, the region’s most active pre-seed fund for technology-based startups, has awarded $275,000 to five startup companies. These companies are due to receive Innovation Fund awards ranging from $25,000 to $75,000, allowing them to carry out ... Read More
Innovation Fund Awardee Hyr Medical Offers a Solution to Healthcare Staffing
Healthcare staffing has long been a big business — and a major spend category for hospitals and healthcare systems. But are the established staffing models meeting the needs and expectations of healthcare delivery organizations and contingent healthcare professionals? And are there alternatives? S... Read More
Farm Fare Wants to Help the Environment with Small Farms
What if eating locally sourced food wasn't just a trend or a bonus, but a way of life? That's the vision for Farm Fare, a Cleveland startup that created a custom software to help small farms compete with large, industrialized competitors by sharing resources and providing logistics to help keep co... Read More
iRxReminder wins AMIA 2019 PitchIT
iRx Reminder wins national AMIA 2019 PitchIT contest in Washington DC iRx Reminder, a Cleveland-based start-up, selected as the winner of the 3rd annual American Medical Informatics Association competition in Washington DC. Cleveland, OH- The American Medical Informatics Association held its third... Read More
4 Innovation Fund Winners Chosen As The Best Tech Startups In Cleveland For 2020
The Tech Tribune recently released a list of the best tech startups in Cleveland for 2020. Out of the ten companies chosen, 4 of them were Innovation Fund NEO award winners. These companies are Heureka Software, BoxCast, iRx Reminder, and FarmFare. Heureka Software: The Heureka Intelligence Platfor... Read More
Innovation Fund Awardee Hedgemon to Compete in NFL Helmet Challenge
The NFL kicked off its helmet challenge with a symposium in Youngstown Thursday. The NFL Helmet Challenge is offering $3 million in grants and award money to the developer of a new, safer helmet that outperforms current helmets. About 300 people from around the world, from helmet makers to innovator... Read More
Innovation Fund Graduate MedCity News Acquired By Breaking Media
Breaking Media, the owner of b-to-b sites like Fashionista, has acquired MedCity News as an attempt to branch into the health-care market. MedCity News is the leading online news source for the business of innovation in healthcare. It offers insight into what’s next and what matters with a mix of ... Read More
Innovation Fund Recipient RoadPrintz Devises An Inexpensive Way To Paint Lines On Streets
Workers painting lines on resurfaced roads need to wait 40 minutes for the paint to dry before moving on. If they lift the stencils too soon, the paint will smear. RoadPrintz Founder Sam Bell knew there had to be an easier way. So he decided to develop a special truck equipped with a robotic arm th... Read More
LCCC holds open house for renovated Campana Center
Members of local businesses and community members gathered Oct. 3 at Lorain County Community College to see how the Patsie C, and Dolores Jenee Campana Center for Ideation and Invention has expanded to offer a myriad of tools that help bring ideas to life. The open house also included a presentation... Read More
Augment Therapy Could Secure Up To $750,000 In Funding Due To Youngstown Business Incubator Shark Tank Event
As the finalists of the Youngstown Business Incubator’s inaugural Shark Tank event left the stage May 3, they were happy with what they walked away with: some prize money and access to the expertise of five local investors and the YBI. But in the months since, the initial prizes – $6,000 to Augm... Read More
Come Join Us at the Campana Center Opening
Join us on October 3rd as we celebrate the Campana Center’s most recent expansion, which includes spaces designed to bring a community of ideas to life. A regional hot-spot for makers, inventors and businesses the Campana Center gives everyone the skills, equipment and confidence needed to turn a... Read More
How Tech Company JuggerBot 3D is Rethinking Manufacturing
The framework of american manufacturing is changing once again. Zac Divencenzo, co-founder of JuggerBot 3D, is on the cutting edge of this new revolution. JuggerBot 3D is a technology company responsible for creating a line of engineering-grade 3D printers. In a new video titled "Rethinking Manufac... Read More
3 Innovation Fund Companies Selected for VentureOhio's 50 Startups to Watch
VentureOhio recently released its list of the Top 50 Startups to Watch for 2019. Three of the startups listed are Innovation Fund companies. The Innovation Fund companies mentioned are Folio Photonics, Heureka Software, and Wisr. Folio Photonics is the developer of an optical data storage solut... Read More
Innovation Fund Awards $225,000 to 3 Northeast Ohio Start-Up Companies
August 14, 2019 | Elyria, OH: Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio, the region’s most active pre-seed fund for technology-based startups, has awarded a combined $225,000 to 3 startup companies. These companies will receive Innovation Fund awards ranging from $25,000 to $100,000, allowing them to carry o... Read More
Can Hedgehogs Make Football Safer?
If you have ever seen a Hedgehog before, you may wonder how the quills on their back work. When a hedgehog falls, its spine functions as a shock-absorber and protects it. If these quills could somehow be replicated for humans, they could potentially offer similar protection. This is where ... Read More
SPR Therapeutics Revolutionizes Pain Relief With New Medical Device
Currently in the midst of an opiod crisis, patients and doctors have been looking far and wide to discover a solution that could offer less invasive surgeries as well as less harmful side effects. This is where SPR Therapeutics takes over. Their transformative new medical device, the Sprint PNS Sys... Read More
Groupmatics is tool for star-studded event
There are quite a few reasons why the MLB All-Star Game's return to Cleveland in July was special for Matt Mastrangelo. The Groupmatics founder and CEO is a Northeast Ohio native who got his start in sales as an account executive with the Cleveland Indians in 2005. Fast-forward more than 14 years,... Read More
Innovation Fund Awards a Combined $737K to 14 start-up companies over the past 6 months
Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio, the region’s most active pre-seed fund for technology-based startups, has awarded a combined $737,500 to 14 startup companies over the past six months. The companies will receive Innovation Fund awards of between $12,500 and $100,000 enabling them to complete projec... Read More
Innovation Fund awards $375,000 to 6 Northeast Ohio startups
Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio, the region’s most active pre-seed fund for technology-based startups, has awarded a combined $375,000 to six young companies. The startups will match the Innovation Fund awards, between $25,000 and $100,000, with non-state funding, enabling them to complete $50,000 ... Read More
Akron software developers take a deep dive into recruiting
Ask 12 recruiters or hiring managers what is wrong with talent acquisition and you will likely get a dozen different answers. An Akron startup aims to tackle at least one of those issues. DeepHire, launched by recent University of Akron graduates and hackathon enthusiasts Steven Gates and Russell Ra... Read More
Making your text messages more exciting with Vlipsy
The Vlipsy app, created here in Northeast Ohio, can make your text messages a bit more exciting. ... Read More
MedaSync's founder has experience on his side
Gene Groys, the entrepreneur behind OnShift, is taking the lessons he learned from launching that company and applying them to his new venture: MedaSync. He isn't straying far from his expertise. OnShift is a Cleveland-based post-acute care and senior living staff scheduling software company. Groy... Read More
MedaSync's founder has experience on his side
Gene Groys, the entrepreneur behind OnShift, is taking the lessons he learned from launching that company and applying them to his new venture: MedaSync. He isn't straying far from his expertise. OnShift is a Cleveland-based post-acute care and senior living staff scheduling software company. Groy... Read More
Innovation Fund Commits $250,000 to Local Tech Startups
Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio, the region’s most active pre-seed fund for technology-based startups, has awarded a combined $250,000 to six companies. The startups will use the awards – between $25,000 and $100,000 – to complete specific projects that will bring their technologies closer to m... Read More
BoxCast Ready to Go Pro As Simple Streaming Platform Gains Visibility
New Deal with 1SourceVideo Puts H.264 Box On Sale Through B&H, Adorama and DVE Store BoxCast CEO and co-founder Gordon Daily says he realized the business world needed a simple, plug-and-play streaming video solution years ago, when he was working nights as tech support for a funeral home. The... Read More
Cleveland lighting company Mr. Beams soon to be part of Amazon
Cleveland-area entrepreneurs David Levine and Michael Recker have received plenty of accolades for the Mr. Beams battery-operated, motion-sensing lights they first introduced more than a decade ago. But perhaps the greatest validation came Tuesday afternoon, when Reuters reported that thei... Read More
Babysitting app Komae, based in Akron, puts tech spin to sharing child care
It's expensive and time-consuming to find a babysitter for date night. So mom-entrepreneurs Audrey Wallace and Amy Husted created a business to fix that. Their website and free app, Komae, manages a babysitting co-op among friends. Moms earn points when they watch other people's kids, then use thos... Read More
Exero Labs, founded by Zoltan Mesko, is a finalist in Super Bowl startup competition
Zoltan Mesko is in Minneapolis for Super Bowl weekend, but not just because he's a former New England Patriots punter who loves the game. This Chagrin Falls resident has shifted his focus to tackling perhaps the biggest health issue facing football in the 21st century: head trauma. Exero Labs foun... Read More
Ring acquires Mr. Beams LED maker Wireless Environment
Ring has acquired local LED maker Wireless Environment, a deal that generated "a big return" for JumpStart Inc. and the individuals who invested in the company, according to co-founder David Levine. The Mayfield Village-based company — which makes the Mr. Beams line of LED products — is now ... Read More
Cleveland startup Mr. Beams purchased by home security company Ring
Mr. Beams, a Cleveland-based LED lighting technology company, has been purchased by Ring, a leader in home security, it was announced Monday at CES, the consumer electronics show in Las Vegas. The combined businesses will integrate smart, energy-efficient lights into security devices and market... Read More
5 Questions with the founder of Vlipsy
Vlipsy—a new video clip search engine that lets users quickly find and share quotes and scenes from their favorite internet videos—is one of the newest companies to join the Innovation Fund portfolio. Here’s what CEO and co-founder, Chris Nickless, had to say about why he and Matt Tew s... Read More
Doctors Use Virtual Reality to Prepare for Surgeries
Felicia Luna had a really bad headache. She said the painful pressure felt “like someone was squeezing my head really tight.” The pain became so bad that the 41-year-old woman could not lie down and rest her head on a pillow. Felicia Luna, more relaxed after viewing her aneurysm through virtual ... Read More
Five Technology Startups Win Innovation Fund Awards
Funds accelerate the progress of Northeast Ohio’s young, high-growth companies Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio, the region’s most active pre-seed fund for technology-based startups, has awarded a combined $165,000 to five young companies. Since its 2007 launch, the Innovation Fund has committed... Read More
Brandyn Armstrong's Studio Stick wins 'Steve Harvey's Funderdome'
Aspiring rapper Brandyn Armstrong wanted to go to a professional audio studio to record his music, but he didn't have money or transportation. He needed a portable home studio that he could use at any time. So he invented one. "I created a product (to solve a) problem I had," said Armstrong, 25, of ... Read More
Cleveland-based Thermalin gets funding for diabetes research
Case Western Reserve University diabetes researcher Dr. Michael Weiss is determined to unlock the mysteries surrounding diabetes. The company he co-founded, Cleveland-based Thermalin, Inc., uses cutting-edge science to alter the insulin molecule to treat diabetes. Weiss is a professor of biomedical ... Read More
Canton startup Vlipsy makes some noise with $1.3 million in seed financing
Vlipsy, a Canton startup that helps people augment their online communications with video clips that include sound, announced it has raised $1.3 million in seed funding from investors that include JumpStart Inc., North Coast Angel Fund, Impact Angel Fund, Flashstarts, GLIDE and Cox Enterpri... Read More
LCCC picked for program on intellectual property
Lorain County Community College announced it is one of six colleges nationally, and the only one in Ohio, to be chosen to participate in an innovative program that provides intellectual property curriculum for entrepreneurs at the undergraduate level. The program is a partnership through the Nationa... Read More
A New Home for the Future of Manufacturing
Campana Center for Ideation and Invention promotes innovation and job growth in Northeast Ohio with access to cutting-edge digital manufacturing and fabrication capabilities Growing up in Lorain County, Bob Campana was mesmerized by the manufacturing bustle that defined Northeast Ohio. “It ... Read More
Ohio Third Frontier provides grants to two Cleveland tech startups
Two Cleveland startups on Friday, Sept. 15, received a total of $250,000 from the Ohio Third Frontier Commission to help them advance their technology and accelerate the process of getting products to market. The money comes from the Ohio Third Frontier Technology Validation and Start-up Fund. Th... Read More
SPR Therapeutics raises $25 million in Series C financing
SPR Therapeutics Inc., a medical device company in Highland Hills that has developed a neurostimulation platform for chronic and acute pain, announced on Tuesday morning, Sept. 12, that it has received $25 million in Series C financing. The round was led by Basking Ridge, N.J.-based Frontcourt Vent... Read More
Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio Awards $150,000 to 4 Tech Businesses
40th cycle marks 10-year anniversary for fund that’s committed more than $12 million to startups Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio, the region’s most active pre-seed fund for technology-based startups, has awarded a combined $150,000 to four young companies. This latest funding announcement marks t... Read More
The path from idea to patent
When faculty members at research institutions make discoveries, their next steps are clear: Disclose the innovation to the tech transfer office, where the idea will be reviewed before filing a patent application. But outside of research institutions – for undergrad students and faculty at non-rese... Read More
Why Your Hospital Just Hired a Video-Game Developer
The patient is lying on the table in front of me, bright fluorescent lights shining down on her blood-stained clothes. I know she’s been in a car accident, but I have no idea of the extent of the damage yet. I step closer to the table and glance at her vitals on the screen next to her. My scrubs-c... Read More
Macomb Innovation Fund announces $75,000 in awards to two Detroit-area technology startups
Chickpea pasta producer Banza becomes Macomb Innovation Fund’s first awardee to contribute to fund replenishment Two early-stage companies, one from Detroit and the second from Macomb County, will receive $75,000 in funding from the Innovation Fund Macomb Community College, Powered by JPMorgan Cha... Read More
These new devices promise to fight pain without opioids
Terri Bryant was working at a cheese factory in 2000 when she injured the delicate, rubbery discs between her spinal bones. That was the start of her chronic pain. Two years later, she had back surgery and started regularly taking fentanyl, a powerful prescription opioid medication. Her pain persist... Read More
Micro Fantasy is eager to take next step
Joel Crites only has about $2,500 in revenue to show for Micro Fantasy, his predictive-gaming startup of two years. But the North Canton Hoover High School graduate continues to swing for the fences, and he's drawing a crowd of people who believe he can make it happen. The company — which has dev... Read More
Akron's Segmint partners with IBM
The Akron-based data-mining and management firm Segmint has announced it has a new partner: none other than IBM. Segmint said on Tuesday, July 11, that it has entered a strategic partnership with IBM to market each other's products to financial service providers. Both companies offer banks and oth... Read More
Top 3 Reasons Startups Don’t Receive Funding
Last month Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio introduced the latest group of companies to win funding awards. This money is usually the first market validation that a new business idea has the potential for success. But there are a number of reasons why a good idea might not be awarded funding—at l... Read More
Micro Fantasy featured on NPR's How I Built This
In the July 10, 2017 issue of How I Built This, host Guy Raz talks with Joel Crites, founder of Mirco Fantasy about how he built his prediction contest app that transforms any smart phone from a distraction to an attraction while following live sports action. How I Built This is a podcast about i... Read More
2 tech startups win $125,000 from Macomb Innovation Fund
Two technology startups in Oakland Country are receiving a $125,000 boost from the Macomb Innovation Fund. Funded by Macomb Community College's Strategic Fund and part of J.P. Morgan Chase's $150 million commitment to Detroit's economic recovery, the award is designed to advance progress of larger s... Read More
O2 RegenTech awarded $100,000 from Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio
O2 RegenTech, a medical device startup out of the University of Akron, has received a boost with $100,000 in funding from the Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio, according to the university. Founded in 2013 by Nic Leipzig, an associate professor in chemical and biomolecular engineering, O2 RegenTech sp... Read More
Babysitting for free without guilt? Here's a new app to help busy parents
How about free babysitting that's trustworthy and guilt-free? It's not a gimmick, it's a new app that two Akron moms created that works like a babysitting exchange. It's called Komae, which is Greek for "village." To use the app, you create your own “village,” or network of moms that only... Read More
Akron startup Cannibuster aims to measure marijuana use in drivers
Talking about legalized pot with her kids made Kathy Stitzlein think about the need for a roadside device to measure levels of marijuana intoxication. As a PhD candidate in biomedical engineering at the University of Akron, Stitzlein invented Cannibuster, which uses a saliva sample to measure levels... Read More
Akron-area startups O2 RegenTech, Vlipsy receive Innovation Fund investments
Two Akron-area companies were among six tech startups to receive a share of $225,000 in the round of investments announced by Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio. The startups will use the money to test technologies and prove business models, according to an Innovation Fund news release. O2 RegenTech of ... Read More
Virtual reality technology arrives at GW Hospital for neurosurgery
Virtual reality technology is now in use at GW Hospital, allowing neurosurgeons to digitally map out operations in advance of the procedure. Precision Virtual Reality technology, created by the company Surgical Theater, arrived at GW Hospital in April and gives doctors and their patients a view insi... Read More
Six Tech Startups Receive $225,000 from Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio
Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio, the area’s most active pre-seed fund for technology-based startups, has awarded a combined $225,000 to six companies. The startups will use the money to complete projects that will test technologies and prove business models. With the recent investments, the Innovat... Read More
Medical scheduling company aspiring for Hyr level
Going to a Hyr level. Local serial entrepreneur Manoj Jhaveri is at it again. Recently, Jhaveri, and his merry band of cohorts, launched Hyr Medical in Highland Heights. The company seeks to solve the locum tenans inefficiencies in medical staffing. Locum tenens is a Latin phrase that means "to hold... Read More
Is The Timing Right For VR In Healthcare?
I wrote recently about the importance of timing for any new innovation, with many new technologies requiring the right environment to thrive. Nowhere is this more evident than with the current burst of innovation in AI, which has depended heavily on both the availability of huge quantities of data... Read More
Revenue Conduit, Blu-Board are seeking startup spotlight: Tech Czar Talk
There are two new Cleveland startups that are changing the entrepreneurial landscape in Northeast Ohio. Cleveland-based Revenue Conduit and Blu-Board are crafting new platforms that are disrupting markets globally. And for those companies seeking a revenue jolt for their e-commerce properties there ... Read More
Cleveland on the verge of virtual reality boom
Cleveland is known for its food and beer scene, sports and culture, but it’s also becoming a budding hub for virtual and augmented reality. People in this field say virtual and augmented reality will change our daily lives similar to when the first iPhone was released. Right now, we’re on the ev... Read More
SPR Therapeutics awarded $6 million U.S. Department of Defense grant
SPR Therapeutics has secured a $6 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense for its non-opioid pain management therapy. The four-year contract will help to advance SPR's SPRINT Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS) System for non-opioid relief of acute and chronic pain. The contract complem... Read More
Massillon company makes metal coating that’s stronger than diamonds
Tesla NanoCoatings set up shop in Massillon with confidence in its products and big dreams for success. It hasn’t taken long for that to happen. Tesla, which produces a corrosion-resistant coating for steel and other metals, has only been in business for a few years at its Massillon site — the ... Read More
Sixth-graders get a lesson in brain surgery using virtual reality headsets
For the sixth-grade class at Davis Magnet School in Costa Mesa, the science lesson for the day means keeping textbooks and notebooks on the shelves while the students pull out virtual reality viewers by Google Cardboard and their smartphones preloaded with 3D videos found on YouTube. As they peer th... Read More
Fitness app, nutrition supplement win top GreenLight pitch competition prizes
A fitness app for swimmers and a wastewater treatment solution were among the winners of a total of $100,000 awarded at The Greenlight Business Model Competition on Wednesday. This year 22 young companies with big ideas competed at Michigan State University's Wharton Center for Performing Arts in... Read More
Akron area marijuana-detection device venture and baby-sitting app attract money from fund promoting innovation
Two very different Akron area innovations — a portable marijuana-detection device and an app that allows users to exchange free baby-sitting services — have each won $25,000 from the region’s nonprofit Innovation Fund. The ventures — the Komae baby-sitting app and Triple Beam Technologies, m... Read More
Innovation Fund awards $175,000 to 4 Northeast Ohio tech startups
Aatru Medical Corp. claimed the top prize of $100,000 from the Innovation Fund. It was one of four Northeast Ohio startups that got funding to help take their products to the next level. Aatru is developing a wound dressing product that leverages technology by designing the industry's first and only... Read More
Innovation Fund Awards $175,000 to Four Northeast Ohio Tech Startups
Region’s most active pre-seed fund has helped startups create nearly 1,000 jobs since 2007 Four local startups will receive a combined $175,000 from Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio, the region’s most active pre-seed fund for technology startups. The companies will use awards between $25,000 and $... Read More
Local company leading the way in cell research
Cleveland 19 News Cleveland, OH The simplest explanation of the research being done at Cleveland based Trailhead Biosystems is that they are working to find a way to control the cells in our bodies to see if they can find a way to cure disease. But there is nothing simple about this dynamic research... Read More
New Feature Makes Re-Applying Easier
A new feature is making it easier for entrepreneurs to re-apply to the Innovation Fund. Now you can copy an old application into the current funding cycle, giving you a head start completing the form. We added this feature because we know that many entrepreneurs apply to the Innovation Fund a few ... Read More
GLIDE at LCCC helps entrepreneurs start businesses
Dr. Simon Melikian invented a way for robots to see and learn. Basically taking the biology of the human eye and turning it into technology. "I knew I had something really, really good to sell," he said. But he had no idea how to turn his creation into a business. "I know how science works,... Read More
Segmint's use of big data adds up to large growth
Big data is turning into a big business in downtown Akron, where the data-mining firm Segmint just moved into new offices in the city-owned Hamlin Building. The 9-year-old company, which moved Jan. 20-21 from One Cascade Plaza, provides data analytics, primarily to banks, savings and loans, and cred... Read More
Macomb Innovation Fund awards $225,000 to five Detroit-area technology startups
Since 2015, 24 companies awarded total of $1.4 million; Nearly 340 students benefit from unique learning experiences Five early-stage companies from Macomb, Washtenaw and Wayne counties will receive $225,000 in funding from the Innovation Fund Macomb Community College, Powered by JPMorgan Chase &... Read More
Cleveland Whiskey founder raises a glass to the crowdfunding process
Tom Lix, the founder and chairman of Cleveland Whiskey LLC, is part of a Forbes roundtable that looks at how the introduction of so-called "equity crowdfunding" has worked for small businesses. For Cleveland Whiskey, it seems, the changes that went into effect last year via Title III of the JOBS... Read More
Toledo firm eyeing entry into 3-D printing market
A local company that specializes in developing moldable polymers derived from wood is working toward the launch of a product designed specifically for 3-D printers that could, in part, replace the two most common printing filaments on the market today. Robert Joyce, founder and co-owner of Toledo-ba... Read More
Hedgehogs Hold the Secret to Preventing Concussions
If you ever find yourself watching hedgehog go about its day, you’ll notice that they tend to fall out of trees — a lot. Wild hedgehogs climb trees as high as 30 feet, looking for insects and food to eat. Sometimes they fall by accident, other times they fall on purpose to evade a predator or be... Read More
Innovation Fund Commits $200,000 to Local Tech Startups
Four technology startups are using a combined $200,000 to get innovative new products closer to commercialization. The companies won between $25,000 and $100,000 from the Northeast Ohio pre-seed fund and will use the money to make prototypes, test the technologies, and hire employees. The founders a... Read More
What would nature do? Emerging field inspires local students
What would nature do? Answering that question is leading to major developments in technology, household products and even in things that help keep our kids safe. Like the padding of a football helmet, for example. Researchers think mimicking the shock-absorbing quills of a hedgehog could better pr... Read More
Look inside my brain
Faced with a very dire health issue, Lucas Deines found himself on the edge of the medical technology frontier. In his emotional and poignant talk, Lucas shares how Virtual Reality, viewed by many as a source of entertainment, saved his life. ... Read More
How a Favor Helped Launch this Fast Growing Business
It all began at a funeral home on Cleveland’s west side. The funeral director wanted to help families with the grieving process when not all members could travel to attend the service. He asked his tech-savvy friend Gordon Daily to help. Gordon, who was working at Rockwell Automation, had a backg... Read More
Pitching your startup to investors? Be ready to answer 3 questions
Entrepreneurs: when pitching to investors, you need to stay focused on only a few key items. While most likely you will be asked about many different aspects of your business, there are three elements you need to understand and be able to discuss in depth and with clarity. Most entrepreneurs would p... Read More
Akron area entrepreneurs invited to event today to learn about applying for Innovation Fund money
The Innovation Fund, a Northeast Ohio fund for early-stage technology startups, is hoting a free informational session from 1 to 3 p.m. today at the Akron Global Business Accelerator in downtown Akron. The session is designed as a forum for entrepreneurs to learn about the fund, get advice on applyi... Read More
Northeast Ohio’s Most Active Seed Fund Seeks Akron Entrepreneurs
Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio will host a free event at the Akron Global Business Accelerator to encourage area startups to apply The Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio, the region’s most active pre-seed fund for technology startups, is heading to Akron to encourage area entrepreneurs to apply for ... Read More
SPLT takes $500,000 top prize at Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition - Mobility company aims to provide transportation for those in underserved neighborhoods
~~The judges for the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition deliberated for more than an hour and a half late Thursday night at Cobo Center in Detroit before naming mobility company SPLT the $500,000 winner. "The candidates were so good and we had such a wide array of awards that trying to decid... Read More
Virtual reality? TEDxManhattanBeach speaker gets a life-saving dose
Virtual reality isn't just for catching Pokémon; it can save your life. In December 2014, Lucas Deines’ life changed dramatically: He learned he had a brain tumor and sought the best medical advice. But, he didn't realize, his doctors would be using medical advancements beyond his imagination. ... Read More
5 Mistakes Startups Make when Negotiating License Agreements
Negotiating a license agreement is hard, especially when you’re the small, young company in the deal. Here are the top five mistakes startups make when negotiating. Skipping legal guidance. In almost every case the licensor will have a team of lawyers guiding them through the process. You should ... Read More
5 Tech Startups Plan for Growth with Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio Money
Five technology startups in Northeast Ohio will keep growing thanks in part to the Innovation Fund. The companies won between $25,000 and $50,000 from the region’s pre-seed fund and their founders will use the money to test technologies, improve products, and hire employees. The founders met at Lo... Read More
BioMendics lines up $7M, tests wound-healing gel
BioMendics lines up $7M, tests wound-healing gel - Crain's Cleveland Business //--> */ Karen McGuire described it as an “oh my goodness” moment. A few years ago, she received the results of an experiment designed to test whether the gel that she and her colleagues created might actuall... Read More
Micro Fantasy startup seeks a home run
Joel Crites’ big business idea occurred when he took his then-16-year-old son to a Cleveland Indians game two years ago. Koby Crites was bored and wanted to leave early. Desperate, his dad brought in a pinch-hitter, so to speak. “I said, ‘Let’s play a game,’ ” Joel said. “You predict w... Read More
As LeBron James boosts Cleveland's profile, more entrepreneurs are moving in
With a historic NBA Championship win on the shoulders of superstar Akron native LeBron James and a successful run hosting the recent Republican National Convention under its belt, the city of Cleveland has stepped into the spotlight in a major way this past summer. But beyond the hype, there's a tig... Read More
Dreaming of an Acquisition? Here’s How to Prepare
You’ve made it as an entrepreneur. Your startup has positive cash flow, proven growth, and a strong management team. What’s next? No problem, you say. Just sell the company for big bucks. Easier said than done. Here are the things you need to think about before considering acquisition. Decide wh... Read More
What a Brain Surgeon’s VR Tool and Pokemon Go Have in Common
Augmented reality may be grabbing headlines with the rise of the hit game Pokemon Go, but a New York surgeon is examining how this technology could be used to save lives during some of the most complex brain operations. Dr. Joshua Bederson, chairman of neurosurgery at Mount Sinai Health System, spen... Read More
TheraVasc Achieves Major Milestone in Development of Non-addicting and Non-sedating Pain Medication to Treat Diabetic Neuropathy
TheraVasc Inc., headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, has announced the successful completion of a Phase II clinical study on patients with diabetic neuropathy pain. The double blind, randomized and placebo controlled trial was just completed in Southwestern Ohio using a new sustained release formula... Read More
FDA gives nod to first percutaneous peripheral nerve stimulation device
On Wednesday, Boston Scientific announced that it’s acquiring a company that makes radio-frequency ablation devices, underscoring the need to offer medtech alternatives to treating chronic pain, which is overwhelmingly addressed by drugs. Another company that is offering up a device solution t... Read More
The Rules of Startup Financials
Applying for funding when you're a cash strapped entrepreneur can be stressful. Developing the financials for your business can bring on additional stress, but it doesn't have to. As long as you have a well thought out business plan, doing the financials to go with it is just a matter of putting the... Read More
FDA Clears SPR Therapeutics Pain Management Device
Minimally Invasive, Non-Opioid Alternative, Stimulates Peripheral Nerves to Provide Sustained Relief of Chronic and Acute Pain SPR® Therapeutics received clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration to commercialize the SPRINT™ Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS) System, the comp... Read More
Fighter pilots invented a revolutionary way for surgeons to peer inside people's skulls
Fighter pilots and brain surgeons have a lot in common. With limited time and a high degree of risk, they must zero in on a dangerous target with the intent to destroy, making sure to minimize any collateral damage. Perhaps no one understands that relationship better than Alon Geri and Moty Avisar, ... Read More
Revenue Conduit gets $250,000 from recapitalized JumpStart fund
JumpStart has chosen the first company that will receive an investment from its recently recapitalized Evergreen Fund: Revenue Conduit. JumpStart has committed $250,000 to the Akron-based e-commerce software company. Revenue Conduit will use the money to speed up the development of its product, whic... Read More
Turning $100,000 into Millions
Every startup that’s raising money needs to start somewhere. For startups in greater Cleveland, that place is the Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio. That’s where Doug Carr brought his company. Doug founded medical device company Thermedx® in 2007 to transform surgical fluid management. During many... Read More
Cleveland Whiskey’s College Connection
Cleveland Whiskey is one of Northeast Ohio’s most successful and well-known startups. The company has raised more than $2 million, perfected a disruptive technology that dramatically accelerates the maturation of distilled spirits, and sold more than 200,000 bottles of its whiskey around the world... Read More
A Cleveland Startup Blazing the Trail in VR Gaming
“VR is not a trend. VR is the sandbox the future will be created in.” That statement is fixed on the website of the Virtual Reality Venture Capital Alliance, a newly launched fund of funds with $10 billion to invest in virtual reality projects. Don Hileman agrees. So much so, he started a busine... Read More
Under the Microscope: Why this Scientist Launched a Startup
Todd Doehring spent years working as a scientist at the Cleveland Clinic and as a professor of Bioengineering at Drexel University. His projects centered on images and micro-testing systems. He wanted to make them work better for doctors and other scientists. Todd researched and taught biomechanics ... Read More
Improve Your Odds of Raising Money
If you’re running a startup, chances are you’ll need to know how to raise capital. You need to know how to find the right potential funding sources and once those sources are identified, how to increase your odds to get funding from those sources. Develop a networking strategy. Finding grants... Read More
How This Startup Captured 92% of Its Customers from Social Media
Beth Potratz owns an eharmony.com of sorts for truckers. Not for love, but for matching truck drivers with jobs they will love. The human resource expert was working on driver recruitment solutions for a trucking industry client when she spotted a two-way challenge: employers couldn’t find the bes... Read More
Drone startup gets funds for weather-related project
The Lorain County Community College-based Innovation Fund, which awards money to help technology-based startup companies, is lending a hand to a company that plans to get off the ground in coming years. One of the Innovation Fund’s latest award-winners is Amherst-based NEOEx, which received $25,00... Read More
Innovation Fund Commits $150,000 to Three Tech Startups
The Innovation Fund, Northeast Ohio’s most active early-stage fund for technology-based startups, has committed a combined $150,000 to three companies. The fund awards startups up to $100,000 so they can validate their technologies and business concepts and often bridges the financial gap between ... Read More
Startups scoop up Venture for America fellows
Boxcast has already hired five fresh college graduates through the Venture for America program. And CEO Gordon Daily says he may very well hire another from this year’s graduating class. He loves the Venture for America program. Loves it. After all, the national fellowship program has provided his... Read More
Top Ways Startups Can Make their Money Last
If you’re running a startup I’ve got one important bit of advice: you will never have enough funding. You will (and should) always be looking for your next source of funds. Well, maybe never is a bit over the top, but never is a good benchmark during the first five years of any startup. Making y... Read More
Bringing Blood Tests Out of the Lab
To perform most blood tests, a nurse draws a vial of blood from a patient and sends the sample to a lab, where it’s spun in a big machine and analyzed. Then the lab technician sends the patient’s results to the physician who ordered the test. The entire process takes up to two hours, but can be ... Read More
Everykey moves into University Circle office, starts shipping device
Everykey now has a real office — and a real product. The company recently moved into a small office near its birthplace, Case Western Reserve University, and it has slowly begun shipping the Everykey fob: a device designed to automatically unlock the owner's smartphone and computer when it gets c... Read More
Anyone Can Back a Startup Now. But Good Luck Finding the Next Uber
New crowdfunding rules taking effect Monday will let anyone—not just the wealthy— invest in startups. But don't bet on the "99 percent" finding the next Uber overnight. The change overrides a longstanding Securities and Exchange Commission requirement that investors backing private compa... Read More
Here's $100,000. How Much of Your Company Do I Get?
It's a valid question. Your innovation is going to require money in order to advance from development to commercial launch. Whether your total capital needs are $3 million or $30 million, the needed money can trickle in via smaller increments or in tranches of millions of dollars—depending on how ... Read More
A Cleveland Startup that's Quietly Winning
Some growing startups are flashy, hit social media hard, and make headlines in Inc. or Entrepreneur. Others grow in a quieter, more conservative way. David Levine built Wireless Environment like that. He and his co-founder Mike Recker launched the Cleveland-based maker of wireless lighting in 200... Read More
Why Every Startup Needs a Task and Timeline
An embryo seems to miraculously mature through layers of development. Cellular differentiation, a forming spinal column, organ development, and more, are all necessary for a healthy, vital birth. Just as the developing fetus goes through a myriad of maturation steps, your innovation and your company... Read More
How Virtual Reality Is Going To Play A Key Role In Healthcare
If you were one of the people who dreamed of a future filled with flying cars and virtual reality, well your dreams weren’t too far off from where we are in 2016. While companies like Terrafugia are knee-deep in development of real-life flying cars, virtual reality is just beginning to take off, a... Read More
10 Startups Move to Final Round in Women Who Tech’s Women Startup Challenge
Women Who Tech launched a massive startup challenge to bring much-needed awareness and support to women-led startups across the country. The Women Who Tech’s Women Startup Challenge 2016 has announced the ten finalists in the competition, who will “pitch and showcase their innovative and disrupt... Read More
Macomb Innovation Fund to Award $225,000 to Three Technology-Focused Startups in Its Third Funding Cycle
Three early-stage companies from Livingston, Washtenaw and Wayne counties will receive a total of $225,000 in funding from the Innovation Fund Macomb Community College, Powered by JPMorgan Chase & Co. The companies represent a broad spectrum of market solutions, including a configurable, advance... Read More
Become Your Community's Economic Growth Hub
As community colleges plan for their upcoming academic years and beyond, they are forming new partnerships, tapping existing or new advisory committees, and creating funding models for working with industry and other external partners. The roles that community colleges are forging now can make them ... Read More
An App that’s Changing the Way We Watch Sports
This month, the Innovation Fund announced its latest funding round, injecting $250,000 into seven Northeast Ohio startups. This cycle was a first for us—it was our first venture into gaming technology. The GLIDE and Innovation Fund team got to know Joel A. Crites and his company, Micro Fantasy, r... Read More
Elyria startup company develops advanced 3-D printing system
A local startup company working out of the Richard Desich Smart Center that has developed an advanced materials 3-D printing system recently completed ballistic testing with the Army Research Lab for possible use in ceramic body armor technology. HotEnd Works founder Ben Becker, of Wellington, said ... Read More
Two tech startups receive funding
JuggerBot 3D plans to build two 3-D printer prototypes to further the company’s research. Enyx Studios will create a trailer to market its new virtual-reality game. This is what two local startups plan to do with the $25,000 they each received from Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio. “These funds al... Read More
Seven Startups Win $250,000 from Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio
Seven local technology startups have won a combined $250,000 from Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio. One company won the $100,000 award, which is matched dollar for dollar enabling companies to complete $200,000 projects that should further their businesses. And six startups received $25,000 grants to ... Read More
2 YBI Startups Receive $25K Innovation Fund Grants
Two startup portfolio companies at the Youngstown Business Incubator have received $25,000 apiece from The Innovation Fund of Northeast Ohio to help offset costs associated with equipment, development, and project validation, the fund announced today. Enyx Studios, a video game development studio th... Read More
Groupmatics is adding to its impressive collection of pro sports teams as clients
Groupmatics is growing rapidly, though founder Matt Mastrangelo admits a 540% year-over-year revenue jump from 2014 to 2015 is easier to achieve when a company is only a few years removed from its launch. But the Westlake software company, which helps sports teams and entertainment venues manage gr... Read More
Hoag uses virtual reality to take surgery into a new dimension
Marcus Barnes couldn’t have envisioned what he was about to see. One month after successful brain surgery, the Irvine resident sat in an operating room at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach and was handed a pair of virtual reality goggles. “There’s your long-gone nemesis,” said Dr. Christopher Duma... Read More
Cleveland's biotech industry attracted $200 million in 2015, report says
Cleveland's health care industry attracted $201 million in funding from investors in 2015, with medical device makers and pharmaceutical companies leading the city's efforts to stand out as a major player in the biotechnology sector, according to a new report. The report by BioEnterprise, a business... Read More
Case Western graduates develop password storage device
You go to type in a password only to realize you cannot remember it. How often does that happen to you? A group of Case Western graduates say they took note of this problem and developed a solution. "This is Everykey,” said Everykey Inc. CEO Chris Wentz. “It replaces all my keys and password... Read More
VR in Healthcare – Surgical Theatre comes to Los Angeles
As we have stayed focused on the news and coverage around the launch of the various virtual reality headsets, a quiet revolution has been transpiring around the use case of Virtual Reality in medicine. VR in healthcare is projected to be a big sector as evidenced in the new Goldman Sachs research re... Read More
Innovation Fund awards $350,000 to five startups
The Innovation Fund has awarded a total of $350,000 to five local startup companies, according to a news release from the in Lorain County-based fund. Three of the companies — Yourefolio of Cleveland, Cormetrics of Cleveland and Revenue Conduit of Copley — received $100,000 loans that they’l... Read More
Five Technology Startups Win $350,000 from the Innovation Fund
The Innovation Fund, Northeast Ohio’s early-stage fund for technology startups, has committed $350,000 to five local businesses. Three companies won $100,000 awards, which are matched dollar for dollar and help prove business models, while two received $25,000 grants meant to validate technologies... Read More
The 25 Best Inventions of 2015
Welcome to TIME’s annual round-up of the best inventions making the world better, smarter and—in some cases—a little more fun. Power Pasta Banza Chickpea Pasta / $4+ per 8 oz. boxAvailable at EatBanza.com “When people think of pasta, they almost always think, I ate way too much and n... Read More
Banza Pasta Named One of the Top 25 Inventions of 2015 by TIME Magazine
Detroit, MI. (November 19, 2015) — TIME dubbed Banza the "Power Pasta" and placed it on their annual "25 Best Inventions of 2015" list among a bevy of high-tech gadgets such as the ‘hoverboard’ scooter, drone ports, and Google Cardboard all-access virtual reality. Banza pasta, made from chickp... Read More
State of the art: Tech growth on the rise in Northeast Ohio
A recent Forbes article posits Cleveland as the Midwest’s version of Silicon Valley. A growing hub for technology entrepreneurs, Northeast Ohio continues an upward trend. ... The Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise, on the Lorain County Community College campus, is another of those r... Read More
SPR's pain patch is pleasing researchers
When conducting research, Dr. Brian Ilfeld tries his best to be dispassionate and logical. SPR Therapeutics has made that task difficult. The Highland Hills-based company's first product could have a huge impact on the world of pain management, according to Ilfeld, a professor of anesthesiology at t... Read More
Five local startup companies raised $275,000 from Innovation Fund at Lorain County Community College
Five local startup companies have raised $275,000 from the Innovation Fund at Lorain County Community College. Two companies received $100,000 non-recourse loans, which only need to be paid back if the companies are successful. The other three received $25,000 grants, according to a news release fro... Read More
Content Marketing Institute, Boxcast leaders exemplify entrepreneurs who listen
Boxcast is truly one of Cleveland's coolest tech companies, and is housed in a unique space -- the top floor of the old terminal building at Burke Lakefront Airport. Boxcast's technology is able to deliver live, HD video from anyone with a camera to almost anywhere in the world. Boxcast is a simple ... Read More
Tech that produces more whiskey faster
Using its carefully guarded trade secrets, one small business is pushing new methods into the world of whiskey to address higher demand for the spirits. With more modern technology than what's used in the traditional whiskey-making process, Cleveland, Ohio-based distiller Cleveland Whiskey has refin... Read More
Website making ripples in water industry
Recently, someone from a local water technology company told Bryan Stubbs that the business might join the Cleveland Water Alliance. The main reason? It wants a subscription to SplashLink.com. Since last fall, the Beachwood-based website has signed up hundreds of paid subscribers, all of whom are so... Read More
Surgical Theater: Using virtual reality as a surgical tool
The concept smacks of that 1966 movie, Fantastic Voyage: Cleveland startup Surgical Theater has developed a virtual reality software system that allows surgeons to journey through a patient’s body to get acquainted with the surgical site in advance of a complicated operation. ... Read More
SPR Therapeutics to receive $1.45 million grant from National Institutes of Health
SPR Therapeutics will receive a $1.45 million grant that it will use to develop an implantable version of its nerve stimulation system, which is used to treat post-amputation pain. The Highland Hills-based company is in the process of testing a non-implantable version of its technology in clinical t... Read More
Event 38’s Drones Give Farmers New Perspective
It’s safe to say Garrett Nees’ grandfather, a farmer all his life, was skeptical when he heard the 18-year-old say he had found a new way to improve their crop yield. “My grandpa thought I was crazy,” he says, unable to hold back a laugh. The family-owned farm in Breeda, Iowa, is home to hog... Read More
Doctors Use New 3-D Tech to Prepare for Brain Surgery
For the first time, brain surgeons at UCLA’s Neurosurgery Center can look inside the heads of their patients before they go under the knife. Using a breakthrough tool called the Surgical Theater, doctors can create ultra-realistic 3-D virtual replicas of a patient’s brain and look inside when pr... Read More
Northeast Ohio medical technology projects get financial boost from Third Frontier program
A slew of high-tech medical projects are getting a financial boost from the Ohio Third Frontier program. Eight of the 10 projects that received funding were related to medical technology. And eight of the 10 projects were based in Northeast Ohio, according to a news release from the Third Frontier, ... Read More
Fueled by TechStars, Cleveland startup ExpenseBot ready to launch--somewhere
Edward Buchholz feels more confident than most entrepreneurs at the early stage of a startup, and no wonder. He's a freshly minted product of TechStars, perhaps the nation's most esteemed business accelerator, with the venture capital to prove it. Now he's looking for a place to launch. ... Read More
Application period nears for Innovation Fund program
Story excerpt provided by Crain's Detroit Business Written by Kirk Pinho The application period for up to $100,000 in funding for startup and emerging businesses through the Innovation Fund, a partnership between Macomb Community College and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., begins next month. MCC Presid... Read More
Millennial Eugene Malinskiy gains traction with his biomedical engineering firm: values manufacturing
Eugene Malinskiy is a Northeast Ohio millennial who gets pumped just thinking about manufacturing. At 29, the founder of a Cleveland Heights-based biomedical engineering firm knows he can't create new devices without the industry. Among the nation's 80 million millennials, roughly described as young... Read More
Founder of Cleveland Heights-based Dragon ID makes the Forbes.com 30 Under 30 list
The exceptionally attractive 30 Under 30 package from Forbes.com highlights the work of a young founder of a Cleveland Heights biomedical firm. Eugene Malinskiy, 29, founder of DragonID, is among those highlighted in the manufacturing and industry category. ... Read More
Cleveland Clinic spinout’s 3D surgical platform could reduce radiation exposure during operations
A Cleveland Clinic spinout will give surgeons a “GPS-like” tool to navigate a patient’s insides while they’re on the operating table, so as to improve the efficacy and safeness of a surgical procedure. The startup, called Centerline Biomedical, will reduce radiation exposure, to boot. ... Read More
Akron drone maker Event 38 attracts GLIDE funding and a welcome in Africa
Event 38, the Akron drone maker that I wrote about in September, is flying ever higher. The young company was just awarded $25,000 from the Innovation Fund of GLIDE, the Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise, to expand its eye-in-the-sky capability. ... Read More
Akron drone maker and medical venture each nab $25,000 award
Wednesday, the region’s nonprofit Innovation Fund said it has awarded $25,000 to Event 38, as well another Akron startup, BioMendics LLC, which is developing a gel to heal wounds. The fund is designed to help young companies at early stages of development. ... Read More
Motorcycles Made More Visible in the Most Amazing Way
A company called Darkside Scientific has teamed up with Progressive Insurance to bring to light a better and amazing way to make motorcycles more visible to other drivers at night. Darkside has done the research and come up with a paint that will light up with just the flick of a switch, and the app... Read More
App for collaborating writers wins top prize at ‘Pitch Night’ in Hudson
An online app called Beegit, which is designed to make it easier for writers to work together on a project, won the top prize in the second annual Pitch Night business competition Thursday in Hudson. Beegit LLC, a startup headquartered in Cleveland, won $3,000 in the business idea competition akin t... Read More
This Wristband Wants To Replace All Of Your Keys And Passwords
Chris Wentz was just finishing up his stint at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, when he found himself working on a group project for an entrepreneurship class. The assignment was pretty open ended: Come up with any business idea. Along with his teammates, Wentz came up with a crea... Read More
Local company creates high-tech dog toys that clean teeth
Keeping your canine's chompers clean can be real struggle, but a Cleveland company has a high-tech solution. It looks like a normal chew toy, but there's a secret hidden inside. "The device is motion activated, so all your dog has to do it play with it," said Paul Ruflin, with Animal Oralectrics. Wh... Read More
Zumby: A teeth-cleaning dog toy
We've all heard the phrase "dog breath." Dogs don't brush their teeth like humans do, and sometimes their breath gets pretty stinky. But now, a Cleveland-based company hopes to change that with a new toy, called "Zumby." Paul Ruflin of Animal Oralectrics and Kelly Gentile, as well as their dog, Hipp... Read More
Everykey's wristband that replaces keys and passwords takes first place at ProtoTech pitch competition
Chris Wentz threw keys behind his back and used fire to light up a piece of paper Tuesday evening at Magnet's first pitch competition for hardware startups. Two hours later he walked away with $12,000 in funding to help launch Everykey, an electronic wristband designed to replace keys and passwords.... Read More
Nikola laterally moving pedal
Nikola is the brain child of Nick Stevovich from Rocky River, Ohio. Stevovich took his background in speed skating and applied that to the bicycle pedal and has developed a laterally moving pedal that he developed in an effort to increase power and speed. ... Read More
Tech Czar Talk: Akron deserves props for being an emerging center for games, software
This week the Tech Czar explores the powerful data analytics software developed by Segmint and the rich gaming experiences being fueled by Blue Frog Gaming, both companies calling Akron home. ... Read More
BoxCast and 1450WXVW to Broadcast High School Football
BoxCast, a Cleveland, OH-based technology company that delivers streaming high-definition video broadcasts, is partnering with 1450WXVW: The Sports Buzz, a radio station based in Jeffersonville, IN, to broadcast Kentuckiana high school football this fall. Together, the companies will offer sports fa... Read More
ExpenseBot accepted into Colorado-based TechStars business accelerator
Calling it "a once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity doesn't quite do it justice. A local software company called ExpenseBot has been accepted into the TechStars business accelerator in Boulder, Colo. — a highly selective program that has made a name for itself in tech circles across the country. Getting... Read More
Plum Print booms, turning children's artwork into books
Story excerpt provided by Citizen-Times Written by Dale Neal Meg Ragland faced the kind of problem that confronts any proud parent. What to do with all those crayoned masterpieces your child brings home from school for display on the refrigerator — semester after semester, grade after grade? Sh... Read More
$150K from LBCC's Inaugural 'Innovation Fund' Spread Amongst Three Businesses
Story excerpt provided by Long Beach Post Written by Brian Addison Two Los Angeles and one West Hollywood company will receive generous financial awards from Long Beach City College’s inaugural Innovation Fund So Cal. The fund—announced and launched earlier this year—is a partnership with LBCC... Read More
Long Beach City College awards $150,000 to startup firms
Story excerpt provided by Orange County Register Written by Pat Maio Long Beach City College, one of two colleges nationwide funding and mentoring high-growth startup companies, granted $150,000 in seed money to help three businesses grow their businesses in the Los Angeles area, the college announc... Read More
Long Beach City College announces Innovation Fund recipients
Story excerpt provided by Long Beach Press Telegram Written by Andrew Edwards Long Beach City College officials on Tuesday revealed the first three companies to receive financial awards through Innovation Funds SoCal, a newly created program intended to foster Southern California startups. The compa... Read More
LBCC Awards $150,000 to Three Start-Ups through Innovation Fund SoCal
Innovation Fund SoCal at Long Beach City College will announce its initial awards of funding to high-growth startup companies at a ceremony at its Liberal Arts Campus today at 11am. The awards will be made three months after the launch of Innovation Fund SoCal, which was created to stimulate regiona... Read More
IFNC Awards Five More NC Startups Grants
Innovation Fund North Carolina (IFNC), an organization created in the Fall of 2013 to help entrepreneurs statewide through pre-seed funding, enhanced networking and mentorship for high-growth, scalable technology startups, has announced the award winners for its second cycle of funding. A total of $... Read More
Investment group offers funding for North Carolina startups
Story excerpt provided by Time Warner Cable News Written by Amara Omeokwe Starting a company can come with challenges, and raising money is often one of the biggest. One group of investors visited Wilmington Tuesday to explain how they can help start-ups looking for funding. One man, Scott Kanyok, k... Read More
Startups Can Get Investment from LBCC's Innovation Fund So Cal
Story excerpt provided by Gazettes.com Written by Jonathan Van Dyke Long Beach City College is looking to put money where the jobs are, and many officials said that means investing in new ventures. LBCC officials have announced the creation of the Innovation Fund SoCal initiative, which will launch ... Read More
LBCC Launches Inaugural Innovation Fund for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Story excerpt provided by Long Beach Post Written by Brian Addison Long Beach City College (LBCC) announced at their inaugural innovation and entrepreneurship conference the launch of Innovation Fund SoCal (IFSC), a program which will provide funding and mentoring for up-and-coming entrepreneurs a... Read More
Long Beach City College announces fund to aid technology startups
Story excerpt provided by Long Beach Press Telegram Written by Andrew Edwards Long Beach City College is promoting a new source of funding, called “Innovate Fund SoCal,” to help finance and educate entrepreneurs attempting to create new technology-focused companies. “It’s like an incubator,... Read More
Kauffman Foundation Leaders Lend Expertise to Conference as Innovation Fund America Efforts Advance
Pilot programs for Innovation Fund America (IFA) at Long Beach City College (LBCC) in Southern California and Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) in North Carolina are moving forward with efforts to build community awareness and raise funds. These programs award grants and loans, and provide edu... Read More
Totally pumped: Wilmington firm GO2 makes new blood circulation device
Story excerpt provided by StarNewsWritten by Wayne Faulkner Circulation is the life blood of one young Wilmington company. GO2 LLC is producing and marketing a device that increases blood flow without changing the body's vital signs like heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure. The company's... Read More
Wilmington company beats statewide competition for innovation award
Story excerpt provided by Port City Daily Written by Ben Brown A late-stage startup in Wilmington has received a $75,000 award from Innovation Fund North Carolina in tandem with the Kauffman Foundation. The grant was announced this week, according to a news release. The grant process was competitive... Read More
GO2 medical device startup garners grant
Story excerpt provided by Greater Wilmington Business Journal Written by Jenny Callison A late-stage startup in Wilmington has received a $75,000 award from Innovation Fund North Carolina in tandem with the Kauffman Foundation. The grant was announced this week, according to a news release. The gran... Read More
Innovation Fund North Carolina announces surprise eighth winner at first awards ceremony, award package grows to $300,000
Innovation Fund North Carolina (IFNC), an organization created to help entrepreneurs through pre-seed funding and mentorship for high-growth, scalable technology startups, surprised attendees at its first awards celebration with the announcement of an eighth, first cycle award winner. Intellego Syst... Read More
Innovation Fund Doles Out Money to Several Tar Heel Startups
Story excerpt from Triangle Business Journal Written by Lauren K. Ohnesorge A wearable sensor that can detect crime as it happens (and call the police for you) is among local technologies tapped for early funding by Innovation Fund North Carolina. Clayton-based 10 for Humanity and Raleigh-based Accu... Read More
Innovation Fund North Carolina Awards $275,000 During First Cycle
Innovation Fund North Carolina (IFNC), an organization created to help entrepreneurs through pre-seed funding and mentorship for high-growth, scalable technology startups, has announced the award winners for its first cycle of funding. Awardees will be honored at a private reception Tuesday, Dec. 17... Read More
New $1.2 Million Fund Hopes to Help Startup Firms Blossom
Story excerpt provided by The Charlotte Observer Written by Caroline McMillan Early-stage startups in the Charlotte area now have a new potential source for funding: Innovation Fund North Carolina, a pilot program planning to award up to $1.2 million in grants and loans to high-tech startups around ... Read More
Innovation Fund Offers $1.2M for N.C. Startups
Story excerpt from the Charlotte Business Journal Written by Adam O'Daniel Innovation Fund North Carolina plans to award up to $1.2 million to startup technology companies in the Tar Heel State. An informational meeting will be held at Packard Place in Charlotte at 1 p.m. Sept. 17. All startups with... Read More
Kauffman Foundation, Lorain County Community College Select 3 Schools to Pilot Entrepreneurship Education, Funding Program
'Innovation Fund America' will help communities in California, Kansas, North Carolina access key resources for high-growth tech startups KANSAS CITY, Mo., and ELYRIA, Ohio (Jan. 31, 2013) – As the nation's economy continues its sluggish recovery, community colleges have emerged as important engin... Read More
White House Endorses Launch of Innovation Fund America
Providing funding and talent for high-tech entrepreneurs when they need it most. Cleveland, Ohio and Washington, DC (February 22, 2011): Today, as part of President Barack Obama’s “Winning the Future Forum on Small Business” in Cleveland, Ohio, the White House endorsed the launch of: Innovatio... Read More
Title III Crowdfunding For Real, Part II
Title III of the JOBS Act went into effect last year, and many entrepreneurs and small businesses are curious about if it works and how. I had the pleasure of interviewing several companies that have gone through “equity crowdfunding.” In the first installment of a three-part series showcasing t... Read More
Apollo Medical Devices Receives NIH and NSF Awards to Develop its Portable Blood Analysis System
Apollo Medical Devices has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for $225,000 to conduct research and development on its handheld blood analysis system that provides results in five-minutes, using a single drop of blood. Additionally, the ... Read More