JumpStart's 2015 Community Event will be Held June 17 Kicking Off a Day Focused on Celebrating the Entrepreneurial Spirit in NEO
"Startup Scaleup 2015" to Feature Pitch Competitions and Resources from Northeast Ohio's Collaborative Network of Entrepreneurial Support Organizations
CLEVELAND, May 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- This summer, JumpStart is teaming with many of its closest partners and collaborators to create a community event that showcases the full array of resources available to entrepreneurs of all shapes and sizes across Northeast Ohio.
The event, Startup Scaleup 2015 (www.startupscaleup.org), will begin at noon in the heart of Cleveland's Gordon Square Arts District – a concentrated area at the intersection of Detroit Ave and W. 65th Street boasting a plethora of theatres, eateries and creative spaces, many of which will be used for event programming and post-event entertainment.
In addition to JumpStart-planned sessions on mentoring, marketing, talent acquisition etc., Startup Scaleup will also feature programming from many other organizations, including other members of the Northeast Ohio ESP network, a collaborative group of 15 incubators, accelerators, investors, research foundations and education programs – including JumpStart – who are partially funded by the Ohio Third Frontier's Entrepreneurial Signature Program (ESP).
"We wanted this year's meeting to provide multiple ways to assist and accelerate Northeast Ohio entrepreneurs and small business owners," said JumpStart CEO Ray Leach. "Startup Scaleup will allow attendees to customize their experience based on where they find themselves in their entrepreneurial journey – whether they are early-stage tech entrepreneurs, established small business owners or budding entrepreneurs looking for the resources to put their big ideas into action – this event is designed to connect them with the people and organizations who can help them succeed."
Celebrating Entrepreneurship
Startup Scaleup is part of an entire day of events on June 17 celebrating the economic success and entrepreneurial growth that has spawned from innovation. The Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP) will also be hosting its annual meeting at the Cleveland Convention Center (a short drive from Gordon Square) beginning at 4pm that afternoon.
"This will be a day focused on the entrepreneurial spirit. Community members can come to Startup Scaleup in Gordon Square and also attend the GCP meeting later in the day," said Leach.
"This will be an exciting day of celebration, collaboration and reflection for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial support organizations which illustrates the true scope and diversity of the ecosystem in Northeast Ohio," said GCP President and CEO Joe Roman.
Startup Scaleup will also host two separate pitch competitions during the afternoon. The first competition will feature existing technology startup client companies from the NEO ESP network, who will have a chance to win up to $20,000. The second competition invites anyone with a big entrepreneurial idea in various categories to sign up on the street for a chance to pitch live from the stage at the Capitol Theatre and win up to $5,000.
Tickets for Startup Scaleup 2015 are $10 and will include two $5 refreshment and food vouchers redeemable at various locations in the district. To register and learn more about this event, visit www.startupscaleup.org.
JUMPSTART INC. is committed to strengthening the economy through entrepreneurship. The nonprofit has been accelerating the successes of diverse entrepreneurs, their high growth companies and the ecosystems that support them since 2004. For more information, visit www.jumpstartinc.org and follow @JumpStartInc on Twitter.
OHIO THIRD FRONTIER is an internationally recognized tech-based economic development initiative that is successfully changing the trajectory of Ohio's economy. The $2.3 billion initiative supports existing industries that are transforming themselves with new, globally competitive products and fostering the formation and attraction of new companies in emerging industry sectors.
GREATER CLEVELAND PARTNERSHIP mobilizes private-sector leadership, expertise and resources to create attractive business conditions that create jobs, grow investment and improve the economic prosperity of the region. www.gcpartnership.com.
THE GORDON SQUARE ARTS DISTRICT (GSAD) was formed in 2007 by three theatres to revitalize a once-thriving west side Cleveland neighborhood. More than 80 new businesses have located in GSAD, more than half of them arts-based, and residents are now flocking to a range of new and rehabbed housing options. In 2014, GSAD completed a $30 million capital campaign and began planning to steward the investment and look to the future. www.gordonsquare.org.
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SOURCE JumpStart, Inc.
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