Eight ITEN Companies Are Finalists for Investment
Eight ventures from ITEN are among fifteen finalists for funding by Capital Innovators. Capital Innovators will announce five recipients of $50,000 investments in the next couple of weeks. The ITEN companies making the final list for Capital Innovators' investment and inclusion in their spring 2012 accelerator class are: BusyEvent, ClubVision, DealieDo, Edthena, EHR Pathway, HomeNav, Material Mix, and Rollsale.
|
|
Missouri IDEA Funds available as of Jan. 2, 2012
The Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC)has announced that the next round of available funding for early stage ventures, under the IDEA Funds program will begin January 2. Companies applying that are affiliated with ITEN should make that fact known in their application for a number of reasons, one of which is that the MTC has determined that affiliation with ITEN qualifies as an educational affiliation which is important to the application.
Also be advised that the aim of the IDEA Fund is to attract private investments, and companies should very clearly understand the parameters of the timing elements of the program to make sure their outside investments will qualify for matching IDEA funds.
For more information and links to the applications, please see http://www.missouritechnology.com/commercialization-programs.
|
|
January 27-29, 2012
T-REx Incubator * 615 Olive St. * 12th Floor
Do you want to Launch a startup in 54 hours in St. Louis this January?
Startup Weekends are all about learning through the act of creating. Don't just listen to theory, build your own strategy and test it as you go. Step outside of your comfort zone.Try a new platform, programming language, or just try something different. Over 36% of Startup Weekend startups are still going strong after 3 months. We all know it's not just about the idea - it's about the team. Find someone you can actually launch a startup with.
Early Bird Registration: $49
Regular Registration: $75 until event
Register HERE before they run out!
|
Silicon Valley Startup Program Launches in St. Louis
Have you had a business idea for years that has never got going? St. Louis is excited to announce the creation of a local Founder Institute chapter to help you turn that idea into a high-growth company. The Founder Institute is a global network of startups and mentors that helps entrepreneurs launch meaningful and enduring technology companies. Through our four month idea-stage incubator program, you can launch your dream company with expert training, feedback, and support from experienced startup CEOs, while not being required to quit your day job. Our unique Bonus Pool also shares equity upside with all participants, creating local, teamwork-based ecosystems where great startups can flourish.
The Founder Institute's goal is to globalize Silicon Valley by launching 1,000 meaningful and enduring technology companies per year in 30 cities worldwide. It was founded in 2009 by serial entrepreneur, Adeo Ressi. The St. Louis mentors include Trey Goede from Affinity Wind, Brian Matthews from River City Internet Group, and Jim McKelvey from Square. Applicants who APPLY before December 23 get their application fee waived. Also, join us for a party with our mentorsfeaturing Jim McKelvey, Co-Founder of Square, on January 5 from 6 pm - 10 pm at 3rd Degree Glass, 5200 Delmar Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63108. Attendees must RSVP, and can register at: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2663868703.
New Founder Application - Spring 2012 St. Louis(Exploratory) APPLY HERE
|
2012 InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum will be on April 4-5, 2012 at Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark. Final Application Deadline January 13. Become a presenting company APPLY TODAY
InvestMidwest is a venture capital conference that showcases 40-45 companies from throughout the Midwest in the three industry tracks of life sciences, technology and clean energy/sustainability.
The 300+ attendees include investors from top venture capital firms.
Results-InvestMidwest has helped generate over
$850 million of investment in 12 years.
Please contact Christine Walsh for any questions
InvestMidwest Executive Director
314-444-1151
cwalsh@stlrcga.org
|
|
|
|
Looking Back, Looking Forward, and Gratitude
By Jim Brasunas
Director, IT Entrepreneur Network
2011 has turned out to be a pretty incredible year for ITENand the development of our regional IT entrepreneur ecosystem. A real turning point happened this year. I'm not sure the exact moment when it occurred, but I know when many of us recognized it: It was somewhere between the fall Start Up Connection in October and the overflowing, SRO open house for T-Rex in November. With IT ventures moving in to T-Rex, new funding opportunities popping up around town, and more and more people recognizing the importance of a vibrant entrepreneur community, all of the energy seems to be coming into focus in a very positive way. The opportunities for start-up ventures to get early-stage funding from St. Louis investors has never been better, and I believe the momentum is going to continue to build into 2012 and beyond.
At this moment of appreciation for what has been accomplished, I also want to pause and extend my respect and heartfelt gratitude to all of you who have given of your time, expertise, skills, insight, and financial support to help our ecosystem come into being over the last few years. Without your dedication and backing, none of this could have been possible. Mentors, service providers, investors, sponsors, donors, community leaders, and university supporters: all of you have made personal and organizational efforts that have enabled the IT ecosystem to begin to emerge. We are also witnessing individuals and organizations taking personal risk as investors, establishing new funds and programs based upon the enormous upside potential of the positively changing landscape. T-Rex, Capital Innovators, Arch Grants, BWEDC, FinServe Tech Angels, Start Up Weekend, and Founder Instituteare among the important new initiatives that, joining with the St. Louis Arch Angels, provide opportunities we haven't had in our community before. We encourage the whole community to welcome these initiatives as respected and important contributors to our growing ecosystem.
As our community expands and develops, new needs also appear that maybe weren't in clear relief at an earlier stage. Ventures getting initial funding celebrate their initial success with investors, but then face the considerable challenges of building a company, hiring staff, and producing results that meet investor expectations. For first-time entrepreneurs, building a company that can effectively execute is a challenge they likely have no previous experience with. Of course this is a wonderful problem to have, compared with the alternative, but a major challenge none the less. With fortuitous outcomes of our current funding requests, ITEN will continue to create innovative ways to guide entrepreneurs to solve these and other emerging challenges.
I also want to particularly thank the mentors of ITEN that have given so freely of their time. Beyond one-on-one mentoring, many of them have also volunteered to help launch our Business Model Validation program earlier this year that has been so well received. Others have participated in our Mock Angel program, which has an amazing record of graduating companies that go on to outside funding. And others have been in our E-Commerce and Technology & Architecture programs. Without our dedicated mentors, ITEN would not be able to deliver value at all.
Since 2008, ITEN has attempted to play a role in helping the ecosystem come about. We are beginning to see that ecosystem emerge, spawning new initiatives and greater opportunities for all. Let's take a moment here, at the end of 2011, to look back and appreciate how far we've come........and then look forward and appreciate the enormous task ahead, yet knowing already that it will be done.
Happy Holidays to all from Jing and me. We look forward to working with you in joy and harmony for a very successful and prosperous new year! COMMENTS & MORE BLOGS
|
 Mentor Spotlight
Robert Wolf
Rob Wolf has been involved with ITEN since 2009. He is a mentor of ITEN Mock Angel Program and on one of our business Model Validation teams. Robert gave a very insightful speech on ITEN 2nd Thursday in December.
Robert Wolf is the Vice President overseeing NC4's Public Safety and Emergency Management operations. In his role as Vice President, Wolf works with existing customers to help define future solutions, as well as focuses on delivering value in NC4's products and solutions to customers involved in public safety and emergency management.
Prior to his current position, Robert Wolf founded and successfully led E.SPONDER from its startup as a wireless communications reseller to a successful software company serving the needs of hundreds of first response organizations worldwide. Under his leadership, E*SPONDER created an innovative, cutting-edge software solution for the State of Missouri that evolved into the company's most comprehensive and customizable software offering, E*SPONDER. As a result of the company's successful product development, E*SPONDER was named 2005 Microsoft Partner of the Year in the Information Worker category and a runner-up for the same award in 2007 and 2010. E*SPONDER's proven command and control capabilities have been used in Presidential Debates and at major events including Super Bowl XLIII and the 2009 MBL All-Star Game hosted in Saint Louis. Most recently, E*SPONDER was deployed and used successfully in South Africa for World Cup Soccer and in New Zealand for World Cup Rugby. E*SPONDER has also been selected as the platform for the upcoming RNC Convention in Tampa, FL.
Wolf launched his career in technology designing networks as a technical sales engineer for small and medium sized businesses with Southwestern Bell Telephone, now AT&T. Over the next 12 years, he worked in various leadership roles at Southwestern Bell (SBC), SBC Telecom and Cingular Wireless. During this time, Wolf assumed responsibility for SBC Telecom's competitive telephone operations in Central Florida managing operations in five cities and assisting in building and creating a national order processing center. Wolf also helped to build and launch the strategic sales organization for Cingular Wireless, a newly formed wireless venture between SBC and BellSouth and now AT&T Wireless. In 2002 Wolf left SBC (now AT&T) to launch E*SPONDER.
|
Company Spotlight
HomeNav
HomeNav - the online home guide - is a patent-pending interactive homeowners' manual and resource guide. It is the "back up" for a home - for replacement, for repair and maintenance, for peace of mind. By connecting businesses which provide home products and services to their homeowner customers, HomeNav helps homeowners protect and take care of one of their biggest investments...their homes.
A typical small home consists of at least 75 components, each with a make, model and serial number. How does a homeowner find this information quickly when disaster strikes - be it total destruction or the toilet leaking? HomeNav's interactive home inventory tool provides one place, online, to put all of the information about a home; systems, appliances, fixtures and even paint colors, with web links and file uploads to complete the information. Easily add support information such as emergency contacts, contractors, and utilities. The homeowner resource section includes "how to" information, maintenance checklists, product research, healthy living, and green building/remodeling information.
The home inventory may be completed by the business provider or the homeowner. Tutorial videos offer guidance. For those preferring a turnkey approach, HomeNav set-up services are offered for both existing and new single-family homes, as well as multi-family units.
Businesses offer this valuable tool - customized with their company branding and information - to their homeowner customers to help sell a home, handle an insurance claim, manage home maintenance and repairs, or certify green homes and remodels. Manufacturers, distributors and home service providers showcase their offerings to a focused homeowner audience, while connecting with them through HomeNav's targeted web links.
HomeNav debuted in the green home building industry and is a Green Approved Product by the National Association of Home Builders Research Center. It fulfills the owner education requirements of most green home certification programs, while also easily scaling to meet the needs of residential real estate and insurance.
HomeNav is an ITEN member and IVMS venture. The company is looking to expand its management and sales team. Interested individuals should contact Marla Esser at marla@HomeNav.com.
HomeNav - an owner's manual for every home. Visit www.HomeNav.com to learn more and register for your free account.
|
|
|
|
