Blog
Grow your startup - JUST SAY YES!
By Scott CaseCEO Startup America PartnershipTomorrow is Valentine's Day - but in true startup style, we're rebranding it Generosity Day - a day to say YES.Why should you be generous? You're busy right? Lot's to get done to make your startup a success. Well, my experience is that generosity with your time, expertise and insights could be the biggest driver for your growth. I believe deeply that everyone has something of themselves to contribute to others and that you will receive more than you contribute. In fact, the best way to start a successful relationship is to find a way to help the other person. I could provide dozens of examples from my life but more important for you act - just trust me - it'll pay off!In...
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Young Entrepreneurs at the White House Science Fair
This post originally appeared here and was written by Doug Rand.Hayley Hoverter is an award-winning technology innovator, an entrepreneur, a CEO – and she’s also a 16-year-old high school student. This week she met President Obama at the White House Science Fair, where she presented her product, “Sweet (dis)SOLVE.” As the President explained:“What impresses me so much is not just how smart you are, but it’s the fact that you recognize you’ve got a responsibility to use your talents in service of something bigger than yourselves. Some of you, that means developing new products that will change the way we live. Hayley Hoverter invented a new type of sugar packet that dissolves in hot water. It’...
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Assembling Our Core Team
Since the kickoff of Startup Hawaii on January 31, we've built quite the wave of enthusiasm and encouragement from all sides of our local startup ecosystem! From entrepreneurs with multiple successes under their belt, to those just thinking about dipping their toes into the startup world, to supporting organizations of all stripes, it's great to have everyone offering their support and encouragement. And, it shows that there's a need in Hawaii for an entrepreneur-driven group to have a voice and contribute to the success of the region.Although it's only been a couple of weeks since our launch, here's what we've been up to:Assembling our core team. This "steering committee" will be comprised totally of...
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How To Charm A VC Into Mentoring You
This post was written by Larry Chiang and originally appeared here. VCs are good for much more than just their money. I have never gotten VC funding, but I have had many VCs help me.VCs might get criticized for their lack of domain knowledge, but they have great general business knowledge, and a VC’s BlackBerry can be a distribution channel in itself. The tricky part is charming them into helping you. These steps will help you navigate your way into new worlds and go from outsider to VIP. Think of this as life-hacking and accelerated networking.1. Set Aside Your Need for Short-Term InvestmentYou’re not going to get venture money right away, so set aside your short-term cash needs. Clarify this position verbally with the VC...
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Two Giant Steps Forward For Entrepreneurs
The post was written by Steve Blank and originally appeared here.While entrepreneurship is in the news fairly regularly, I seldom make news myself. Today, however there are two important updates for entrepreneurs everywhere. Let me be brief…The “Startup Owner’s Manual” goes On Press Tuesday 2/14Two years in the making and literally ten years in development, I’m proud to announce that my new book, The Startup Owners Manual, goes onto the printing press next Tuesday. This 608-page work is, as its subtitle says, “the step-by-step guide for building a great company.” It’s the result of a decade of me learning from 1,000 of entrepreneurs, corporate partners, students and...
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Free stuff for startups
By Matt Harrington, MicrosoftMatt is a Master in our master challenge to help recruit startups to join us! Do you like free stuff? Are you a startup?Microsoft supports Startup America, which offers the following for free:1. Expertise -o Weekly pitch coaching sessions with Nathan Goldo Ask the VC Virtual Round Tables with folks like Brad Feld and David Cohen of TechStars2. Services -o BizSpark: free software and other benefits from Microsoft to qualified startupso Dell offers special discounts on Latitude laptops to Startup America memberso All eligible member firms receive 6 months free online Intuit payroll...
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Three things every startup founder should know
By Scott CaseThere are many things that contribute to the success of a startup. One of the hardest things for founders to overcome is how to get their project or idea started without an investor.Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of spending too much time asking for money before they have a solid product to pitch. What some founders don’t realize is that most startups can do a lot without having to do anything physically.If you focus on the following three things BEFORE you start searching high and low for investors you may find that investors start finding you.1. Product Your success in getting your business started is much more about...
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Find a co-founder. Start a start-up.
By Oliver BremerMany questions arise in the course of building a successful start-up: The one that usually draws most attention is ‘How do I make a successful exit?’ People selling their businesses for 10s or 100s of millions usually turns people’s heads. Long before an entrepreneur gets there, it is often ‘How do I grow my business?’ or ‘How do I raise funding?’, etc.At the very beginning, or even earlier, there is another big question: ‘How do I even get started?’, which often boils down to ‘How do I find the right co-founder?’If you can’t answer that question, then few others will ever become relevant. Most start-ups fail, and there are many things that can go...
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Super Bowl Contest Accelerates Patent Marking Software Startup
By James Burnes, Founder and CEO of PatentStatusIt's Friday at 3 p.m. and I'm standing beside five other amazing tech startups in Indianapolis competing for a chance to go to Sunday's Super Bowl XLVI. To my immediate left is Scott Case, CEO of Startup America Partnership and at the podium ahead is Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard talking about the role startups play in growing the economy and the city's commitment to supporting the burgeoning scene. Moments before, Case had led a quick discussion with several movers and shakers in Central Indiana imploring them to act with vigor and ambition to move entrepreneurship higher on the priority list. After the Mayor named my new law software venture, PatentStatus, as the winner to...
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The Third Annual State of Entrepreneurship: Getting America’s Entrepreneurial Mojo Back - How The States Can Take the Lead
By Robert E. LitanToday, at the National Press Club in D.C., the Kauffman Foundation, joined by Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman and Delaware Governor Jack Markell (the respective chair and vice chair of the National Governors Association), will host its third annual State of Entrepreneurship. You can watch the live webcast, beginning at 12 PM ET, at www.visualwebcaster.com/statestartups.The theme of this year’s event is focused on what can be done at the state and local level to spur entrepreneurship at a time when action at the federal level is paralyzed by politics. Despite the political rancor in Washington, there is a growing consensus that the U.S. economy cannot have a sustained recovery and grow rapidly...
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How to Successfully Manage a Remote Team
Question: For my new startup I have partnered with talented people all over the country. What tips do you have for managing a successful remote team?Lay a Foundation"To avoid miscommunications and confusions that may result from being remote and unable to check in constantly, write up a comprehensive, checklist-based guide for your remote partners. Laying this solid foundation will make your phone and skype calls, and email communications much more efficient in the future."- Annie Wang | Co-founder, CTO, Creative Director, Her Campus MediaMeet Face to Face"Somewhat contradictory, one of the most effective ways to manage a remote team is to organize meet-ups, if at all possible -- either as a group or individually. While...
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Selling to the Government – Get Started With These 5 Steps
This post was written by Caron Beesley and originally appeared here.Did you know the U.S. federal government buys nearly $100 billion worth of goods and services from small businesses each year? It’s a lucrative business opportunity, indeed!However, selling to the federal government demands a completely different go-to-market approach than does the commercial sector. And because a certain amount of Uncle Sam’s budget is specifically set aside for small businesses, you’ll also need to meet a few regulatory formalities to make sure you’re qualified and registered to sell to the government.Sounds like a time-consuming and daunting process? Well, yes it can be, particularly for resource-constrained small businesses....
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Our Startup America Regions are all over the news!
Have you been recently featured in the media? Let us know.
Recent News:
10/19/12 - Startup Communities Across the Country, Huffington Post (Startup America Partnership)
10/19/12 - Bonfyre partners with Powder Keg Conference 2012, St. Louis Business Journal (Startup MO & Startup IA)
10/17/12 - Food Waste In, Renewable Energy Out: Startup Re-Nuble Is Crowdfunding the Local Green Economy, Huffington Post (Startup DC)
10/17/12 - Powder Keg aims to blast Indy startups onto national scene, Indianapolis Business Journal (Startup IN & Startup MO)
10/17/12 - Featured Startup Pitch: Founded by a group of teachers with tech backgrounds, ActiveGrade seeks to fundamentally change the way grading is done in schools, Startup Beat (Startup IA)
10/03/12 - How Tory Burch Created A $2 Billion Empire In Less Than A Decade, Business Insider (Startup America Partnership)
10/01/12 - Voices of the Tech Community: What do Ecosystem Need? The Miami Herald (Startup FL)
9/20/12 - Entrepreneurs make pitches as Startup Maryland and its studio bus rolls into UMBC, The Republic (Startup MD)
9/20/12 - USF-led partnership awarded $1 million to launch new companies, Tampa Bay Business Journal (Startup FL)
9/19/12 - Startup Bus tours Maryland, stops in Baltimore area to promote entrepreneurship, Baltimore Sun (Startup MD)
Startup America at DEMO Fall 2012:
10/11/12 - Startup Connection: Nourishment for mind, body and soul, St. Louis Business Journal (Startup MO)
10/05/12 - The 14 Most Interesting Startups To Emerge From DEMO, TechCrunch (Startup CA & OR)
10/04/12 - St. Louis startups look to cash in on DEMO showing, St. Louis Business Journal (Startup MO)
10/04/12 - St. Louis’ Click With Me Now, Evtron Pitch At DEMO 2012, Techli (Startup MO)
10/03/12 - DEMO Gods: Birds, brains, and the best products of the season, VentureBeat (Startup CA)
10/03/12 - BRIEF: Stamford's eBrevia Wins Scholarship for Tech Conference in Silicon Valley [The Hartford Courant], Bloomberg Businessweek (Startup CT)
10/03/12 - LifeStyleFeed brings the Seventh Art to restaurant selection, VentureBeat (Startup DC)
10/03/12 - Playing recruiter: This startup pays you to find your friends jobs, VentureBeat (Startup DC)
10/03/12 - Don’t like checking your mail? MailGapp may have your solution, VentureBeat (Startup HI)
10/03/12 - Itography hopes to lure advertisers to location-based virtual collection game, VentureBeat (Startup TX)
10/03/12 - Weekend warriors: Track your fitness with Novusport’s social mobile sports game, VentureBeat (Startup TX)
10/03/12 - Today, birdwatching. Tomorrow, saving the entire planet!, VentureBeat (Startup CA)
10/03/12 - Demo Fall 2012: Creating More Focused Social Networks, PC Mag (Startup OR, DC, IA, VA)
10/03/12 - Demo Fall 2012: Business and Commerce Applications, PC Mag (Startup MO & Startup CT)
10/03/12 - Stamford's eBrevia Wins Scholarship for Tech Conference in Silicon Valley, The Hartford Courant (Startup CT)
10/03/12 - RecBob takes the work out of after-work sports, VentureBeat (Startup IA)
10/03/12 - Watch RecBob’s DEMO presentation at noon (Live stream), Silicon Prairie News (Startup IA)
10/02/12 - Meet The 8 Startup Winners From Startup America’s DEMO Contest, Nibletz (Startup TN, OR, IL, DC, CA, IA, CT, MO)
10/02/12 - Cut through the legal fog with computer-generated summaries, Global Reporter (Startup CT)
10/02/12 - Cut through the legal fog with computer-generated summaries, VentureBeat (Startup CT)
10/02/12 - Birdeez app flies toward birdwatchers' iPhones, TechHive (Startup CA)
10/02/12 - Bonfyre Takes on Private Mobile Sharing with New App Focused on Real Life, Not Newsfeeds, Herald Online (Startup MO)
10/02/12 - Three St. Louis startups launch products at California conference, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Startup MO)
10/02/12 - This Barrel Is Ready to Roll! Launching Our Tech Startup, HuffingtonPost (Startup DC)
10/02/12 - For big-ticket items, social shopping needs more screen-sharing, VentureBeat (Startup MO)
10/02/12 - Flite’s new Touch Ad Studio lets top publishers actually make money on mobile, VentureBeat (Startup CA)
10/02/12 - Bonfyre launches mobile app to combine private with social sharing, St. Louis Business Journal (Startup MO)
10/01/12 - CoPatient Launches Online Platform to Audit & Appeal Medical Bills on Behalf of Patients, Sacramento Bee (Startup OR)
10/01/12 - D.C. job-search start-up launching at DEMO in Silicon Valley, The Washington Post (Startup DC)
10/01/12 - D.C. at Demo: High School CEO debuts Hallway, The Washington Post (Startup DC)
09/30/12 - Hills Bank and Trust promotes four, The Gazette (Startup IA)
09/29/12 - RecBob wins Startup America contest, will pitch next week at DEMO, Silicon Prairie News (Startup IA)
09/13/12 - Click With Me Now wins a trip to DEMO, St. Louis Business Journal (Startup MO)
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