P. Incubators vs. Accelerators
Know the differences:
Incubators exist to help increase the success of a business with consulting programs that typically expand over the time of a year. Incubators usually charge a monthly fee that can range from a few hundred dollars, to a few thousand. In return, incubators programs will provide business advice, professional services, and business resources.
Although accelerators are very similar to incubators and are usually associated together, there are some major differences. Accelerators help by first investing, in return for a percentage of the business’s profits. These investments get the business started out and help build it up. Accelerators are shorter programs that usually last around 3 months, but offer professional business assistance as well.
“One of the ways to think about incubation and entrepreneurship is that they help increase entrepreneurial success, opportunity and are able to strengthen communities,” said Micah Kotch, director of innovation and entrepreneurship at Polytechnic Institute of New York University, which runs the Varick St., NYC ACRE and DUMBO incubators.
Those programs improve the odds of success by offering things like office space, professional services and business advice. Generally, businesses pay a small monthly fee to participate in the program. Those fees can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
Incubators do not generally have a strict focus on the amount of time a business will spend in the program. For example, companies at the NYU Poly incubators generally spend 18 months in the program, but other incubators may have a longer time frame.
According to the National Business Incubator Association (NBIA), an incubator is “a business support process that accelerates the successful development of startup and fledgling companies by providing entrepreneurs with an array of targeted resources and services. These services are usually developed or orchestrated by incubator management and offered both in the business incubator and through its network of contacts.”
Accelerators are interested in achieving the same overall goal of helping to improve the odds of success for startups, but these programs go about achieving that goal in a very different way. First and foremost, accelerators generally make an investment in the companies enrolled in their programs.
“We are very early-stage investors,” said Jonathan Axelrod, managing director of the Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator (ERA). “We are not creating the company per se, but we are investing in very early teams — oftentimes, the first money in — and we are helping them to build their company. As an accelerator, we are looking to accelerate the trajectory and path of the business.”
In addition to making an investment in the company, accelerators also differ from incubators in the time companies spend in the program. Accelerator programs are designed to be concise and generally take three to four months to complete. The ERA is a four-month program to companies. Like incubators, accelerators exist for all different industries and interests.
-Business Incubators and Accelerators: Here’s the Big Difference
David Mielach, BusinessNewsDaily Staff Writer
List of Nearby Start-Up Businesses:
Ohio
SCORE – Cincinnati, OH
SCORE counselors come from all walks of life and industry. Score has counselors who have started businesses, some have started several. They have counselors from the giants of industry such as P&G, GE and a host of others. They also have counselors with backgrounds in Information Technology, Manufacturing, Marketing, Sales, Accounting and Finance and a myriad of others. SCORE counselors are people who are driven to help others.
The Brandery – Cincinnati, OH
Since its inception in 2010, The Brandery has earned national recognition, with Tech Cocktail ranking it among the top 15 seed accelerators in the U.S. for 2011, 2012 and 2013. It focuses on technology startups, investing $20,000 in exchange for six percent equity in each company. It offers four months of intensive training and mentorship, culminating in a demo day where the fledgling companies pitch their ideas to potential investors.
Excelsior Institute of Business and Finance – Cincinnati, OH
The Excelsior Institute of Business and Finance is a charitable, non-profit educational organization dedicated to helping entrepreneurs, including small business owners, create and grow successful enterprises.
Excelsior is dedicated to:
- Promoting business education and training in the community
- Ethics education and training in the workplace
- Developing professional standards and certifications for business consultants
As a non-government organization (NGO), Excelsior brings together private sector and government resources to help entrepreneurs. In that function Excelsior maintains a:
- Clearinghouse of service provider professionals poised to assist business developers
- Hub of invaluable information and resources
- An extremely comprehensive “boot camp” type class for start-up entrepreneurs
Additionally, Excelsior is in the process becoming an incubator / accelerator to facilitate the growth and funding of worthy projects and businesses. https://excelsiorinstitute.org
Blue Chip Venture Company – Cincinnati, OH
Stage of Development – They invest in “final” financings intended to strengthen the balance sheet or to bridge the company to a liquidity event that has been delayed due to macroeconomic conditions.
- Investment Size – Generally $1 to $4 million.
- Targeted Industries – They invest across industry sectors, with a preference for high-growth segments of media and marketing, internet, sports, entertainment and information, software, and healthcare services, where they have history and contacts.
- Geography – They invest throughout the US and Canada.
- Management – Inspired entrepreneurs with high integrity and a record of building successful enterprises.
- Investment Form – Equity investments, typically in the form of newly issued, senior, preferred stock. Where appropriate to meet the company’s needs, the investment may include mezzanine and bridge loans with equity enhancements, and/or the purchase of stock from founders and other early investors.
- Targeted Return – Typically two to three times invested capital within two years. http://www.bcvc.com/
Cintrifuse – Cincinnati, OH
Cintrifuse is a Cincinnati-based regional innovation network designed to successfully launch high-growth startups by connecting entrepreneurs, accelerators, incubators, mentors, investors and strategic businesses/institutions through access to key resources, a co-working space and a venture capital fund of funds. http://cintrifuse.com/
Queen City Angels – Cincinnati, OH
The search for capital—particularly once “friends and family” contribution is exhausted and before venture capital is usually appropriate—can be daunting for today’s entrepreneur. QCA simplifies this difficult task.
Their members meet periodically to review those executive summaries of business plans QCA receives via C-Cap. A next step may include reviewing a complete business plan, meeting with company principals, or requesting a more formal presentation at an Angels’ meeting to evaluate the investment opportunity.
Members may collectively screen and investigate a venture, but Angels make investment decisions individually. If a deal attracts interest, members will work through a due diligence phase and negotiations with the applicant.
CincyTech – Cincinnati, OH
CincyTech is a public-private seed-stage investor whose mission is to strengthen the regional economy by driving talent and capital into scalable technology companies in Southwest Ohio.
They are focused on two key outcomes: creating jobs and providing a return for their investors. They are supported by more than two dozen foundations, corporations, municipalities and individuals as well as the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and Ohio Third Frontier. http://cincytechusa.com/
Hamilton County Business Center – Cincinnati, OH
Hamilton County Business Center is a nationally recognized startup incubator in Southwest Ohio that helps entrepreneurs launch successful innovative businesses. The Hamilton County Business Center provide business services, coaching, mentors, shared services, connections, flexible work environments and access to capital. http://www.hcdc.com
Services include:
- Expert connections through partners in Queen City Angels, CincyTech, the State of Ohio, SBA, and others.
- Business coaching; work one-on-one with a team of experts.
- Access to on-site coaches and programs including Morning Mentoring.
- Affordable, flexible office rentals that fits your need- from a shared workspace to lab rooms and dock access.
- Loan Programs are available for tenants to help bridge the gap in conventional financing.
- Assistance in applying for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards.
- An environment filled with entrepreneurial camaraderie.
Hamilton County Development Company – Cincinnati, OH
Hamilton County Development Company (HCDC) is a not-for-profit economic development company that supports business growth and job creation through three award-winning programs:
Business Center- HCDC’s top-rated business incubator helps entrepreneurs launch innovative and scalable businesses through business coaching, programming, connections, and flexible work environments.
Business Lending- HCDC provides growing businesses access to the SBA 504 loan program and other long-term, fixed-rate financing tools to purchase real estate and equipment while retaining critical working capital.
Economic Development- HCDC strengthens communities by retaining, expanding, and attracting businesses to Hamilton County, Ohio with financing, incentives, and expert technical assistance.
HCDC’s mission is to be a driving force behind business development. These three program areas foster business growth through financing business expansions, supporting further community investment, and assistance to entrepreneurs. HCDC has been growing the local economy since 1983. http://www.hcdc.com/incubation/
Small Business Development Center (SBDC) – at Clermont County Chamber of Commerce
Center Director: John Melvin
Comprehensive business management and education services.
Free, confidential, in-depth, one-on-one counseling and low- or no-cost training.
- Strategic Planning
- eCounseling
- Technical Assistance
- Quality-Based Assessments
- Information about Federal, State and Local Programs
- Loan Packaging Assistance
General topics for any for profit start-up: legal organization, EIN, Ohio sales taxes, insurance, planning, loan applications and loan process, domain names, vendor’s licenses, etc
https://clients.ohiosbdc.ohio.gov/center.aspx?center=17051&subloc=0
Metro Innovation – Cincinnati, OH
Metro Innovation is a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship in cities around the world. Using their proven platforms of city-wide innovation competitions and weekend start-up events, they energize the entrepreneurial ecosystem, connecting entrepreneurs and inventors to existing local resources.
Their mission is to progress high quality ideas into realities for a better world. They do that by developing unique programs that appeal to hard-to-find groups like aspiring entrepreneurs and inventors. These programs enable us to help communities unlock latent intellectual property assets and create connections between entrepreneurs and local start-up resources.
http://www.metroinnovation.com/
Aviatra (Bad Girl Ventures) – Cincinnati, OH
As an educational and micro-finance organization, dedicated to inspiring and supporting female entrepreneurs in all the key elements of their business, BGV enables bold women to build and sustain well-managed, profitable businesses through guidance, education and access to capital.
https://aviatraaccelerators.org
Differential – Cincinnati, OH
For many entrepreneurs, there have historically been two ways to launch a tech startup. Either find a technical co-founder, or hire an agency. The first is very hard, the second is expensive and risky.
Differential provides a third option. They integrate with your early stage startup, building the first version of your product at a discounted rate, in exchange for equity. This ensures our long-term interests are aligned, meaning your success is important to our success.
First Batch – Cincinnati, OH
First Batch is a four month accelerator that connects the manufacturing community with entrepreneurs to take an idea you hold in your head to a product you hold in your hand- and sell.
Once an idea is born and the sketches are made, what’s next? Next is First Batch. The First Batch Program takes a select group of entrepreneurs through the process of refining prototypes, creating local connections, scaling up production and bringing a product to market. You’ll go beyond just the pitch and plug into the versatile Cincinnati manufacturing community. From prototype to customer feedback to sellable product in 16 weeks.
Innov8 For Health – Cincinnati, OH
Innov8 for Health is a community based innovation program that identifies, incentivizes, and supports the creation and acceleration of innovative health solutions. It was born from a strategic business need to improve the health, enhance the quality of care, and reduce the cost of health care for employees and their dependents living in local communities. The need was identified by an executive with the global aircraft engine manufacturer GE Aviation, seed funding was provided by the global pharmaceutical manufacturer Sanofi, and the program was created and is lead by, the Greater Cincinnati based product and services innovation firm, Viable Synergy, LLC.
Innov8 for Health operates as a private-public partnership between Viable Synergy, LLC and Interact for Change an Ohio nonprofit corporation who also serves as the fiscal agent.
http://innov8forhealth.com/about/
TechColumbus – Columbus, OH
TechColumbus is the early stage investors, not a typical venture fund. They are often the first money in. They help make connections and drive value at the early stage so portfolio companies can grow.
They work with and invest in emerging high-growth startups in the 15-county Central Ohio region. These businesses reflect our region’s strengths—advanced materials, energy, life sciences, software/IT, and related technologies. For us, strengthening the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is a way of life.
They provide comprehensive Acceleration Services based on industry best practices. Their proven methodology reduces risk by matching achievement milestones to capital to speed up startups’ growth.
TechColumbus attracts and is a catalyst for public and private pre-seed to growth stage capital. They connect entrepreneurs to the resources they need, including seasoned business mentors, expert service providers, business partners, and even potential customers from Ohio and beyond.
Cincinnati Small Business Incubator – Cincinnati, OH
The Cincinnati Small Business Igniter will provide entrepreneurs with the opportunity to pursue launching a new business with the support and the resources needed to build a strong foundation.
There’s a qualification process for eight available spots. Applications must be submitted online and final selection and awards will be announced directly to the awarded applicants.
CSBI is supported by many corporate partners, with the support of CMC Properties and technology partner, PowerNet Global. Some of our training partners include: The Legacy Center, Comtrex LLC among the few.
http://www.cincinnatismallbusinessincubator.com/
Cincinnati Minority Business Collaborative – Cincinnati, OH
The CMBC’s mission is to maximize its members’ collective capabilities to positively impact the growth, development and success of regional minority firms, and to produce better outcomes in business, employment, wealth creation and growth. The collaborative’s participants are leveraging their programming to levels never attained before, via a shared database for tracking assessment services, joint seminars and workshops. HCDC’s Business Center will continue to pursue these types of partnerships to strengthening its core mission.
Hamilton Mill- Hamilton, OH
Hamilton Mill is Southwestern Ohio’s small business incubator for green, clean, water, digital and advanced manufacturing technologies. Conveniently located between Cincinnati and Dayton in the original pioneer town of Hamilton, OH. http://hamiltonmill.org/
Dayton RFID Convergence Center – Dayton, Ohio
The Dayton RFID Convergence Center (DRCC) is the premier center providing business acceleration and intelligence to entrepreneurs and early stage companies in the radio frequency identification (RFID), sensor, data management and mining technology industries. Part of a regional effort to grow the emerging RFID sector, or cluster, in Southwestern Ohio, the DRCC is located in a new state-of-the-art facility in Dayton’s Tech Town development. The DRCC is a public-private partnership between the City of Dayton, Citywide Development Corporation and EPC Technologies, Inc. As a business incubator, the DRCC provides value-added services and flexible facilities to accelerate the formation and growth of early-stage technology ventures, and to increase their likelihood of success. The services include:
- Industry-specific expertise
- One-on-one coaching by staff and experienced mentors
- A network of business and professional assistance
- Access to an investor network and assistance with financing
The facilities include Class A office space and shared labs for development, testing and demonstration and shared meeting rooms. Space is available on a year lease, which includes space and services.
The Entrepreneurs Center (TEC) – Dayton, Ohio
TEC provides value to its clients by assisting entrepreneurs to establish a functional structure around his/her business. Through their Know-How Network, team of advisors, mentoring, annual reviews and other services, TEC can help businesses to sharpen a plan that will maximize the probability of success. TEC is prepared to assist entrepreneurs at all stages of development. Of the 64 businesses that have been clients of TEC, 51 remain in business today. (Small Business Administration [SBA] statistics show that nearly 50% of business start-ups fail within the first four years. However, companies that graduate from business incubators have a success rate: 85% remain in business five years after graduation.)
TEC will work with clients to identify actions and services that move the entrepreneur toward growth, profitability and sustainability. They provide analysis to help determine what the entrepreneur needs at any given phase of business development. http://www.techdayton.com
Greater Cincinnati Venture Association- Cincinnati, OH
The Greater Cincinnati Venture Association was founded in 1985 to connect entrepreneurs and investors through monthly meetings. As the venture capital community developed in the region, the organization grew to over 150 members during the 1990s. During the evolution of the organization, it has reinvented the programming several times. The “new and improved” GCVA has returned to its roots to focus on entrepreneurs and startup opportunities and sustain the entrepreneurial culture in the region.
Minority Business Accelerator (MBA) – Cincinnati, OH
The Minority Business Accelerator is the flagship economic development initiative of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber focused on growing sizable minority firms. The MBA’s mission is to accelerate the development of sizable minority business enterprises and strengthen and expand the regional minority entrepreneurial community. The MBA works with regional companies to increase their utilization of and spending with local minority owned businesses by helping them identify and connect with local minority suppliers who can meet specific needs for products and services.
The Minority Business Accelerator (MBA) was established in 2003 as the result of the recommendations of the Cincinnati Community Action Now Commission. The program is focused on reducing disparity in the region’s business community by driving economic activity for African-American and Hispanic-owned companies and increasing employment in underemployed segments of the region.
The Circuit- Cincinnati, OH
The Circuit’s morning Breakfast Bytes and Regional Entrepreneur Forum events provide practical education that members can put to use immediately, presented by outstanding professionals from this Region and beyond. Topics focus on information technology, sales and marketing and entrepreneurship subjects of current interest to members. These events are open to the public.
The Circuit’s C-Cap initiative also presents special events for entrepreneurs and early-stage investors. The annual Entrepreneur Boot Camp, for example, has become a premier regional event. Visit C-Cap’s website for more information on these programs and events. https://www.thecircuit.net
Startup Weekend – Cincinnati, OH
This Startup Weekend event will be hosted in collaboration with local the Code for America brigade, Open Data Cincy, a regional initiative to use public data to encourage transparency, innovation, and civic engagement. Our goal for the event is to foster social entrepreneurship by accessing public data to launch new ventures, analyze patterns and trends, make data-driven decisions, and solve complex problems in our community.
Requirements to participate are below:
- Build a business, product, or service that benefits our community based on challenges identified through public data
- Any prototypes, demos, outcomes, companies will be built using open data provided by national or regional organizations for the purpose of civic innovation
- The data used is non-proprietary and license free
- All code will be open source and maintained on Github
Anyone is welcome to pitch their startup idea and receive feedback from their peers. Teams organically form around the top ideas (as determined by popular vote) and then it’s a 54 hour frenzy of business model creation, coding, designing, and market validation. The weekends culminate with presentations in front of local civic and entrepreneurial leaders with another opportunity for critical feedback.
http://cincinnati.startupweekend.org/
OCEANS – Cincinnati, OH
OCEANS has created a new business model for today’s clients’ needs. Our model allows direct access to 25 years of experience without agency overhead, retainers, mark-up, turnover, junior staff and learning curve.
Today out-thinking your competition requires a more flexible and strategic approach. All brands want to tell their unique brand story of value. OCEANS expertise in strategic brand storytelling will help your brand build a lifelong connection with your customers. Tell your brand story by outthinking–not outspending–and see a new wave of desired inquiries and sales results.
http://www.onlyoceans.com/about/about_us.html
C-Cap
C-Cap is a resource hub designed to link entrepreneurs with angel investors and the other resources they need to create successful growth companies. Their mission is to increase the number of growth companies that receive seed capital funding from Cincinnati area angels.
C-Cap is backed by an existing group of active angels, and by the resources of the Circuit, the information technology association of the Cincinnati Tri-State Region. Several prominent resource providers that assist startup companies, as well as a prominent bank, and the region’s largest venture capital firm are generously sponsoring C-Cap!
Kauffman Foundation
Entrepreneurs are critical to the long-term health and prosperity of the economy. The Kauffman Foundation works to advance entrepreneurship education and training efforts, to promote startup-friendly policies, and to understand what new firms need to start and grow.
They believe that entrepreneurs can increase their chances of success with practical education and training; that innovation is key to entrepreneurial growth; that strong ecosystems foster successful entrepreneurs; and that startup-friendly policies can boost job creation. http://www.kauffman.org
Uptech – Highland Heights, KY
It’s a nonprofit, built through community support and in partnership with the Northern Kentucky University College of Informatics.
“We follow the general model of accelerator. But where we differentiate, first and foremost, is the wraparound business service that the business community has donated to help our startups,” Barach says. Between community volunteers and interns from NKU, UpTech has hundreds of support staff available to guide and advise its classes of startups.
Rekindle (NKCAC) – Covington, KY
Northern Kentucky Community Action’s Rekindle Micro-Enterprise Development program meets the needs of aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners. Rekindle provides self-employment training and continuing support that gives entrepreneurs the competitive advantage they need to succeed.
The Rekindle program:
- Provides an innovative path out of poverty
- Creates self-sufficiency
- Improves the survival rate of micro-enterprise businesses
- Improves employment skills
- Promotes economic development
Working with our education partners, the Rekindle Micro-Enterprise Development program begins with a comprehensive assessment. Once complete, participants begin a two- to three-month business development course which includes training and mentoring.
http://www.nkcac.org/services/economic-development/rekindle/
Northern Kentucky Ezone – Covington, KY
The Northern Kentucky ezone, a division of Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corporation, provides a support program for businesses ranging from start-up entrepreneurs to established companies commercializing a new product, technology or process. Support includes early stage capital in the form of grants, loans, forgivable loans and equity investments, through the Kentucky Enterprise Funds and the Kentucky Department of Commercialization and Innovation.
The ezone accelerates, mentors, and helps gain exposure for start-up, emerging, and existing entrepreneurs on the pathway to success. The ezone has assisted over 200 companies that have brought more than $121 million in investments to Northern Kentucky. Since the program began in 2001, they have assisted clients in achieving 44 awards through the Kentucky Enterprise Funds. Currently, they are working with a portfolio of approximately 70 companies that include people with nothing more than an idea all the way through multi-million dollar international corporations.
http://www.northernkentuckyezone.com/
Northern Kentucky University SBDC – Highland Heights, KY
The Northern Kentucky University Small Business Development Center provides one-on-one consultations at no cost to existing and potential entrepreneurs in Northern Kentucky. The NKU SBDC also meets the educational needs of the local small business community by offering a variety of low cost training programs taught by industry experts and qualified SBDC Consultants.
http://ksbdc.org/highland-heights/
Adams, Stepner, Woltermann & Dusing, PLLC – Covington, KY
Centrally located in the heart of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, Adams, Stepner, Woltermann & Dusing, PLLC is a full service law firm providing a diverse clientele with sound legal counsel and representation. The firm’s attorneys are licensed to practice and represent clients in state and federal courts in Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana.
Effective representation in today’s business world requires experienced lawyers, concentrated focus and client centered service. The intricacies of the needs of families and individuals require similar experience and service. To meet today’s complex business and family needs, the firm provides concentrated services in seven major practice groups.
The firm’s practice groups include all of the legal areas required in today’s rapidly changing and highly technical business environment, as well as on the complexities of every facet of family and personal representation. Our lawyers focus on issues ranging from business disputes and litigation, municipal representation, school law, divorce in Kentucky, estate planning, corporate compliance issues, employment issues, workers’ compensation, complex product liability litigation and personal injury cases, and real estate. http://www.aswdlaw.com/
Kentucky Career Center – Florence,KY
Services Offered for Businesses
- Recruitment, Pre-Hire, and Placement Assistance
- Posting Job Openings at No Cost
- Pre-screening candidates
- Usage of facilities for employer interviews
- Coordination of job fairs and hiring events
- Focus | Talent – a job matching system allowing employers to recruit job seekers locally, regionally, and nationally
- Employee Technical Skills Training (in partnership with Gateway Community and Technical College)
- Employee Soft Skills Training / Performance Training and Development
- Rapid Response (for employers experiencing a reduction in workforce)
- Rapid Response provides services to companies and employees experiencing layoffs or company closures. A team of representatives go on-site to local companies to provide support to the affected employees and assist the company with the transition process.
- To schedule a Rapid Response session at your company, or for more information, contact Lauren Mann at 859.372.8438.
- Assistance for Military Veterans
- Facilitation of Pre-hire and Post-employment assessments
- Provision of On-the-job training services (restrictions apply)
- Evaluation of business facilities for ADA compliance
- Assistance with employer tax credits and incentives
http://www.nkadd.org/businesses-employers/kentucky-career-center-businesses
biologic – Covington, KY
bioLOGIC is an incubator that specializes in life science startups, providing an environment that facilitates innovation. Their co-working model grants early-stage companies access to laboratory space and laboratory equipment that otherwise may be prohibitively expensive, giving our tenant companies an immediate competitive advantage.
Other benefits for bioLOGIC tenants include:
- Open office space
- Multiple conference rooms
- Building-wide Wifi
- Lobby reception
- Kitchen, dining, and lounge areas
- Convenient parking
- Secure 24/7 building access
- Back office support (clerical, bookkeeping, grant management)
- Access to our network of investors, attorneys, accountants , HR, PR and marketing professionals
Kentucky Innovation Network – Lexington, KY
The Kentucky Innovation Network has been around since 2001 creating a network of business leaders and mentors that encourage relationships, grow companies new and existing, and create jobs. They do this through the thirteen offices we have located across Kentucky.
The Network is managed in partnership with the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation, along with local partners. Each office is staffed by experienced and educated business leaders (real people, local people).
Whether you are the leader of an established company, the founder of a small business, a researcher or a university professor, if your goal is to make a difference, The Network can help. Do you need assistance with business development, growth strategies, or funding sources? We will introduce you to a network of great people to collaborate with who would love the opportunity to tell you more about the resources available to you in Kentucky.
The Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development has a stake in your success, which is why these experts are available at no cost to your company. http://kyinnovation.com/about/
Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
The mission of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce is to develop strong businesses and a vibrant economy in Northern Kentucky and its surrounding region, through business advocacy and leadership, resulting in a better quality of life for all.
The Chamber is available when you need help. Whether it is to give assistance finding a new customer through networking, solving an HR issue, helping you navigate government bureaucracies, or connecting your business to new overseas prospects, the Chamber is here to connect you to resources and opportunities to grow your business.
http://www.nkychamber.com/About/#sthash.8VJEWsiC.dpuf
Awesome, Inc. – Lexington, KY
We exist to create and grow high tech startups. We do this by hosting community events, leading technology education courses and offering a shared workspace environment.
Core Values:
- Be good
- Be excellent
- Be a friend
- Be you
http://www.awesomeinc.org/about/
University Related
The INKUBATOR – Highland Heights, KY
Unlike standard accelerators, The INKUBATOR doesn’t take equity in exchange for its services. Program participants are given access to workspace, equipment, mentorship and $5,000 in seed money thanks to contributions from the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Hail/U.S. Bank Foundation.
http://cob.nku.edu/inkubator.html
Advanced Science and Technology Commercialization Center- Lexington, KY
The Advanced Science & Technology Commercialization Center, better known as ASTeCC, is UK’s premier business incubator housing new and emerging technology-based companies. Startup companies in ASTeCC have licensed UK intellectual property or have a connection to UK faculty or staff.
http://www.rgs.uky.edu/astecc/index.html
MetaCyte Business Lab LLC – Louisville, KY
MetaCyte Business Lab LLC, organized in 2002, is a subsidiary of the University of Louisville Foundation, Inc. MetaCyte’s philosophy is to help get products and services based on innovative University of Louisville research to patients. This further builds “brand recognition” for UofL.
http://www.metacyte.biz/about_us.html
X-Lab – Cincinnati, OH
X-LAB IS WHERE CREATIVE GENIUSES MEET BUSINESS EXPERTISE. The X-LAB Competition is an entrepreneur competition where driven entrepreneurs compete for the opportunity to have Xavier University faculty, students, and executive mentors help them get prepared to launch a business. You as entrepreneurs supply the ideas, the drive, and the commitment to execute and we within X-LAB supply business expertise to help you realize your dream of launching a successful business.
http://www.xavier.edu/williams/xlab/
TechSolve – Cincinnati, OH (affiliated with UC)
By examining situational inefficiencies, TechSolve helps clients identify and implement changes that deliver unsurpassed results for today’s challenges — Over the past few years; they have generated cost savings of over $318 million to businesses in over 66 industries. TechSolve offers clients:
- Right-sized solutions to address specific business issues
- Guaranteed return on investment with entrepreneurial based, measurable outcomes
- Commitment and respect for people
On the factory floor TechSolve offers: Assessments, Consulting, Training, and Implementation in the areas of process improvement, supplier evaluation and development, quality, strategic planning, product development, growth planning, and energy and environmental management. On the machining side of the plant, TechSolve is unique in offering an on-site, multi-million dollar machining lab for real-world assessments and modeling to support and enhance their machining consulting services which include: New Product Development, Testing, and Validation, Part Cost Reduction and Machining System Optimization.
http://business.uc.edu/centers/goering/psr/members/techsolve.html
Entrepreneurship Club – University of Cincinnati
In an effort to promote student entrepreneurship at the University of Cincinnati, the Entrepreneurship Club would like to encourage students from across UC’s 15 colleges who share a common interest in entrepreneurship to become involved.
Programming activities will be regularly scheduled to inform, support and inspire college students to be entrepreneurial and seek opportunity through enterprise creation.
Guest speakers and social and networking events will provide members with an opportunity to meet and learn from local entrepreneurs and community business leaders.
Members will also attend national entrepreneurship seminars, competitions and workshops, including Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) conferences.
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Thomas Nelson (nelsont8@ucmail.uc.edu)
http://business.uc.edu/centers/entrepreneurship/students/clubs-programs/entrepreneurship-club.html
Small Business Institute – University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati SBI program operates a field case study program that provides no-cost counseling to area businesses. The focus of the Lindner College of Business field case study program is twofold: To provide a meaningful learning experience for Lindner College of Business students interested in small business, entrepreneurship, and corporate ventures. To provide personalized, confidential management counseling to Greater Cincinnati businesses participating in the experience.
http://business.uc.edu/centers/entrepreneurship/businesses/small-business-institute.html
Technology Commercialization Accelerator – Cincinnati, OH
UC’s accelerator provides early stage gap funding to student and faculty entrepreneurs in order to develop research and prototypes. Entrepreneurial mentors are available to help startups hone their ideas, build commercialization strategies and determine what development milestones need to be achieved in order to earn further funding. An advisory board made up of industry and regulatory experts, as well as members of other accelerator and business organizations, determines which applicants get acceptance and grants.
http://www.uc.edu/news/NR.aspx?id=20274
INKUBIZ – Northern Kentucky University
A program developed to bring elite, hand-picked students and experts in various fields of business together to work with small businesses around the region. This program offers students the opportunity to work on applied – major or minor related – projects where they gain valuable experience and connections for their futures. It also provides small businesses that may not have enough resources themselves the chance to improve, all with the peace of mind due to the presence of an expert mentoring the student team.
http://cob.nku.edu/institutes/cie.html
NKU-reka – Northern Kentucky University
NKU-reka is an entrepreneurial resource center and hatchery serving all NKU majors/minors and recently graduated students. The program will be designed to create an eco-system where students can learn more about how they can plug into resources that allow them to learn how to start a business, or if they already have a business, locate resources for their venture. The hatchery space will be used as a workspace area where students can drop in to work on their businesses, hold meetings, and speak with the NKU-reka staff.
http://cob.nku.edu/institutes/cie.html
Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) – Northern Kentucky University
The Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) expands students’ success networks by connecting entrepreneurial-minded students at NKU with regional and national entrepreneurs. Members listen to stories from entrepreneurs, attend site visits to witness first-hand the new venture experience, and attend national conferences that expose students to over 1,200 other entrepreneurial students and learn not only successes, but also the challenges faced by over 70 speakers.
The club opens the door for students to realize that they can follow their dreams. CEO exposes students to companies/business community members by giving members additional face-time with potential employers. Students apply idea generation, brainstorming and business simulations, as well as host and plan entrepreneurial events, which allows students to apply their skills and experiences from the classroom with real-world consequences and successes.
http://ei.nku.edu/current/support/ceo.html
E-Club – Xavier University
The Entrepreneurship Club (E-Club) meets on selected Wednesday nights at 9:15PM in either Nieporte lounge or the Hamilton County Business Center.
The Entrepreneurship Club’s #1 focus is starting a student run business. E-Club also brings both local entrepreneurs on campus to the students, as well as brings the students to the entrepreneurs.
http://www.xavier.edu/entr_club/
Selder Family Center for Experiential Learning in Business – Xavier University
The Sedler Center develops entrepreneurial leaders who seek opportunities, act resourcefully, think creatively and lead ethically to make a difference in their organizations in the world. Its accomplishments include:
- A ranking of No. 24 among the most entrepreneurial campuses in America by The Princeton Review.
- An internationally recognized faculty with established reputations for research and teaching.
- An entrepreneurship major for business students and a minor for business and non-business students.
- A student learning lab at the Hamilton County Business Center, which provides startup space and contact with entrepreneurs.
- Six student-managed-and-operated businesses on campus.
http://www.xavier.edu/williams/centers/
Cintas Institute of Business Ethics – Xavier University
The Cintas Center focuses on helping students and other Xavier stakeholders recognize and deal with ethical and values-related issues in the workplace. To that end, the center designs corporate workshops, stages continuing education sessions, sponsors guest lectures and conducts an annual ethics institute that features leading corporate executives, ethics officers, and legislative and judicial officials. The center also:
- Serves as a resource for the local, regional and national business communities.
- Enables students to choose to do the hard right, as opposed to the easy wrong.
- Helps faculty increase their exposure and confidence in the areas of business ethics and social responsibility.