Entrepreneurs + Innovators
Last week, a group of innovators behind small scale, place-based projects around the country convened in Detroit and talked about what works in their cities, sharing stories of success, failure, hard work and creativity.
In this candid, wide-ranging interview, the leader of the Cleveland Foundation discusses its centennial gifts, the Greater University Circle Initiative, the Transformation Plan and more.
Zev Siegl came to Cleveland last week to speak to early-stage and student entrepreneurs at Bizdom and Blackstone Launchpad. Fresh Water gave him a tour and asked him about a lifetime of working with startups.
A sudsy week of beer-fueled excitement is set to cure what "ales" fun-seeking Clevelanders.
The sixth annual Cleveland Beer Week has hundreds of events scheduled at an equal number of venues from Oct. 10, through Oct. 19. The usual concerts, parties, special tappings and educational programs will be held, capped off by the massive Brewzilla celebration featuring 80 beer makers pouring your favorite barley sodas.
Brewers directly involved with the beery proceedings are arriving with their own efforts. Platform Beer Company has collaborated with the New Albion Brewing Company on a re-release of New Albion Ale. The flagship pale ale will be on tap Oct. 17 at the Platform Brewhouse on Lorain Avenue. Partnering with the first U.S. post-Prohibition microbrewery was an opportunity to get the original recipe back in the hands of its fans, notes Platform co-owner Justin Carson.
"It was very innovative in its day," Carson says.
On Oct. 14, Platform is hosting "Same Brew, Different Takes," where a batch of beer will be infused with unusual ingredients to create new tastes. The following evening is the brewery's "Choose Your Own Adventure" release, featuring a customer-voted beer created by in-house brewmaster Shaun Yasaki.
"We're planning on having a different beer each year," says Platform's Paul Benner.
Collaborations are a big part of CBW, and this year is no different. Joint efforts will match Great Lakes Brewing Co., Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. and other establishments with out-of-state brewers. Resulting mixtures will be made available at various watering holes throughout the city.
Meanwhile, a dozen local breweries have concocted six new beers for the Oct. 8 Gambrinus Brewery Crawl, set to raise money for restoration of the King Gambrinus statue that previously stood at Leisy Brewing. Pouring locations for the event are Platform, Butcher & The Brewer, Market Garden Brewery, and Nano Brew Cleveland.
The sixth annual Cleveland Beer Week has hundreds of events scheduled at an equal number of venues from Oct. 10, through Oct. 19. The usual concerts, parties, special tappings and educational programs will be held, capped off by the massive Brewzilla celebration featuring 80 beer makers pouring your favorite barley sodas.
Brewers directly involved with the beery proceedings are arriving with their own efforts. Platform Beer Company has collaborated with the New Albion Brewing Company on a re-release of New Albion Ale. The flagship pale ale will be on tap Oct. 17 at the Platform Brewhouse on Lorain Avenue. Partnering with the first U.S. post-Prohibition microbrewery was an opportunity to get the original recipe back in the hands of its fans, notes Platform co-owner Justin Carson.
"It was very innovative in its day," Carson says.
On Oct. 14, Platform is hosting "Same Brew, Different Takes," where a batch of beer will be infused with unusual ingredients to create new tastes. The following evening is the brewery's "Choose Your Own Adventure" release, featuring a customer-voted beer created by in-house brewmaster Shaun Yasaki.
"We're planning on having a different beer each year," says Platform's Paul Benner.
Collaborations are a big part of CBW, and this year is no different. Joint efforts will match Great Lakes Brewing Co., Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. and other establishments with out-of-state brewers. Resulting mixtures will be made available at various watering holes throughout the city.
Meanwhile, a dozen local breweries have concocted six new beers for the Oct. 8 Gambrinus Brewery Crawl, set to raise money for restoration of the King Gambrinus statue that previously stood at Leisy Brewing. Pouring locations for the event are Platform, Butcher & The Brewer, Market Garden Brewery, and Nano Brew Cleveland.
Talent attraction/retention nonprofit Engage! Cleveland has officially kicked off a series of Cleveland-friendly social activities and professional development opportunities through its first annual Cleveland Young Professionals Week.
The weeklong succession of cost-free events aimed at the youthful and talented began Monday and will continue through Oct. 11, says Engage! Cleveland executive director Ashley Basile Oeken. Each day will feature a variety of around-the-clock happenings on both the East and West Side, including fitness classes at local studios, speaker-centric "lunch-and-learn" programs, and nightly networking get-togethers. That's 25 events over six days, if you're counting.
"You hear about other cities and how they've engaged young professionals," says Basile Oeken. "We wanted a signature event to put our name on."
Programming is generally aimed at people age 21 to 40, although the nonprofit is inclusive of anyone who considers themselves a YP. Events are filling up, notes Basile Oeken, so if you're interested in a spinning class at Harness Cycle or listening to a talk by PlayhouseSquare president Art Falco, it's best to act fast.
Basile Oeken views Engage! Cleveland's first-ever CLE YP Week as a chance to show off everything the city has to offer, whether to a lifelong resident or someone who moved here a month ago. Attracting and retaining young talent means linking it to influential leaders and local organizations, she believes.
"It's acclimating people to how much is going on in Cleveland," says Basile Oeken. "There's an opportunity to get everyone living in this community to support it collectively."
While programming will end with a closing party at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the nonprofit director expects the energy generated by a week's worth of events to resonate throughout the year.
"If you're involved, Cleveland can sell itself," Basile Oeken says. "People are more likely to stay when they're engaged."
The weeklong succession of cost-free events aimed at the youthful and talented began Monday and will continue through Oct. 11, says Engage! Cleveland executive director Ashley Basile Oeken. Each day will feature a variety of around-the-clock happenings on both the East and West Side, including fitness classes at local studios, speaker-centric "lunch-and-learn" programs, and nightly networking get-togethers. That's 25 events over six days, if you're counting.
"You hear about other cities and how they've engaged young professionals," says Basile Oeken. "We wanted a signature event to put our name on."
Programming is generally aimed at people age 21 to 40, although the nonprofit is inclusive of anyone who considers themselves a YP. Events are filling up, notes Basile Oeken, so if you're interested in a spinning class at Harness Cycle or listening to a talk by PlayhouseSquare president Art Falco, it's best to act fast.
Basile Oeken views Engage! Cleveland's first-ever CLE YP Week as a chance to show off everything the city has to offer, whether to a lifelong resident or someone who moved here a month ago. Attracting and retaining young talent means linking it to influential leaders and local organizations, she believes.
"It's acclimating people to how much is going on in Cleveland," says Basile Oeken. "There's an opportunity to get everyone living in this community to support it collectively."
While programming will end with a closing party at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the nonprofit director expects the energy generated by a week's worth of events to resonate throughout the year.
"If you're involved, Cleveland can sell itself," Basile Oeken says. "People are more likely to stay when they're engaged."
The Make Them Pay/Old Angle Boxing Gym in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood offers young people and adults a sense of community and a place to blow off steam. Across the city, other boxing gyms serve a similar purpose.
On Friday, October 3rd, Bitcoin Boulevard U.S. businesses along Lee Road will host the release of the documentary The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin at the Cedar Lee Theater. Check out this interview with the filmmakers that originally appeared in our sister publication Pop City.
Cleveland is full of hole-in-the-wall second hand stores. From vintage two-wheelers to hulking industrial-age machines and bins of repurposed art supplies, we take you on a tour of the coolest trash-to-treasure finds in the city.
The Incubator at MAGNET has announced six finalists for its first product-focused pitch contest.
The ProtoTech competition, co-sponsored by NASA Glenn Research Center, concentrates on technology-driven wares and the companies aiming to bring those products to market. A MAGNET press release listed the finalists:
* Advanced BioSensors-Ohio, creator of a "Continuous Glucose Monitor" for diabetic patients.
* Axenic, maker of non-toxic liquid-based solutions that clean organic waste.
* EveryKey, a Case Western Reserve University-based company that makes a high-tech wristband that syncs with keys and passwords.
* FGC Plasma Solutions, creator of a fuel nozzle designed to save money and reduce emissions.
* Real Time Imaging Technologies, designer of a low-dose dental x-ray imaging system.
* RoboNail, maker of robotic tools that enable contractors to install roofing with more efficiency.
The final pitch teams will present their work before a panel of judges at an Oct. 21 event at the Ariel International Center in Cleveland. Would-be inventors are encouraged to create fundraising sites highlighting their efforts, with the money they raise going back into product creation.
The pitch contest was introduced in July with the intention of highlighting physical technology rather than IT or service-based ventures. Incubator executive director Dave Crain believes the competition did well to represent the diversity of product-centric innovation in Northeast Ohio.
?
“Interest from the community and event partners has been very strong," Crain says. "Everyone is excited for the event and the opportunity to support a showcase of our rich product startup landscape."
The ProtoTech competition, co-sponsored by NASA Glenn Research Center, concentrates on technology-driven wares and the companies aiming to bring those products to market. A MAGNET press release listed the finalists:
* Advanced BioSensors-Ohio, creator of a "Continuous Glucose Monitor" for diabetic patients.
* Axenic, maker of non-toxic liquid-based solutions that clean organic waste.
* EveryKey, a Case Western Reserve University-based company that makes a high-tech wristband that syncs with keys and passwords.
* FGC Plasma Solutions, creator of a fuel nozzle designed to save money and reduce emissions.
* Real Time Imaging Technologies, designer of a low-dose dental x-ray imaging system.
* RoboNail, maker of robotic tools that enable contractors to install roofing with more efficiency.
The final pitch teams will present their work before a panel of judges at an Oct. 21 event at the Ariel International Center in Cleveland. Would-be inventors are encouraged to create fundraising sites highlighting their efforts, with the money they raise going back into product creation.
The pitch contest was introduced in July with the intention of highlighting physical technology rather than IT or service-based ventures. Incubator executive director Dave Crain believes the competition did well to represent the diversity of product-centric innovation in Northeast Ohio.
?
“Interest from the community and event partners has been very strong," Crain says. "Everyone is excited for the event and the opportunity to support a showcase of our rich product startup landscape."
Cleveland filmmaker Robert Banks, Jr. doesn’t consider his feature film Paper Shadows a film about Cleveland. Yet the entire production -- shot in 35mm black and white -- was filmed in various parts of the city
“Officially, it was all filmed in Cleveland -- east side, west side and we used archived footage of Cleveland in the ‘50s and ‘60s,” says Banks. But we’re not naming Cleveland. I didn’t want this to be a ‘Cleveland’ movie. It’s Metropolis, showing different aspects of a city in transition.”
Paper Shadows depicts a shared creative angst between two main characters: a widowed African-American Vietnam vet who works as a janitor at an art college and a young, white middle class female undergrad completing her final year at school. The two main characters represent cultural, class and generational gaps in society.
The film uses experimental film techniques to create metaphoric symbols of the social frustration and emotional angst caused by the supporting characters. “We’re using the city as a metaphor for a woman getting a facelift,” says Banks. “All of the characters represent facets of people I’ve met over the years. I consider my films to be a moving collage.”
Paper Shadows is Banks’ first feature length film. He’s made 25 to 30 short films and he’s lost track of the number of film festivals his work has appeared in. Paper Shadows is Banks’ “last hoorah for cinema,” using the 35mm film instead of modern-day digital techniques.
Banks launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the completion of his film. On September 15 he exceeded his $10,000 goal with 252 backers and $12,685. He hopes to have the project finished by December. Banks has been using the film as a teaching experience for his students at the New Bridge Center for Art and Technology.
“Officially, it was all filmed in Cleveland -- east side, west side and we used archived footage of Cleveland in the ‘50s and ‘60s,” says Banks. But we’re not naming Cleveland. I didn’t want this to be a ‘Cleveland’ movie. It’s Metropolis, showing different aspects of a city in transition.”
Paper Shadows depicts a shared creative angst between two main characters: a widowed African-American Vietnam vet who works as a janitor at an art college and a young, white middle class female undergrad completing her final year at school. The two main characters represent cultural, class and generational gaps in society.
The film uses experimental film techniques to create metaphoric symbols of the social frustration and emotional angst caused by the supporting characters. “We’re using the city as a metaphor for a woman getting a facelift,” says Banks. “All of the characters represent facets of people I’ve met over the years. I consider my films to be a moving collage.”
Paper Shadows is Banks’ first feature length film. He’s made 25 to 30 short films and he’s lost track of the number of film festivals his work has appeared in. Paper Shadows is Banks’ “last hoorah for cinema,” using the 35mm film instead of modern-day digital techniques.
Banks launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the completion of his film. On September 15 he exceeded his $10,000 goal with 252 backers and $12,685. He hopes to have the project finished by December. Banks has been using the film as a teaching experience for his students at the New Bridge Center for Art and Technology.
When Apryl Beverly signed up for the Bad Girl Ventures education program last spring, she had her eye set on winning the $25,000 loan awarded to one of the class finalists. What she ended up learning was how to make her business, BAAB Writing and Marketing, create its own success and income.
“The BGV program is geared around applying for a loan at the end of the class,” explains Beverly. “I was so, I need this money, I need this money. And when I didn’t get the loan I thought, what am I going to do now?”
What Beverly did was put the lessons she learned in the program to work and managed to drum up more than $26,000 in contracts from five clients between May and July. BAAB is a business writing service. Beverly and her staff assist their clients with writing business plans and proposals to coaching and marketing services.
“After moving past my pity party, I realized losing was the best thing for me,” says Beverly. “It's not about loans and competitions. It's about perseverance and the drive to make things happen.”
Before she started BAAB (the initials of her family members) in 2011, Beverly had worked in PR and marketing at a few different companies. She used her previous employers as a starting point to grow her own company. “I just started reaching out to previous employers, people I met in the BGV program; asking my existing clients to give me more work,” explains Beverly. “I had to be really focused and I said this is what I need to do. Now I’m not even looking for a loan. I realized I can do it without one.”
With BAAB’s growth, Beverly has been able to hire a part-time editor and a part-time writer to assist with the workload. Eventually, she plans to hire a full staff so she can focus on running BAAB.
“The BGV program is geared around applying for a loan at the end of the class,” explains Beverly. “I was so, I need this money, I need this money. And when I didn’t get the loan I thought, what am I going to do now?”
What Beverly did was put the lessons she learned in the program to work and managed to drum up more than $26,000 in contracts from five clients between May and July. BAAB is a business writing service. Beverly and her staff assist their clients with writing business plans and proposals to coaching and marketing services.
“After moving past my pity party, I realized losing was the best thing for me,” says Beverly. “It's not about loans and competitions. It's about perseverance and the drive to make things happen.”
Before she started BAAB (the initials of her family members) in 2011, Beverly had worked in PR and marketing at a few different companies. She used her previous employers as a starting point to grow her own company. “I just started reaching out to previous employers, people I met in the BGV program; asking my existing clients to give me more work,” explains Beverly. “I had to be really focused and I said this is what I need to do. Now I’m not even looking for a loan. I realized I can do it without one.”
With BAAB’s growth, Beverly has been able to hire a part-time editor and a part-time writer to assist with the workload. Eventually, she plans to hire a full staff so she can focus on running BAAB.
NorTech hosted its first Innovation UnConference at the Cleveland Convention Center Wednesday, September 24. It was billed as an exchange of innovative ideas with no set topic or agenda, but rather a chance for the more than 250 participants to set their own discussion topics.
“This is no longer NorTech’s conference -- it’s your conference,” NorTech president and CEO Rebecca Bagley told the group in her registration welcome. With that, more than 50 people lined up to present their discussion topics. Thirty-two sessions were chosen and the group broke into smaller discussion groups. Attendees were reminded of the two-leg law: If you don’t like a discussion or are bored, get up and move to another group.
Discussion topics ranged from “Collaborations Between Small and Big Companies” to “Growing Entrepreneurs from Education into the Economy.” Bagley said most of the topics centered around talent attraction, energy and technology topics.
The event idea originated from the MassTLC Unconference in Boston, which has been holding its event for the past 10 years. Cleveland organizers were pleased that the Cleveland Unconference surpassed Boston’s first-year attendance numbers. The Boston event has grown to about 1,200 people each year.
Additionally, Bagley said the idea came to her when she was on a panel at a conference and was bored. “Looking into the audience, I thought, I know he has something to say, I know she has something to say,” she recalls. “This is about how we accelerate the pace of innovation.”
Participants also had the opportunity to have one-on-one half-hour sessions with 32 mentors to pick their brains and ask advice.
“This is no longer NorTech’s conference -- it’s your conference,” NorTech president and CEO Rebecca Bagley told the group in her registration welcome. With that, more than 50 people lined up to present their discussion topics. Thirty-two sessions were chosen and the group broke into smaller discussion groups. Attendees were reminded of the two-leg law: If you don’t like a discussion or are bored, get up and move to another group.
Discussion topics ranged from “Collaborations Between Small and Big Companies” to “Growing Entrepreneurs from Education into the Economy.” Bagley said most of the topics centered around talent attraction, energy and technology topics.
The event idea originated from the MassTLC Unconference in Boston, which has been holding its event for the past 10 years. Cleveland organizers were pleased that the Cleveland Unconference surpassed Boston’s first-year attendance numbers. The Boston event has grown to about 1,200 people each year.
Additionally, Bagley said the idea came to her when she was on a panel at a conference and was bored. “Looking into the audience, I thought, I know he has something to say, I know she has something to say,” she recalls. “This is about how we accelerate the pace of innovation.”
Participants also had the opportunity to have one-on-one half-hour sessions with 32 mentors to pick their brains and ask advice.