MICROSOFT
VENTURES DIRECTOR HANAN LAVY TO VISIT 1871 AND HOST WEEK-LONG CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
Twelve Companies will Benefit from Direct Tutelage and
Immersive Experience with Microsoft Ventures Accelerator Director
CHICAGO (January ##, 2015)—1871 will welcome Microsoft Ventures Accelerator
Director Hanan Lavy this week to conduct a four-day workshop on customer
development for twelve startup companies working
out of 1871. Lavy’s workshop
will focus on operational
and strategic management and marketing plans for
customer acquisition.
1871 and Microsoft Ventures launched their partnership in early 2014 to provide
development opportunities for 1871 member
startups. Funding, technology, mentorship, and programming such as the upcoming
customer development workshop are some of the resources Microsoft Ventures
provides to early-stage entrepreneurs to help them
build strong businesses and improve their prospects for success.
“The primary goal of
1871 is to help Chicago’s top digital entrepreneurs succeed in creating
sustainable businesses that have a strong impact on Chicago and the world,” said 1871 CEO, Howard A. Tullman. “By collaborating with industry experts like Hanan Lavy, we are able to
provide specialized programming opportunities that deliver meaningful long-term
benefits to our member companies. We are thrilled that he’s coming to 1871 to work with our companies.”
“Our focus is to help
entrepreneurs build great companies,” said
Microsoft Ventures Accelerator Director Hanan Lavy. “1871 is a startup hub that embodies Chicago’s natural drive to innovate in the digital age.
Leveraging partnerships like this, we are able to provide
direct support to the best entrepreneurial ecosystems across the
world.”
1871 additionally worked closely with the accelerators housed at its facility to select the final
group of startups.
• Carzell, an online car auction service that provides
sellers with the highest offer for the purchase of their vehicles
• Kahoots, a phone app that helps build stronger networks
without more social networking
• Quick2Launch, a software that helps corporations develop
visually compelling presentations
• Digital Ground Up, an interactive technology platform that
teaches digital marketing through short online experiential courses
• ParkNav, a technology for street parking which helps
drivers reduce the time spent searching for available parking spots
• Breaking Voices, a social news broadcasting engine that
socially aggregates real-time
breaking news in your immediate area
• Double
Helix Group, a
platform for convenient and affordable access to online medical treatment and
self-managed wellness programs
• Pangea Universal Holdings Inc., a money transfer platform and mobile
application that enables transfers from the US to Mexico for fees up to 75%
less than traditional services
• Starchup, a web and mobile application that enables
laundry businesses to operate an efficient delivery service
•
Web Force 1, a
Microsoft Cloud Partner that specializes in delivering cloud solutions to small
businesses, entrepreneurs, and government agencies
• RideScout, a mobile application that helps its users get
from point A to point B faster and smarter
• CondoGrade, a software that supports smaller condominium
associations at reasonable fees
In addition to the boot camp, Microsoft has also been an active
sponsor of events at 1871. Most recently, they hosted an open house for their
Microsoft Ventures Accelerator program focused on digital work, where some 1871
companies, as well as others, had the
opportunity to pitch their business concepts. The hugely successful event was
not only their first open house of 2015 but also the first one hosted in
Chicago. Microsoft is also a leading partner of 1871 in working toward
fostering diversity at the digital business incubator.
About 1871
1871 is the home of more than 325 early-stage, high-growth startups.
Located in The Merchandise Mart, this 75,000 square foot facility is also the
headquarters of nationally recognized accelerators, Techstars Chicago and
Impact Engine; half a dozen industry-specific incubators in key areas such as
real estate, education technology and the Internet of Everything; several
emerging tech talent schools (The Starter League and the Startup Institute),
and the state's leading technology advocate, the Illinois Science and
Technology Coalition. It is the second home to Chicago-based VCs, Pritzker
Group, MATH Ventures, Hyde Park Angels, OurCrowd and Chicago Ventures, as well
as satellite offices for Northwestern University, University of Illinois,
University of Chicago, Illinois Institute of Technology, and DeVry. 1871 has
fast become recognized as the hub for the city’s entrepreneurial/technology ecosystem and has
been featured in TechCrunch, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Chicago
Tribune and Crain’s
Chicago Business among other top media.
About Microsoft Ventures
Microsoft Ventures is a global initiative to help entrepreneurs build
great companies. We work with startups at every stage of maturity to provide
the tools, resources, and expertise they need to succeed. The initiative is
broad-based, and includes a community program, accelerators, and a seed fund.
Our approach helps startups scale their business, bring innovative services to
market and reach new customers.
