START-UP ILLNOIS TEAM MEETS AT 1871 FOR UPDATE WITH SCOTT CASE

DES MOINES REGISTER - INITIATIVE TO FUEL BUSINESS STARTUPS IN IOWA

Initiative to fuel business startups in Iowa

Its objective is to link entrepreneurs with needed resources.

12:17 AM, Dec. 13, 2011 |

Written by

MARCO SANTANA

Start Up America

LAUNCHED: In early 2011

MISSION: To encourage young companies and provide a means to create jobs in the U.S. The organization focuses on companies less than five years old because they traditionally account for most of the country’s net job growth.
IOWA’S ROLE: Iowa is the eighth state to join the initiative. An office will open in downtown Des Moines.

The effort to build and grow new businesses in Iowa gets a boost today with the launch of StartupIowa, a statewide initiative that will create one large umbrella of organizations that aim to help entrepreneurs.

Business incubators, accelerators and research parks are scattered across the state, and there are a wide array of professional organizations and networking events. But business leaders say connecting startups to resources has been a challenge. Leaders hope StartupIowa raises the visibility of those available resources.

Christian Renaud of Startup City Des Moines, an incubator for tech companies, said StartupIowa could go a long way toward smashing the image some Iowans have of startups.

“It’s a stigma. It is not part of our cultural fabric here like it is at other places,” he said. “Here, they ask, ‘Is that English?’ That will change over time, but right now, when people hear (startup), they don’t understand what you are talking about and it comes with a negative connotation.”

Debi Durham, the head of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, said nurturing the startup community will lead to job creation.

StartupIowa “will connect the dots and bring all of the resources entrepreneurs need to bear,” she said. “We are trying to foster it and bring attention to what we are trying to do on the state level. As you go across the state, there is not a region that does not have some sort of innovation as part of its growth plan. It’s really exciting.”

The announcement will come immediately after a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Startup City Des Moines’ downtown office. Expected at the event are officials from the Startup America Partnership, which promotes startup culture across the country, including President and CEO Scott Case. The state will be the eighth to announce the formation of a startup-centered initiative.

While the national link should bring awareness, Renaud stressed that it would most likely mean very little financially.

“It is not going to be a conduit for venture funding,” he said. “It will cut through a lot of the red tape that prevents us from being able to easily start up businesses.”

Timing is right, supporters say

StartupIowa backers say the state’s startup ecosystem is ripe for a cooperative effort such as theirs. The Legislature this year reauthorized angel investment tax credits, which make available up to $2 million annually in tax credits to those who invest in startup companies.

Durham said the angel tax credit is only the beginning of how the state could encourage innovation. She said entities like the Iowa Innovation Corp., a nonprofit board established by the state, could help some entrepreneurs get through the early stages of a business through seed money and other assistance.

“Companies at that first initial level of funding, it’s essentially a valley of death,” she said. “No banks, no state government will play because the risk is strong. This is a great way for the state to use its resources to leverage money from the private sector.”

StartupIowa will highlight the efforts of incubators at Iowa State University and in West Des Moines and other cities.

“We are not trying to replace any of that,” Renaud said. “We are trying to provide guideposts for these ‘launch-epreneurs’ so they know what is available.”

In early 2011, Startup America Partnership was launched to encourage young companies and provide a means to create jobs in the U.S.

The organization focuses on companies less than five years old because they traditionally account for most of the country’s net job growth.

The first initiative, Startup Illinois, formed in May and has resulted in much more collaboration, said Howard Tullman, president and CEO of Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy in Chicago. Tribeca is a two-year college that offers vocational training for 600 students interested in digital media.

“I have seen more instances of people working collaboratively and sharing information,” he said. “It has been a good way for people to get together and exchange ideas. We have seen an uptick in terms of encouraging young startups and having people feel there are resources available they might not have otherwise found.”

That is exactly what officials with StartupIowa hope happens here. Entrepreneurs will have what amounts to a one-stop shop for resources.

Curt Nelson, president and CEO of the Entrepreneurial Development Center in Cedar Rapids, said StartupIowa can mean only good things for the state’s economic future. The eight-year-old accelerator offers mentoring for businesses.

“All businesses start somewhere, and they get started by an entrepreneur at some point. The need from an economic development standpoint is for those entrepreneurs to be constantly nurtured, fertilized and grown,” he said. “It is essential for the economy.”

Nelson pointed out that farmers long ago established Iowa as an innovative flashpoint in the country.

“Iowa built its roots in entrepreneurship,” he said. “When you look at the family farm, companies like John Deere were built out of the needs for farming implements.”

Capital sees burst of new activity

The formation of StartupIowa comes as Des Moines is seeing more entrepreneurial activity. Startup City Des Moines, which launched in October, hosts seven startups at its tech incubator. A stretch of Sixth Avenue downtown has been unofficially renamed Silicon Sixth because of the high density of tech-based startups. Dwolla, a cash-based online payment service, continues to make waves nationally.

Renaud said those successes will bring more exposure for those that continue to fly under the radar.

“The coasts do not have a monopoly on smart people or great ideas or money,” Renaud said. “We have a lot of great stuff going on here. Iowa needs to realize how much (great work) it has going on.”

Startup Illinois Launches to Accelerate Growth and Inspire Local Entrepreneurs

Startup Illinois Launches to Accelerate Growth and Inspire Local Entrepreneurs

Regional Effort Complements Formation of Illinois Innovation Network; Chicago Kick Off Event Includes Governor Quinn, Startup America Partnership and Local Startups

CHICAGO- May 20, 2011-At least 100 of the state's up-and-coming entrepreneurs will today celebrate the kick-off of Startup Illinois and the formation of the Illinois Innovation Network, dual efforts to support and accelerate growth of Illinois’ high-growth entrepreneurs.

“Innovation is the key to being competitive in the global marketplace, which is why we must do everything we can to help our businesses develop new and innovative ideas and technologies,” said Governor Quinn. “Given our commitment to fostering innovation and helping businesses grow, it is only fitting that Startup America Partnership chose Illinois as its first Startup region.”

Working with the Startup America Partnership, the private sector alliance celebrating and accelerating entrepreneurs across the country, this state collaboration of mentors, advisors, funders, major corporations, service providers and government organizations is focused on helping entrepreneurs start and scale companies in Illinois in order to foster economic growth and job creation.

“We believe that as a state, Illinois is currently poised to take a leadership position in building and launching the new businesses that will drive the economic future of our country,” said Howard Tullman, Chicago entrepreneur and CEO of Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy, “We look forward to working together to create the best possible entrepreneurial ecosystem to start, grow, and expand new innovative businesses.”

Focused on serving young companies with high growth potential, Startup Illinois will deliver strategic resources to Illinois startups and strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem in order to help build the companies that will ultimately lead to job growth and economic prosperity. Led by the Illinois Innovation Council, an initiative of Governor Pat Quinn, the organization will apply the best practices of the Startup America Partnership to make beneficial and substantive changes to the way the state approaches entrepreneurship and startups.

“Illinois has a strong community of innovators and entrepreneurs. The Illinois Innovation Network is an important strategic priority for our agency and the state in support of promoting and driving economic growth. We’re thrilled to see the broad engagement of local and national business and community leaders to align public and private resources to this effort,” said Warren Ribley, Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Startup Illinois has already started assembling commitments from a wide range of Illinois-based companies and organizations to provide assistance to entrepreneurs in the following areas:

• Expertise: Connect entrepreneurs with training, mentors, advisors and accelerators

• Services: Provide entrepreneurs access to critical services at reduced costs

• Talent: Assist entrepreneurs in recruiting and training the people that can help them grow

• Customers: Help to scale startups through new and existing markets

• Capital: Highlight sources of capital available to entrepreneurs in various regions and sectors

“Illinois has already built an incredibly promising ecosystem for entrepreneurs, due to the great work of organizations like the Illinois Innovation Council and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity,” said Scott Case, CEO of the Startup America Partnership. “We’re thrilled to work with Startup Illinois as the first local organization to utilize our resources and reach. Ultimately, entrepreneurs in Illinois will have access to not only a national platform through the Partnership, but exposure to the best practices of successful startup regions from across the country.”

For more information on Startup Illinois, please visit www.startupil.org.

About the Startup America Partnership

The Startup America Partnership is a movement - by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs - to help inspire and celebrate entrepreneurs, their firms and the people that join them. Launched at the White House in response to President Obama’s call to celebrate, inspire, and accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship throughout the nation, the Partnership is bringing together an alliance of major corporations, funders, service providers, mentors and advisors working to dramatically increase the prevalence and success of high-growth enterprises in the U.S. AOL co-founder Steve Case chairs the partnership and the Kauffman and Case Foundations are founding partners, providing initial funding and strategic guidance. For more information on the Partnership, visit www.startupamericapartnership.org and follow at www.twitter.com/startupamerica and www.facebook.com/startupamerica.

About the Illinois Innovation Network

The Illinois Innovation Network is a new, common platform through which startups, innovation-driven enterprises, service providers, research institutions, colleges, universities and community leaders connect, share ideas, and market tools and resources to accelerate the growth of businesses and industries in the Midwest. The IIN is the first initiative of the Governor's Innovation Council, chaired by Groupon Co-Founder Brad Keywell with a membership of proven entrepreneurs across a variety of critical sectors, along with science, technology and university leaders. To get connected, please visit http://www.illinoisinnovation.com/.

WATCH THE INNOVATION NETWORK VIDEO HERE:


Illinois Innovation Network & Startup America Partnership from Orlando Saez on Vimeo.

TRIBECA FLASHPOINT ACADEMY CEO HOWARD A. TULLMAN BLOG POST FOR START-UP ILLINOIS

    

     When we started Tribeca Flashpoint Academy a few years ago, one of the most frequently asked questions we heard was “Why build a new digital media arts college in Chicago?” This week with all of the buzz surrounding our newly-installed Mayor and City Council and with Governor Quinn’s announcement (from our new TFA broadcast stage at the Merchandise Mart) of the launching of Start-Up Illinois, I think we have put that question permanently to rest.



     If there’s a better, more exciting and more vibrant city in the country right now than Chicago, I don’t know what it would be and it’s this environment – of massive change, unlimited possibilities and big dreams – that makes the City and the entire State of Illinois such a fertile place to build and launch the new types of products, services and businesses that will determine the economic future of our state and our country. And equally important is the attitude of consistent support, cooperation, and collaboration that is the heart of the entire Midwest. In a word, “teamwork is what makes the dream work”.


     From our own selfish perspective at Tribeca Flashpoint Academy, it’s both exciting and challenging to think that virtually every single one of these new enterprises will be driven by the digital skills, powerful work ethic and technologies of tomorrow that are central to the new type of team-based, cross-disciplinary, hands-on training and education that we provide at TFA and that many of these new businesses will be started and eventually run by the cyber-athletes and digital marines that we create at Tribeca Flashpoint.


     Entrepreneurs need many things to be successful, but nothing in my opinion (I almost said “humble opinion”, but we all know better than that) is more crucial than three things: (1) to be surrounded and supported by your peers and others going through the same very painful and very exciting process; (2) to see all around you concrete models and examples of successes built from the same simple beginnings and through the same commitment to hard work that is central to all these enterprises; and (3) to have direct and continuous access to smart mentors and other resources that are beyond valuable and frankly that no amount of money can buy. Giving back is a big part of how we all ultimately move ahead.


     I know all of this to be true – not simply because I’ve been an entrepreneur all of my working life – but because I have the privilege of seeing it happen every day right in our own facilities at Tribeca Flashpoint Academy where we are lucky enough to be incubating several start-ups (including those like Tap.Me! created by some of our own recent graduates) and - let me just tell you – that the atmosphere throughout the place couldn’t be more alive and electric.


     It’s happening all around us and Start-Up Illinois will be another dose of steroids which I expect to only accelerate and strengthen the tremendous organic new business growth that we have been seeing for the last several years right here in Chicago and throughout the state. It won’t all happen overnight and it won’t be easy, but we know for sure that it won’t happen at all if we don’t get started and Start-Up Illinois is a great start of which I’m excited and proud to be a small part.