JumpStart's Third Annual Startup Scaleup Brings Silicon Valley Expertise to Cleveland's Gordon Square Arts District

In addition to the traditionally strong lineup of local entrepreneurs, successful small business owners, investors and support organizations, this year's event will also feature a whole new contingent of current and former Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, investors and executives—including the former CFO of Yelp and Move.com, Rob Krolik, and Silicon Valley entrepreneur/investor Alex Bard.

"Startup Scaleup began as a way to build connections and celebrate entrepreneurship and small business growth within our region," said JumpStart CEO Ray Leach. "Now, it's grown into an event that also connects Northeast Ohio with other key hubs of innovation across the U.S."

"With increased access to information, talent and technology, it's now possible to build great companies anywhere in the world—not just in the valley," said Bard, a partner at Redpoint Ventures and a serial entrepreneur who has sold companies to Salesforce and AOL. "That's why I'm very excited to be a part of Startup Scaleup and to come see what's going on in Cleveland first-hand."

Startup Scaleup is a festival-style event held in the heart of Cleveland's Gordon Square Arts District, a diverse west-side neighborhood boasting a plethora of theatres, eateries and creative spaces, many of which will be used for event programming and post-event entertainment.

The day's agenda is packed with collaborative workshops, interactive panel discussions and valuable networking events. Sessions will include:

• The Art Of The Exit: Featuring Former Yelp CFO Rob Krolik - Whether there's an IPO or an acquisition in your company's future, get an insider's perspective on getting to the exit from the CFO who helped take Yelp public in 2012.
• The Business Of Getting Big - Every company starts out small. Learn how multi-million-dollar businesses like Hyland Software and GOJO got (and stay) big.
• The New Benefits Package - Cortney Marchetti, former HR leader at Lyft and Shutterfly teams with BoxCast founder Gordon Daily to explore how businesses are attracting top talent with a combination of traditional benefits and brand-new perks.
• Taking Your Business 2X - Join a panel of experienced entrepreneurs for a conversation about growing your company aggressively by learning how to work "on" your business rather than "in" your business.
• Mastering The Side Hustle - Cleveland 19 News Anchor (and successful food entrepreneur) Tiffani Tucker joins three fellow business owners with full-time jobs to discuss getting a side-gig off the ground without giving up your day job.
• Startup Stories: Life After Exit - Explorys co-founder Steve McHale–whose company was acquired by IBM—joins Silicon Valley entrepreneur/investor Alex Bard—who has sold companies to Salesforce and AOL—to discuss what happens after the entrepreneurial dream comes true.
• Silicon Valley Money, Midwest Zip Code - John Locke from Silicon Valley VC firm Accel joins two Ohio startups—Root and Everything But The House—to discuss how companies are attracting coastal capital without giving up their midwestern addresses.
• How To Build And Empower A Diverse Workplace – American Greetings' Director of Talent Acquisition Renita Jefferson examines how large and small companies can build inclusive cultures that improve their bottom line and allow diversity to shine through.
• Strategic Money: Finding The Right Investors - Kate Volzer, Co-founder and CEO of Cleveland startup Wisr, joins a panel of local experts and investors to explain why the relationship between an investor and an entrepreneur should be about much more than writing a check.

Startup Scaleup also features two track options, one focused on startup-related events for entrepreneurs who are building young ventures, and the other focused on helping scaleups (existing small businesses) grow aggressively. These tracks are flexible, so attendees can follow the one track that best fits their entrepreneurial needs, or chart their own unique path throughout the day.

Tickets for the August 15 event are $20 and will include a $10 lunch voucher, as well as two $5 snack vouchers redeemable at various local vendors in the Gordon Square Arts District. Group discounts are also available.

To register and learn more about this event, visit www.startupscaleup.org.

Top sponsors for Startup Scaleup 2017 include PR 20/20, Thompson Hine and Vantage Financial Group. Key supporters include Mutual Capital Partners, Ahola Human Capital Management, Oswald Companies, airCFO, Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs LLP, Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP, Howard Wershbale & Co, Ulmer & Berne LLP, Venture Management Solutions Group and Burton D. Morgan Foundation. In-kind sponsors include Proper Access, BoxCast and Hotcards.com.

JUMPSTART INC. unlocks the full potential of diverse and ambitious entrepreneurs to economically transform entire communities. For more information, visit www.jumpstartinc.org and follow @JumpStartInc on Twitter.

THE GORDON SQUARE ARTS DISTRICT (GSAD) was formed in 2007 by three theatres to revitalize a once-thriving west side Cleveland neighborhood.  More than 80 new businesses have located in GSAD, more than half of them arts-based, and residents are now flocking to a range of new and rehabbed housing options.  In 2014, GSAD completed a $30 million capital campaign and began planning to steward the investment and look to the future. www.gordonsquare.org

SOURCE JumpStart Inc.

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https://www.jumpstartinc.org