JumpStart

Entrepreneurial services and investing:jumpstart Inc. conducts its economic revitalization programs by functioning as a regional nonprofit venture development entity which supports startups and high potential small businesses who have the potential to economically transform communities.as the primary entrepreneurial economic revitalization program Jumpstart Inc. Encourages the creation of new employment opportunities in northern Ohio through activities supporting the launch and growth of companies with high potential for providing employment opportunities and thereby contributing to the alleviation of economic distress in northern Ohio, which has experienced economic decline and community deterioration, and enhancing its economic revitalization.jumpstart conducts investment activities to supplement state and local government economic and job development investment and other programs directed at encouraging the initiation of growth, maturation and expansion of small businesses with a potential for providing enhanced employment opportunities and thereby contributing to an economic revitalization of northern Ohio. Jumpstart often bundles guidance from experienced venture partners with its seed investment capital. Early-stage investment from Jumpstart allows these innovative companies to complete product prototypes, conduct early marketing campaigns, and add key members. Similarly, the strategic and operational guidance from venture partners enables innovation-oriented entrepreneurs to hit key growth milestones, advance through stages of the business, and attract follow-on funding. Through fiscal year 2023, Jumpstart has invested $93m in 170 portfolio companies whose business activities were determined to be consistent with the goals of the economic revitalization program. With regard to accelerating growth, client and portfolio companies receive intensive technical support from the Jumpstart team. Venture partners and mentors assigned to a client company provide guidance to help ensure that key milestones are met. Jumpstart advisors have:1) connected Jumpstart's client and portfolio companies with hundreds of resources including subject matter experts, board members, management team members, and potential customers.2) enabled Jumpstart client and portfolio companies t0 meet individual milestones, including: finalizing intellectual property, securing follow-on capital, building internal systems and developing strategic partner and client relationships.

Network advisors & economic inclusion:this program is an essential component of the economic revitalization programs that provides the initial contact and impetus to the development of seed ideas. These individuals provide education and information to individuals concerning the development and operation of small businesses in northern Ohio for the purpose of encouraging the initiation, expansion, growth, and maturation of both new and existing small business which can provide employment opportunities and thereby aid in alleviating unemployment, community deterioration and economic distress in northern Ohio and enhancing the economic revitalization of the area. Network advisors comprise the program that concentrates on assisting technology based nascent companies and small businesses with growth interest and potential. Jumpstart's staff, mentors and network of advisors guide northern Ohio's high potential entrepreneurs, assisting founders in creating and articulating high growth strategic and operational plans, accessing investment funds and moving their businesses toward key milestones. Network advisors, mentors and entrepreneurs-in-residence are successful serial entrepreneurs, seasoned investors, industry experts and/or former ceos, with significant experience. Jumpstart's advisors have a special focus on supporting women and minority entrepreneurs working in the highest growth industries. The overall advisory program is a vital aspect in the goal helping to revitalize the economic environment of northern Ohio. Jumpstart believes that the availability of experienced entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders and executives to startup companies is critical to success. Guidance of early-stage entrepreneurial endeavors provides insight, knowledge and generally broadens the vision of the entrepreneur. Economic inclusion is at the foundation and core of how Jumpstart conducts business, as this genuine commitment allows Jumpstart to realize the rich diversity of talent and promise that extends throughout northern Ohio. 42 percent of Jumpstart's board of directors are women, and 33 percent are people of color. Meanwhile, 61 percent of Jumpstart's staff are women, while nearly 40 percent are people of color.additionally, from 7/1/22 to 6/30/23, 43 percent of the companies served by Jumpstart were black owned/led, 11 percent were latino/hispanic owned/led, and 46 percent were woman owned/led. We believe in accelerating the growth of black, latino and women-owned businesses because it is a critical component of building and sustaining a healthy economy. These firms hold great promise for the region, as statistically, minority businesses tend to hire minority workers at more than twice the rate of non-minority firms. The challenge, however, is to grow the types of businesses that can employ much larger numbers. There is a critical gap in funding and support for early-stage, minority-owned, high potential businesses that could become large companies which create jobs, wealth and prosperity. Through economic inclusion initiatives, Jumpstart provides assistance tailored to the specific needs of these historically underserved communities to guide high impact minority and women owned businesses seeking to raise capital from private investors in order to become larger scale national and international firms. Advisors also assist targeted businesses situated in the urban centers of northern Ohio, whose businesses directly affect minority populations. By providing intensive hands-on guidance and strategic planning, these advisors enable entrepreneurs to access investment funds, and move their businesses toward critical milestones. Jumpstart embeds its economic inclusion programming across all of its activities. Specific examples include:1) the Jumpstart focus fund, a $10 million venture captial fund specifically dedicated to supporting female and/or minority led startups across ohio.2) the small business impact program, which provides a diverse group of traditionally underrepresented small business owners with one-on-one business assistance, grant capital and connections to valuable community resources.3) pitch cypher, a pitch event connecting early-stage tech founders-of-color with critical resources including capital and high impact technical services.

Outreach and education:is a significant and critical segment of Jumpstart's overall economic revitalization programs. The Jumpstart outreach and education program's continuous presentation of networking events, seminars and published articles both in traditional and electronic media, combine to build a greater appreciation of the importance of entrepreneurship to the northern Ohio regional economy.the activities of outreach and education are directed to supporting networks of investors, advisors and professional service firms in order to encourage an increase in the number of successful high-potential entrepreneurial ventures in northern Ohio and thereby enhance the economic revitalization of the region.the Jumpstart outreach and education program's media and event presentations continually inform and educate northern Ohio's entrepreneurs, giving visibility to the success of entrepreneurial ventures and providing support to enable a thriving entrepreneurial community. From 7/1/22 through 06/30/23, the outreach and education program: 1) communicated with more than 49,713 email subscribers and more than 21,400 social media followers, highlighting entrepreneurial successes as well as events for networking and learning.2) achieved 1,410 total media mentions highlighting client success stories and sharing valueable information so regional enterpreneurs can access the capital, services and connections they need to grow. These stories reached audiences throughout the country and highlighting client success stories.3) hosted 37 in person and 10 virtual events empowering entrepreneurs to build critical resource connentions and increase their knowledge and expertise in subject matter necessary to starting and growing an early-stage venture or successful business.to enhance the coverage of this series many of these events and conversations are recorded and made available as podcasts, video spotlights and other content. Through 06/30/23there have been more than 31,170 podcast downloads from the Jumpstart website and more than 233,900 video views on Jumpstart's youtube channel. Overall, there were more than 136,678 unique visitors to Jumpstart websites in fiscal year 2023.