We’re so excited to announce the launch of our newest resource — the Launch Dayton Business Toolkit is live!
The Business Toolkit is a series of free, online entrepreneur and business training courses. Tap into these courses any time you need, day or night.
Dayton-are experts developed and delivered the course content. Topic areas range from broad business basics like bookkeeping, marketing, and capital readiness, to breaking into specific industries medtech or defense.
Parallax Advanced Research’s Launch Dayton team coordinated development of the Business Toolkit on behalf of the wider collaborative network of organizations serving entrepreneurs and business owners throughout the Dayton region.
“As Launch Dayton partners, we understand that we all benefit when anyone can access opportunities to create economic prosperity for themselves and their communities,” said Communications Manager Audrey Ingram. “The Toolkit is part of our work to live out the Launch Dayton value of removing barriers to entrepreneurship across our region.”
The Toolkit is the ideal resource for you if:
Toolkit courses include video lessons, downloadable worksheets, and templates. Combined, these elements offer tangible takeaways you can apply immediately to launch or grow your business.
We’ll release more than a dozen courses through the Business Toolkit this spring. We’ll continue to add additional content over time. Check out all the courses and start learning here.
The Toolkit is supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration SPRINT program and Ohio Third Frontier.
Paperreka founder Réka Juhász wants to help you make your brand so damn good you can’t wait to share it with the world.
After connecting with the Launch Dayton community on IG, then following the weekly newsletters for awhile, she signed up for the fall 2022 cohort of Entrepreneur Rising Academy so she could spend some time working on her business, instead of just in her business.
We recently caught up with Réka to learn more about her journey and her program experience.
I’m a rebel at the core, so I guess didn’t always want to be, but makes sense that I am. My values are beauty and freedom, and there’s nothing more amazing (to me anyway) than being my own boss.
Get quiet to live loud. I don’t know where this quote came from, but I always come back to it. When things are hard, or even when they are amazing, listen, pay attention, celebrate, be grateful, and know that nothing, NOTHING in this world is permanent.
Connect with Réka on IG @paperreka.
Dream of opening a vibrant storefront that contributes to your hometown community? Have an idea for the next great gadget? Looking to leave a legacy for your children in the form of a business you built from the ground up?
Applications are now open for the next Entrepreneur Rising Academy cohort! Applications close Wednesday, April 5. The cohort will kick off Wednesday, April 12.
Entrepreneur Rising Academy is a free, 10-week, cohort-based business class designed to help business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs build the foundations they need to make their businesses successful. More than 100 business owners have graduated the academy since it launched in late 2019.
If you answered yes to any of the questions above, then Entrepreneur Rising Academy is for YOU.
Business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in Entrepreneur Rising Academy meet one evening a week for 10 weeks in a supportive environment that offers one-on-one coaching, access to networks and business support resources, accountability partners and business foundation-building.
Participants learn from the Dayton, Ohio region’s experts in areas including market research, financial projections, business taxes, customer discovery, prototype development & marketing. Each week also includes pitch coaching, and graduates pitch their business for a chance at seed funding.
Participants will complete Kauffman FastTrac coursework from the nationally-renowned Kauffman Foundation, receive pitch coaching and hands-on mentoring, participate in weekly discussions with successful entrepreneurs and experts, & access Dayton’s entrepreneur and small business resources.
All cohort participants go home with valuable deliverables including market research, a completed business plan, and a high-quality pitch deck. And the culture of support carries beyond graduation.
The next cohort kicks off April 12, 2023. Apply by April 5 to be part of it!
Entrepreneurs’ Center’s newest face is a familiar one within the Launch Dayton community. We’re excited to welcome Will Foster as he swaps hats from food business founder to entrepreneur resource provider!
Will is the EC’s new ESP Portfolio Manager. The portfolio is home to roughly 100 tech startups from across the Dayton region. Will will help portfolio company founders tap into resources and support both within the EC and beyond.
“The nicest thing about the EC was, I didn’t have to defend my resume. They wanted an entrepreneur in the role,” Will said. “I’ve always been a fan, from the EC, Launch Dayton, SBDC and other organizations supporting me in the past. When the opportunity arose to step in and manage a set of companies to help them grow — as soon as I saw it, I wanted it.”
Of course, he’s not completely leaving his entrepreneur hat behind. Will owns a gym in Lebanon. He’s also a part-time project manager with Rainbow Elder Care, where he is working to help bring a new LGBTQ+ youth center to Dayton.
Late last year, Will made the difficult decision to close prepped meal delivery startup Picnk. In the company’s five years, it faced down a global pandemic, a facility fire, and rising inflation. But he has no regrets about the journey. Running Picnk taught him how to manage and scale a business, as well as a lot of emotional intelligence, he said.
“I came out of Picnk a much different person than I started,” he said. “We had great support, but I did aim big. I never lose — I either win or I learn, and I don’t think I’d have gotten this job with the EC without my experience from Picnk.”
Give Will a bright hello next time you see him around!
Are you passionate about Launch Dayton Startup Week? Join the first-ever Startup Week Launch Crew!
Launch Dayton Startup Week is the epic gathering of the year for Dayton’s entrepreneurs and business owners.
From Sept. 11-15, hundreds of makers, innovators, dreamers, and doers will converge in downtown Dayton to be inspired and empowered at this community-driven conference. The week-long schedule includes powerful talks, impactful hands-on workshops, and vibrant networking opportunities, all designed to help entrepreneurs move their businesses forward.
We plan to make this year’s event bigger and better than ever, and for that, WE NEED YOU to help spread the word!
We are looking for 10-12 dedicated members to:
What you get:
Members will be selected and notified by the end of March.
Questions? Email the team at [email protected].
A West Dayton boutique is offering shelf space for up-and-coming retail entrepreneurs who are looking for their first retail space.
Jazmine Chandler is the founder of Atlanta Vibez Boutique, located at 11 Bennington Dr., Dayton. She was born and raised in Atlanta, but moved to Dayton last spring. She launched her business in 2022.
We recently caught up with her to learn about her business.
Reach out to Jazmine on IG @Atlantavibezboutique_ or Facebook @AtlantaVibez or email her at [email protected] to learn more about her available retail space.
A new seasoning concept stole the show this LaunchHack Startup Weekend, which drew 50+ attendees from half a dozen cities and four area universities.
The 54-hour event starts Friday nights when participants pitch ideas, vote on their favorites and form teams. Saturday and Sunday, teams work on market research, customer validation, business models and presentations. Then Sunday afternoon, they pitch their concepts for new startup companies.
Team Kitchen Kanvas, which included students from Sinclair College, The Modern, University of Dayton & Cedarville University, pitched the winning concept for single-serving spices contained in edible, compost-able, tear-able rice sheets.
UD sophomore computer engineering student Brian LeCocq pitched the original idea Friday night.
“It’s not like your typical classroom group project, where one person does all the work,” Brian said of his Startup Weekend experience. “As someone very technically-minded, in computer engineering, doing something with food was completely out of my wheelhouse, my personal skill set, but I was able to wander outside of that, and that was really incredible.”
The winning Kitchen Kanvas team included Cedarville University accounting student Annie Alexander, Sinclair digital marketing student Army Sutanningsih, Sinclair engineering student Nurrul Fitriani, The Modern graphic design students Christian Burlison & Micah Hermiller, and UD mechanical engineering student Loring Leitzel, as well as Brian.
“I didn’t realize we were actually going to be making a company, and the fact that we’ve done it, too, it just blows me away,” Micah said. “I learned that your team is the most important thing. Everyone brings a different skill set, and if you’re missing any piece of the puzzle, it’s not going to work, so your team is the most important part of starting something.”
Annie is part of a team of students that are starting an entrepreneurship club at Cedarville University.
“Startup Weekend truly blow my socks off,” she said. “It’s so cool to see what we’ve accomplished in a short amount of time. Everyone’s confidence has grown and abilities and skills have grown as well. This weekend has helped to have good ideas and be able to practice taking them to the next level.”
Army & Nurral are both members of Young Entrepreneurs of Sinclair.
“My favorite part was the elevator pitch, how you can bring your idea in just 60 seconds and convince everyone in just 60 seconds,” Nurral said.
Army’s favorite part was brainstorming with the team and learning to generate new ideas.
“This is a really amazing program, especially for young people who are interested in being an entrepreneur,” she said. “You meet a lot of people, get networks, get new ideas — this is cool!”
In total, 9 teams pitched startup concepts on Sunday.
Team Sango took second place, pitching a concept for all-sports cleats with stracks that can be swapped out between soccer, football and baseball seasons.
Team Go Further took third place, pitching a concept for customizable seat cushions for adventure bikes.
Kitchen Kanvas picked up the crowd favorite award. Freelance Guru snagged the Best Hustle award for how many real-life freelancers they talked to while developing their pitch. Therapist.ai picked up Best Technical Hack for including a functional AI therapist recorded in their pitch. And Brilliance picked up Best Design for their concept of a privacy-conscious smart home that operates independently of WiFi.
“As a sophomore engineering student, I’m always in the back. Startup Weekend helped break me out of my shell,” Brilliance team leader Jacob Bieller said. “I learned so much about communicating with a group, in front of a group, and completely being scared. As fearful as it is getting up in front, it has been so valuable to me, and I’m going to remember this for a long time.”
This eventful was possible thanks to generous support from our sponsors. Thank you Mile Two, International Center for Creativity, Ascend, University of Dayton, Entrepreneurs’ Center, Parallax Advanced Research, & The Hub!
Want to get in on the action? Mark your calendars for the next LaunchHack Startup Weekend, Feb. 23-25, 2024!
Childhood best friends Jocelyn Weaver and Jasmin Young were both planning wellness businesses when they decided to join forces. Urban Bliss is now a one-stop shop for spiritual and wellness tools.
Jocelyn tapped into the Launch Dayton community via the weekly e-newsletter, which led her to Parallax’s Entrepreneur Rising Academy and Greater West Dayton Incubator’s Urban Elevation Accelerator and Business Blitz series. We recently caught up with her to learn more about her journey.
Yes, Jasmin and I talked about entrepreneurship for years. Initially, we were uncertain on what direction we wanted to go, but we knew with our leadership skills and expertise, eventually it would happen.
Being an entrepreneur requires organization, taking risk, willingness to learn, flexibility, tenacity, passion, creativity, self-motivation, grit, and to not give up with things get rough.
The best advise that we would give is, don’t give up! Keep improving yourself. If you want to become successful, strive for personal growth. Sign up for business courses, workshops, networking events, read a book, and follow someone in your niche on IG. Last, we are going to emphasize again, NETWORKING IS KEY. You never know who you will meet that will help you on your entrepreneurship journey.
Connect with Jocelyn and Jasmin online at www.shopurbanbliss.com and on social media @urbanblissdayton.
Are you a business owner, founder, entrepreneur in the Dayton, Ohio region? You don’t have to take this journey alone.
In the Launch Dayton community, we believe in being bold, putting people first, and eliminating barriers. We know the Dayton region thrives when anyone can access opportunities that create economic prosperity for themselves and their community.
This rollout accompanies a refresh of the Launch Dayton Business Resource Guide, which includes 70+ organizations and programs that exist to help entrepreneurs like you launch and grow your businesses.
“People are amazed when they realize just how many resources — many of them free! — are in the Dayton region to help business owners,” Launch Dayton Communications Director Audrey Ingram said. “But once you become aware, it can be overwhelming. You’re trying to meet with every resource provider, often having the same conversations over and over. The new interactive resource-matching quiz aims to streamline the process. It will help you find the best fit the first time around saving frustration and time that you can spend working on your business instead.”
The online quiz asks a series of questions about your current business status. It uses those answers to recommend a handful of resources that are best fit to support your current goals. At the end of the quiz, drop in your email, and we’ll connect you directly to one of your recommended resource providers for a one-on-one conversation about your business needs.
This new tool will also enable Launch Dayton partners to better collaborate on your behalf. We’ll use the aggregate data from quiz responses to identify gaps in services. When opportunities arise, we’ll build out new programs to fill these gaps so you have end-to-end support along your business journey, no matter your size or industry.
Curious about that full list of support organizations? With the revamped Business Resource Guide, you can filter resources based on the type of business support you’re seeking. Whether you’re just starting to explore an idea, or seeking space and capital, there is a partner in the Launch Dayton community who can help you move forward.
Take the quiz here — we can’t wait to connect with you!
Development of this tool was overseen by Parallax Advanced Research. It was supported by, but does not necessarily reflect the views of, the U.S. Economic Development Association and Ohio Third Frontier.
A state-funded program awarded Dayton company Smart Response Technologies $100K last week to further develop Delphini, its patented cloud-based intelligence communications dashboard.
Smart Response Technologies developed Delphini in cooperation with the Air Force Research Lab. The SaaS platform aims to drastically improve public safety by enhancing emergency coms channels used by 911 operators and other first responders.
The grant from the Ohio Third Frontier Technology Validation and Start-up Fund (TVSF) will be used to extend live radio transcription into 911 and 988 (mental health) calls in English and Spanish over the next four months.
“This grant money will be instrumental in helping us achieve our biggest objective, which is to stop the frequent miscommunication in emergency situations that results in thousands of avoidable deaths each year,” said Tim Shaw, SRT’s president and chief operating officer. “Accuracy in transcribing is essential to a dispatcher’s swift response, and the software’s keyword function enables us to track all data in handling calls from start to finish.”
Delphini leverages artificial intelligence to deliver instant audio-visual cues that shave critical, life-saving minutes during stressful, noisy phone and radio communications. The platform’s live mapping and patented AI communication enables dispatchers and their supervisors to monitor multiple radios at once in a simplified dashboard.
Only Delphini transcribes speech on radio exchanges during active shooter events, fires, foot chases, raucous entertainment events, and the like. Real-time voice to text transcription, with a customizable keyword highlight function and spatially separated audio, increases comprehension by 70%, decreasing the chance of missing critical information while monitoring multiple channels at once. The AI transcription also highlights “predictor” words that provide early warning of potential conflict escalation.
Taken together, Delphini’s features increase first responder communications effectiveness by 55%, Shaw said.
The collaborative nature of dolphin communication inspired the name of the company.
“Our platform is designed with dispatchers in mind, to eliminate some of their stress during a shift by enabling them to better comprehend and disseminate the flow of details coming in across multi-communication channels,” Shaw said.
SRT supports command and control centers, corrections facilities, event management, and courthouse, corporate, and campus security. Currently, the Fairborn police and fire departments, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Fire Emergency Services, and county 911 Emergency Communications Centers in California, Colorado, and Maryland are using Delphini.
Smart Response Technologies is a client of Launch Dayton partner Entrepreneurs’ Center. The commpany is a member of the EC’s Entrepreneurial Services Provider (ESP) program. ESP supports Dayton’s technology startup and early-stage companies with strategic assistance to accelerate their growth and help them achieve success. This work in turn stimulates the local economy.
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