Tyra Jean joins the LaunchPad as an inaugural Todd B. Rubin Diversity and Inclusion Scholar. The role is supported through a gift to SU Libraries from Todd B. Rubin ’04 (School of Architecture), who is Minister of Evolution and President of The Republic of Tea.
Most students who attend Syracuse University live in a world of immense privilege. As attendees of a private, wealthy, higher education institution it can easy to submerge oneself in a world of comfort and lose sight to the injustices and debilitating social crises happening all around the world. To recognize privilege and channel it as power for helping others is a rare and societally transformative quality.
Tyra Jean, a graduate student earning her master’s degree in public administration, and an inaugural Todd B. Rubin 20-21’ Diversity and Inclusion Scholar, is such an individual who utilizes the blessings of her life into social impact for communities around her. Focusing her studies into international and development administration, she hopes that she can use her career to positively influence the world around her and tackle pressing social issues.
Jean’s desire for a socially impactful career grew from her varied and culturally diverse background. Her family are immigrants from Haiti, a nation inundated with widespread poverty and crippled by the effects of climate change. As Jean grew older, she became aware of a powerful juxtaposition between her life in the United States and the land which was home to her family and ancestors: a home with poor healthcare, massive pollution in the form of trash and sewage, and little sustainable energy. Her experience of the difference between cultures and places only deepened as she spent her childhood in three different places in the US: New York, North Carolina, and Florida. These experiences fueled her curiosity to explore the meaning and ramifications of the diversity of experiences across different peoples and societies.
When Jean took a sociology class in high school, she suddenly discovered a way of thinking that explained the complexity she saw in the way societies were constructed and the problems they faced. “Growing up I saw so much I didn’t have the verbiage for. I finally understood that there are theories I can tie to my lived experience.”
Motivated to understand these theories, Jean went to Syracuse and earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in biology. Along the way, her studies and work only deepened her convictions to use her work for social impact. Working as a Literacy Corps tutor, where she tutored underprivileged children in Syracuse schools, she began to understand how deep-rooted the issue of literacy is and its severe negative consequences, particularly in Haiti.
She also worked for the Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion where she wrote briefs surrounding population health‑opening her eyes to the importance of public health across the world. She’s held an internship studying public health at the Onondaga County Health Department and completed the Public Policy and International Affairs Fellowship Program at UC Berkeley. Her continued hands-on work delving into these social issues inspired her to form her career around them, motivating her pursuit of a master’s degree in a socially oriented field.
Jean’s recognition of these social issues is leading her to utilize her studies and privilege into helping her Haiti and the home where her parents grew up. One of the factors worsening the effects of climate change in Haiti is the lack of renewable and sustainable energy. She’s currently in the process of creating a venture to install solar panels in Haiti to increase renewable energy sources as well as increasing access to reliable energy, which has powerful effects on the development of communities and the status of public health, particularly in the remote countryside. Her first project, which she will be working to develop through the LaunchPad, is to install solar panels across buildings on the very village her mother is from; a tribute to her roots and her family that paved the way for her. Passionate about environmental justice, she’s currently taking classes on sustainable energy and resources to gain crucial skills to practically help Haitian communities.
Not only is Jean driven to help international developing communities, but she’s also passionate about helping and educating her Syracuse community. This year as the Todd B. Rubin Diversity and Inclusion Scholar, she hopes to use her role to raise awareness and collaborate on issues of climate change and environmental justice, particularly how it affects developing societies. She also seeks to shed more light on the stories of Black immigrants in the struggles they’ve had to overcome as a result of the countries they were born into. “I want people to understand the struggles of a developing nation and humanize the people there as well.”
Jean’s story of growth from understanding social issues to devotedly working to find solutions and ways she can use her talents to help serve as inspiration to all in the Syracuse community to open our eyes and utilize our privileges to impact the world positively. The LaunchPad welcomes her wholeheartedly and is thrilled to see the social awareness and action she will inspire in the entrepreneurial community.
Story by Claire Howard ’23, LaunchPad Global Fellow; photo supplied
Syracuse University student startup FSCL, founded by Sam Hollander ’22, a Whitman and Newhouse dual major, was accepted by The Tech Garden in downtown Syracuse as a new member. Sam is an active member of the LaunchPad where he will be a 2020 – 2021 Rubin Family Innovation Mentor working with other student ventures while building his only company. Sam founded FSCL as a sophomore to solve a problem that he encountered personally, and realized is a looming financial challenge — financing a higher education. In response to student debt that has now climbed to more than $1.76 trillion nationally, FSCL is building a simple, affordable, and flexible alternative finance solution, using the power of Income Share Agreements (ISA’s). Sam’s goal is to become the first company in the country to issue ISA’s at scale to address the student debt crisis.
Sam was mentored this past year by Steve VonDeak, a LaunchPad alumni Entrepreneur in Residence, who is one of the co-founders of Density, an anchor tenant at The Tech Garden. Steve and a number of Syracuse team members launched startups in The Tech Garden as students and recent alumni, and Density scaled to become a business with a footprint in Syracuse, New York City and San Francisco. Density recently closed on a $51 million Series C round of funding, bringing the total raised to about $90 million since the company planted its first seeds at The Tech Garden.
As a new Tech Garden member, Sam will now also have access to business resources, free events, mentors and funding opportunities. Promptous, another Syracuse University student startup, recently received an equity investment through a fund managed by The Tech Garden.
Sam and FSCL will be a virtual tenants at The Tech Garden’s downtown incubator while he continues classes at Syracuse and works out of the Syracuse LaunchPad. He joins three other new Tech Garden members: Tonquin, the “Uber” for auto-parts, which recently moved into a 500 sq. ft. space at The Tech Garden; RF Interconnect, a web-based platform to help engineers in the B2B electronics industry create, select, buy, and protect radio frequency connector technologies from one location; and Salt City Woods, Mill & Kiln, LLC, which offers a variety of products and services from locally sourced kiln dried slabs and dimensional wood.
The Tech Garden is Central New York’s premier tech incubator, supporting over 100 startups in various stages of their entrepreneurial journey, from ideation to expansion. It is part of the innovation and entrepreneurship portfolio of CenterState CEO, a private, not-for-profit organization that serves 12 counties of Central New York as an economic development strategist and business leadership organization.
Before joining Syracuse University, the LaunchPad’s executive director Linda Dickerson Hartsock was VP of Innovation and Technology for CenterState CEO and served concurrently as executive director of The Tech Garden and founding director of its Clean Tech Center, a NYSERDA-funded initiative also operated out of The Tech Garden. The LaunchPad and The Tech Garden have forged a strong working partnership to encourage businesses that start on campus to connect with the community, and leverage resources. The relationship with The Tech Garden expands access to mentors and subject matter experts, professional service providers, beta customers, supply chain partners, pre-seed capital and other specialized expertise to scale potential high-growth companies.
To learn more about becoming a member at The Tech Garden, click here.
The Syracuse Blackstone LaunchPad and Techstars has a strong partnership with the CNY Biotech Accelerator (CNYBAC) which is part of SUNY Upstate Medical University. Syracuse University startups have greatly benefitted from its excellent programming. This fall the CNYBAC is hosting a Concept to Commercialization Virtual Series starting September 9 and continuing through December. Sessions include discussions of regulatory, commercialization and ecosystem resources helpful for biotech-related product development and launch to market. We highly recommend it for faculty, staff, student and alumni ventures who are working on innovations in bio, life and health sciences, as well as other sectors such as medical devices and medical technologies. Innovations can be products, services or technologies, and there has never been a greater demand than now for commercializing great research and ideas coming out of universities.
See all CNYBAC events with complete descriptions of each here. Register for any/all sessions of the Concept to Commercialization Virtual Series here.
All sessions are at 2:00 – 3:00 unless otherwise noted:
Date
Presentation Title
Presenter(s)
Sept 9
Commercialization Pathway*
Molly Zimmerman
Sept 16
IP Valuation and Triage for Early Stage Ventures
John Brenner
Sept 23
Connecting with Customers
David Eilers and Arber Ruci
Sept 30
FDA Regulations*
Gary Brennan
Oct 5
IndieBio NY
Stephen Chambers, Sam Lee and Julie Wolf
Oct 14
Design Controls, Verification & Validation*
Sarah Burlingame
Oct 20
NYS Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Jim D’Agostino, Steve Melito
Oct 27
The Tech Garden and the Hotspot Program
Jeannine Rogers, Kara Jones
Nov 4
Quality Systems*
Dave Johnson
Nov 11
How to Sell Your Product: Channel, Sales Strategy, Selling Methods
Courtney Chiavara Perrone and Jamie Wood
Nov 18
Good Clinical Practice Regulations and Clinical Trials*
Kathi Durdon
Dec 2
Startup Resources: Business & Financial Culture
Kurt D’Angelo and Sean Richardson
Dec 9 (12-1)
Export Information for Small Businesses
Steven King
*These sessions are eligible for Certificate of Attendance towards SOCRA and other professional recertification education credit
Sponsorship support for the program is through: CenterState CEO; Innovation Law Center, College of Law, Syracuse University; MedTech; TDO; The Research Foundation for SUNY; SUNY Upstate
It is a terrible thing to feel alone in this world. The moment where you discover that somebody out there in the world has felt the same as you do or has experienced what you have gone through is a moment of lightness where a burden of strangeness and loneliness is lifted.
Artistic mediums like literature carry power in their ability to resonate with, influence people, and lift sensations of isolation through shared feelings. They tell stories of pains and triumphs that you may resoundingly identify with or that may open your eyes to the perspective of others. Unfortunately, in today’s society, the stories told are often only representative of majority identities and do not include the deeply needed stories of BIPOC, queer, and other marginalized individuals,
Gabbi Holliman-Lopez, a junior studying communication and rhetorical studies and Hanna Seraji, working towards her master’s degree in library science, are both avid readers and know well that stories inspire personal and social change. They saw, though, that the stories often told were not of those from a different background or marginalized identity- that these crucial voices were missing and people from these identities did not see a reflection of themselves in art.
In response they created Tableau Media, a publication dedicated amplifying voices of BIPOC, queer, and marginalized identities. Tableau, aptly named ‘a space for colorful analysis’, is overflowing with thoughtful writings on mental health or cultural discovery to recommendations for readings and music to inspire social change; all carefully crafted to support diverse voices.
Seraji and Holliman-Lopez have known each other for years. Both growing up in Syracuse, they attended the same schools K-12 and their shared friendship and experiences as minorities in the Syracuse community drove them to start Tableau.
“In going to a predominantly white institution there was a sense of missing that representation. It was wild how little there was of it. Today there’s still more children’s books about inanimate objects than there are about people of color,” Holliman-Lopez recalled. Even much of the representation that currently exists of different cultures and ethnicities is often highly problematic and depicts harmful stereotypes. Tableau seeks to change that by publishing writings authored by those of differing identities and creating a welcoming space where individuals can share the reality of their experiences.
They launched Tableau Media this past summer through the LaunchPad SummerStart Accelerator. Through a fast-paced summer packed with entrepreneurial growth and creation, Seraji and Holliman-Lopez devoted themselves to creating this eye-opening publication as a venture they are passionate about. They were part of a global Innovation Showcase at the end of the accelerator and earned extremely high marks from the prestigious panel of alumni judges who were incredibly impressed with what they had accomplished. They plan to publish a print magazine this fall and currently have a team of content creators overflowing with inspiring pieces. Their passion for writing and their championship for often-ignored communities shows in their cultivation of thought-provoking and compassionate writings.
The creation of Tableau Media stemmed from Seraji and Holliman-Lopez’s own experience of the life-altering power of reading. Literature by people of color, or literature that championed social activism filled them with passion for the world around them and impacted their everyday choices. Stories force you to put yourself in the shoes of others, which is why it’s so important to hear the voices of those who have faced discrimination and suffering and tell stories that inspire inward and outward change.
“Something as powerful as writing and channeling that energy of consciousness to have people resonate with that is really important, “said Seraji.
Not only is it crucial to include diverse voices so that people can grow in their beliefs, but it’s crucial for individuals to be seen and heard. Seeing yourself reflected in the spaces around you relieves and empowers. It relieves you from the conviction of being strange and apart. It empowers you to embrace your identity and create your life with courage, knowing that others have gone before you. Tableau Media, by amplifying BIPOC and queer voices, creates much needed belonging for individuals often alienated and compels others to empathize with different experiences and feelings.
“Storytelling is an exercise in empathy,” said Holliman-Lopez. “It’s how we understand the world so it’s crucial to see yourself in the media that’s created and see that you are worthwhile and important.”
Both are officially becoming team members of the LaunchPad this academic year while continuing to work on Tableau Media. Seraji will be a Global Fellow, crafting stories about entrepreneurs and creatives from diverse communities who are part of the Syracuse University innovation scene, and Holliman-Lopez will be an inaugural Todd B. Rubin Diversity and Inclusion Scholar, working on programs, events and initiatives that promote diversity, inclusion and social justice. Holliman-Lopez’s role is funded through a generous gift from Todd B. Rubin ’04 (School of Architecture) who is Minister of Evolution and President of the Republic of Tea. Rubin has been an important mentor to entrepreneurial Syracuse University students engaged in the LaunchPad.
We are excited to welcome them as new founders and as new LaunchPad team members, and very excited to see Tableau Media grow.
We are pleased to promote seven Fellowship opportunities with our good friends at Chloe Capital, a movement-driven venture capital firm that invests in women-led companies. In partnership with universities, foundations, and corporate leaders the Chloe Capital team travels around the country creating opportunities for women – on both sides of the table. Chloe Capital is reaching out to Syracuse students who share a passion for diversity and inclusion to apply for seven 2020-21 Fellowship opportunities, and help shine a spotlight on not only Chloe Capital venture founders, but all who participate in our Movement to #InvestInWomen!
Being a Chloe Capital Fellow will give you access to a community of founders, investors, corporate executives and innovation leaders. Fellowships include 12 months of career and leadership coaching from the Chloe team who will also help you identify a career path, connect with industry leaders and build relationships with decision makers. The 2020-21 Fellowship will culminate with a Talent Pitch. Fellows will invite decision-makers and showcase how they’ve supported the Movement. The Talent Pitch will be part of Chloe Capital’s next #InvestInWomen program, announcing the fund’s next investment. This year alone, Chloe Capital helped invest $1.25 million in women-led innovation companies around the world.
Here are the details:
Positions available (all flexible and remote)
Assignment Editor
Business Development
Content Writer
PR / Community Relations
Social Media / Graphics
UI / UX Designer
Video Production
About you
An entrepreneurial spirit with a curious nature
Excellent attention to detail and organization skills
Collaborative and open to direct and timely feedback
You will learn how to
Build relationships
Grow a nationally recognized brand
Deliver on targeted key performance indicators (KPIs)
Analyze data to drive real results
Expected outcomes for you
Increased efficiency and proficiency as you learn tools and gain industry knowledge
Advancement of your independent thinking and problem-solving skills
Connections to high-growth founders, investors and innovation leaders
Industry, business and career development coaching throughout the Fellowship
Requirements and compensation
A 12-month commitment to the Chloe Capital Fellowship program
A minimum of 5+ hours a week committed to Chloe assignments
Tech-proficient and business email proficient
Ability to work remotely with potential for occasional in-person meetings
Reliable computer equipment with stable internet connection
$100 monthly stipend
How to apply
Join Chloe Capital’s Movement to invest in women. Review more details on each Fellow opportunity below. If qualified, complete the Fellowship Application. Select which role you would like to be considered for on the application and include that role in your cover letter, as well as specific reasons why you are best suited for this role.
Next steps
Candidates must submit at least three references with their applications. Only one should be academic. Applicants with the appropriate background will receive Test Projects, which you will have one week to complete. Successful test projects will result in interviews. Seven lucky students will receive acceptance into Chloe Capital’s 2020-21 Fellowship. The program is tentatively scheduled to begin in mid-September. If you have questions or comments, reach out to info@chloecapital.com.
Chloe Capital supports emerging women entrepreneurs
Roles and responsibilities of each position:
Assignment Editor
A proven ability to empower and guide teammates
Experience assigning and tracking the delivery of specific tasks and timelines
Awareness of best practices in team communications and productivity
Familiarity with tracking and assessing the completion of team assignments
Ability to deliver on targeted key performance indicators (KPIs)
Interest in creating and maintaining a daily Project Management System
Passion for using leadership tactics to aid a strong company culture
Business Development
A proven ability to provide consistent outreach (emails / calls)
Experience creating contact lists and maintaining a CRM database
Awareness of best practices using storytelling to sell
Familiarity with tracking and assessing outreach efforts
Ability to deliver on targeted key performance indicators (KPIs)
Interest in creating and maintaining a weekly Lead Sheet
Passion for applying lead generation tactics to drive real results
Content Writer
A proven ability to create long-form content for web pages, blogs and press releases
Experience using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) best practices
Awareness of best practices selecting “newsworthy” topics and interviewing talent
Familiarity with tracking and assessing content performance
Ability to deliver on targeted key performance indicators (KPIs)
Interest in creating and maintaining a weekly Content Calendar
Passion for using SEO best practices to dominate on Google search results
PR / Community Relations
A proven ability to rally the masses through PR or community outreach
Experience creating contact lists and maintaining a CRM database
Awareness of best practices selecting “newsworthy” topics to pitch to media
Familiarity with tracking and assessing outreach efforts
Ability to deliver on targeted key performance indicators (KPIs)
Interest in creating and maintaining a weekly Lead Sheet
Passion for using give first tactics to build brand visibility alongside our sales team
Social Media / Graphics
A proven ability to consolidate long-form content into bite-size posts
Experience with Canva and social media for marketing
Awareness of best practices for tagging, scheduling and growth hacking
Familiarity with automation tools such as Hootsuite, HubSpot or other
Ability to deliver on targeted key performance indicators (KPIs)
Interest in creating and maintaining a daily Content Calendar
Passion for using social media and growth hacking as a sales tool
UI / UX Designer
A proven ability to create personal experiences that carry across an entire brand
Experience with WordPress, Canva and Mailchimp, creating wireframe and mockups
Awareness of best practices for “conversational marketing” like Chat, SMS and Bots
Familiarity with automation tools like Airtable and HubSpot
Ability to explore user performance and deliver on targeted KPIs
Interest in researching competitors and performing customer discovery
Passion for delivering stellar user experiences to attract, educate, close and delight
Video Production
A proven ability to attract attention with bite-sized videos across various multimedia
Experience creating storyboards and editing video clips with sound and effects
Awareness of best practices for transcribing video using the latest software tools
Familiarity with cloud-based video editing tools, such as WeVideo
Ability to deliver on targeted key performance indicators (KPIs)
Interest in designing and developing a video content library
Passion for producing videos for each stage of the buyer’s journey
This was originally published on The Success Bug website by Ashlyn Rosario.
We’ve all had amazing business startup ideas at some point in our lives.
Let’s say you had a brilliant idea for an ice cream business, featuring ice cream that stays frozen longer, or a killer idea about a way to simplify the job searching process. Excited, you run to your computer and start jotting down the idea. The thought almost seems to make too much sense. So, why doesn’t it work out?
Because no matter what your business startup ideas are, you need to develop a strategic, written plan for them.
The perfect method for developing a strategic business plan is called the Business Model Canvas. This business plan cheat-sheet features nine segment blocks essential for understanding your target consumers, how to reach them, what channels to use, and how to generate sales.
Here is an image of the Business Model Canvas. We recommend printing this out, so you can quickly add to it using a pen or pencil:
The right side of the business model canvas focuses on the customer, while the left side focuses more on the business itself.
Now, the BMC might look a bit confusing at first but bear with me. Because we’re going to break down every segment of the most effective ways you can use the Business Model Canvas to bring your startup ideas to life. Let’s get started.
1. Customer Segments + Value Proposition for Startup Ideas
When beginning the canvas for your business startup ideas, you’ll need to start with either the Customer Segment or Value Proposition component.
Why? Because the first two questions you need to ask yourself when creating a startup are “Who are the people that will buy my product?” and “What value can I add with my product?” For our breakdown today, we’re going to start with customer segments.
Customer Segments
When analyzing your potential customers and specifying your target market, here is a list of consumer types to focus on:
Payers: People who pay a bill for your product or service
End Users: People who will actually use your product
Subsidized Users: People who will benefit from your product
Influencers: People who have the power to affect the purchase of your product
Decision Makers: People who may be responsible for business expansion, investments or company acquisition
Understanding the different types of customers your company might have is critical to creating a successful business. Once you know this, you can start to brainstorm different ways to attack each group.
Value Proposition
Now that you have a solid understanding of the different types of consumers you might have, you need to think about the kinds of value you can provide.
A value proposition is exactly what it sounds like: a promise of value to be delivered, communicated, and acknowledged. Now, don’t worry. We’re not here to tell you what type of business to start; this is simply a list of the different types of value propositions your business can offer.
Gain Creator: businesses that benefit their customers in different ways, such as creating positive emotions, providing high functionality, or creating social gains
Problem Solver: businesses that develop a course of action for fixing an identifiable problem such as lowering personal costs and keeps existing customers
Pain Reliever: Describes how your product or service solves specific problems for customers
Having a basic understanding of Customer Segments and Value Propositions is the first step to get your startup ideas moving with the business model canvas. Filling this out as the first step will give you the foundation to be able to understand the rest of the grid. Which brings us to our next component…
2. Customer Relationships + Channels
Now that you have an idea of the types of customers valuable to your business and value propositions, you need to decide what channels to use. A channel refers to the different methods that businesses use to communicate and reach their customers. Confused? Here are some examples of sales channels.
Wholesaler: A person or company that buys a large number of products from vendors and resells them to retailers.
Retailer: A company that buys products from wholesalers or manufacturers and resells them to customers.
Distributor: A person or business that sells goods or services to customers or end-users
The Internet: A platform that companies can use to advertise their products and make a sale on.
There are multiple channels to sell your product. However, think about how much of your product you want to create and which channels work best with it.
Customer relationships and channels are the meat and potatoes of any successful business. With the BMC, you’ll know why it’s essential to make lasting relationships with your customer base and the different ways to reach them. Ultimately, the relationship you have with customers, whether personal, professional, or automated, will directly affect your business’s outcome. So, take some time with this step and be sure to think about what type of customer relationship you want to make through your company.
3. Revenue Streams for Startup Ideas
The Revenue Stream portion of the Business Model Canvas should be the bread and butter of your startup ideas. Why? Because the goal of every business is not only to retain customers but to make a profit. And you can do that by asking yourself these three vital questions when filling out the revenue stream section of the Business Model Canvas:
How will the business make revenue?
What is the business’s target audience?
Through what method will the company will generate revenue? i.e., (subscription service, brick, and mortar, or online store.)
Understanding how the business will make revenue will allow you to avoid wasting time in unproductive areas. The general rule of thumb for your business startup ideas is to have between two to five avenues of revenue generation.
If you’re having trouble brainstorming ideas of what to fill in for this section, we’ve provided a few different popular areas of revenue generation below.
Examples of Revenue Generation Areas
Service Revenue: Revenue is generated by providing service to customers and calculated based on time. For example, the number of hours of services provided
Transactional Revenue: Proceeds from sales or goods that are (usually) one-time payments
Project Revenue: Revenue earned through one-time projects with new or existing customers
Recurring Revenue: This is one of the most popular areas of revenue generation: the proceeds from recurring payments for ongoing services to customers. This revenue model is so popular because it is transparent and creates a consistent flow of revenue for the business. Examples of companies that utilize this business model are Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and Spotify
4. Key Resources, Activities, and Partners for Startup Ideas
These components refer to the “front stage” of the Business Model Canvas. They’re crucial ingredients for sustaining business, what activities companies participate in, and what type of partners and relationships they develop with other companies and non-consumers.
Key Resources
Key resources are considered the “assets” of your company, which are vital for sustaining and supporting your business. They also allow you to create a compelling value proposition more easily. Examples of key resources include physical resources, human resources, intellectual resources, and financial resources.
The 4 Types of Key Resources for Startup Ideas
Physical resources: These include physical goods like raw goods, buildings, vehicles, machines, etc.
Intellectual Resources: These include goods that come from the mind, like proprietary knowledge, patents, partnerships, etc.
Human resources: These include human qualities like creativity, experience, organizational abilities, etc.
Financial resources: These include commercial entities like cash, credit, stock, etc.
Key Activities
Key activities can vary depending on the type of business model companies use. These activities are categorized by production, which incorporates four design-related activities. These include manufacturing and delivering a product, problem-solving activities, platform, or networking activities.
Key Partners
Key partners are the network of suppliers, businesses, or nonconsumers that enable businesses to work. These can be the relationships that your company has with suppliers, business partners, and more.
These relationships are vital to the success of a business and will help your business succeed in areas that you may not be an expert in yourself. Now, there are four types of partnerships you can create.
The 4 Types of Key Partnerships for Startup Ideas
“Coopetition”: This refers to a strategic partnership between you and a competitor. At first, this might sound like “flirting with the enemy.” But a “coopetition” is actually an effective way to create a more extensive user base for both you and your competitor. You know the old saying, “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” Well, when it comes to your startup ideas, this certainly applies.
Buyer-Supplier: This is precisely what it sounds like: building a relationship with a buyer or supplier. Creating an element of trust between these two will create social proof for your business.
Joint Ventures: Sometimes, joining forces altogether with a business that offers a similar service can be beneficial. A common example of this is when major law firms merge, often creating new opportunities for both businesses to increase their clientele. *Note* Not to be confused with a “coopetition,” a strategic partnership between your business and a competitor.
Non-Competitors: This happens when you and a company you have no direct competition with partner up in a way that will benefit both parties. Here’s a wildly extreme example: Amazon. When Amazon purchased Whole Foods, the eCommerce giant entered the grocery industry overnight.
5. Cost Structure for Startup Ideas
If key resources, activities, and partners are “the front stage,” then Cost Structure is “the backstage” of the Business model canvas. It describes all of the costs incurred as a result of running your business.
Cost-driven: This is the act of minimizing your costs as a business to give you an advantage over your competitors. Examples of companies that utilize this method are TJ Maxx, Marshall’s Walmart, or any store that provides value at lower prices.
Value-driven: This type of cost structure focuses more on the design and overall maintenance of a product or service. When using a value-driven cost structure, your goal is to provide as much value with the product itself as possible. For example, Apple sells its products at a premium price but can justify it for its premium features.
Still having trouble deciding which cost structure to use? Here are some questions to ask yourself when considering each method:
What key resources or key activities cost the most?
What costs are the most important in my business model canvas?
Is my business fueled by cost or value?
Asking yourself these questions will allow you to decide which cost-structure to use in no time. If you’re still struggling, another helpful way to determine what method to use is taking a look at your possible competitors and identifying which cost-structures they use. Then, you’ll be able to compare and find out whether or not their methods would suit your business as well.
Key Takeaways
It is vital to develop an organized business plan to map out strategic ways to deliver value to your customers when it comes to business startup ideas. The Business Model Canvas makes it easier for people to organize their business ideas in an organized way. When starting, you need to begin with either the customer segment or value proposition portions to assess your business’ scalability and how you can create and keep customers.
Next is choosing which channels to use in selling your product. Also, once you have customers, maintaining positive relationships with customers with excellent customer service practices is essential.
The Business Model Canvas helps to plan revenue stream methodologies such as deciding whether to use a subscription-based service or selling your products through a brick and mortar business model.
Finally, cost structures list out what types of costs drive your business and how to maximize your resources for successful results.
Nick Barba ’20, LaunchPad Project Management Consultant and former LaunchPad Global Fellow with Victoria Lawson ’20, 2019-2020 LaunchPad Global Fellow. Both were part of the search committee for the 2020 – 2021 LaunchPad student team
The Blackstone LaunchPad and Techstars program at Syracuse University is pleased to welcome new LaunchPad student team members who will serve as mentors and subject matter experts, and work with the LaunchPad to expand outreach and engagement, particularly related to innovation, diversity and inclusion. The search committee for the 2020 – 2021 LaunchPad student team included our 2019 – 2020 former student team of Rubin Family Innovation Mentors and Global Fellows — Alec Gillinder ’20, Matt Shumer ’22, Nick Barba ’20, Quinn King ’20, Victoria Lawson ’20, Will DeVito ’20, David Fox ’19 and Kelsey Davis ’19 and G ’20.
Meet the new 2020 – 2021 student team here. It includes Global Fellows, Rubin Family Innovation Mentors, Orange Ambassadors, Todd B. Rubin Diversity and Inclusion Scholars, Hunter Brooks Watson Scholars and a Syracuse University Hult Prize Campus Ambassador.
Rubin Family Innovation Mentors serve as peer advisors to a portfolio of student startups, coaching them on strategy and venture development. They are funded through a generous gift from the Rubin Family Foundation.
2020 – 20201 Rubin Family Innovation Mentors include:
Emma Rothman ’21, Falk College, food studies
Patrick Prioletti G’21 iSchool, graduate program, applied data sciencce
Sam Hollander ’22, Whitman, finance and Newhouse, advertising dual major
James LePage ’22 Whitman, real estate
Bruno Luiz G ’22, iSchool, graduate program, applied data science
LaunchPad Global Fellows are subject matter experts in various disciplines such as engineering, software and data management, industrial and interaction design and product development, graphic design, web design, UX-UI, all forms of digital media and content development, as well as marketing, sales and finance.
2020 – 2021 LaunchPad Global Fellows include:
Claire Howard ’23, Maxwell, economics and international relations
Emily Pearson ’21, VPA, environmental and interior design
Patrick Linehan ‘21, Arts and Sciences, newspaper and on-line journalism and policy studies
Sloane Sexton ’21, VPA, communications design
Hanna Seraji G’22, iSchool, library and information science
Chris Appello ’21, Newhouse, advertising
Orange Ambassadors, funded through a generous gift from Todd B. Rubin ’04 School of Architecture, Minister of Evolution and President of the Republic of Tea, compliment the skills sets of our Global Fellows, supporting outreach and engagement with entrepreneurial students across campus.
2020 – 2021 Orange Ambassadors include:
Sam Hollander ’22, Whitman, finance and Newhouse, advertising dual major
Justin Diaz ’23, College of Engineering and Computer Science, civil engineering
Russell Fearon ’19 and ‘G22, College of Engineering and Computer Science, mechanical engineering
Alesandra (Sasha) Temerte ’22, Arts and Sciences, economics, writing and rhetoric
Ellen Jorgensen ‘’23, Arts and Sciences, earth sciences
Jackson Ensley ’22, Whitman, marketing management
Season Chowdhury ’23, College of Engineering and Computer Science, computer science
James Rudman ’21, iSchool, information management and technology
Krishna Pamidi ’21, Whitman, finance
Zain Edeen Elwakil ’21, School of Architecture
Todd B. Rubin Innovation and Diversity Scholars, also funded through a generous gift from Rubin, work to broaden diversity and inclusion outreach and programming, expand participation in entrepreneurship by underrepresented groups and support the University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
2020 – 2021 Todd R. Rubin Innovation and Diversity Scholars include:
Tyra Ambroise Jean G ’21, Maxwell, public policy
Gabriela Holliman-Lopez ’22, VPA, communications and rhetorical studies
Hunter Brooks Watson Scholars are supported through a generous gift from the Hunter Watson Memorial Fund. It is Inspired by Syracuse University’s Remembrance Scholar program, and was established as a way to honor the life and entrepreneurial spirit of Hunter Brooks Watson, a Syracuse University student who passed away after injuries suffered in a tragic 2016 distracted driving car accident. The Syracuse University Hunter Brooks Watson Scholar peer mentors students and builds the pipeline of innovative students who exemplify the “spirit of entrepreneurship.”
The 2020 – 2021 Hunter Brooks Watson Scholar is:
Emma Rothman ’21, Falk College, food studies
The Syracuse University Hult Prize Campus Ambassador helps organize the campus Hult Prize competition at Syracuse University. It is part of a global competition that is often referred to as the “Nobel Prize” of student impact entrepreneurship.
The 2020 – 2021 Syracuse University Hult Prize Campus Ambassador is:
Claire Howard ’23, Maxwell, economics and international relations
Together, the LaunchPad team provides multi-disciplinary skill sets and expansive services to help all members of the Syracuse University community explore innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, and build professional and personal skill sets to succeed.
“The Libraries is grateful to Todd for his continued support for Syracuse University’s innovation hub and encouraging diversity and inclusion,” said David Seaman, Dean of Syracuse University Libraries and University Librarian. “The LaunchPad is an incubation environment for students from 116 countries around the world to grow and flourish. It provides experiential opportunities for innovative students to interact with a variety of people from different backgrounds, with different interests, from all the academic disciplines across campus. This type of learning significantly compliments what they learn in a classroom, helping them understand how to become thoughtful and engaged citizens and change-makers.”
Summer is a great time to explore ideas and we were thrilled with the great ones that came out of our first ever virtual Syracuse University LaunchPad SummerStart Accelerator which recently wrapped up with a global Innovation Showcase. More than 25 teams from around the world enrolled in the program and the top 12 were selected to be part of the on-line demo day to alumni entrepreneur judges from around the world. SummerStartup teams participated in weekly workshops and guest presentations by top entrepreneurs and subject matter experts, along with sessions with world class mentors from the Techstars network during the six-week accelerator program. It was an intense and exhilarating bootcamp that rapidly accelerated ideas along the development cycle. Judges were impressed by how much work the teams accomplished over the summer, and by the professionalism of their final pitches were. Here are the teams selected for the Innovation Showcase. We are excited to continue working with them this fall at the LaunchPad
Venture
Founders
Description
Blended
Manvi Upadhyay and Sonia Hui Ting Wee
Youth-led non-profit dedicated to empowering the international community studying at Syracuse University to make informed decisions about their futures through connections in the domestic and global space.
EcoBamboo Living
Justin Diaz
A sustainable company focused on architectural design of bamboo homes, and construction of beautiful, affordable bamboo homes.
GeckStrips
Calvin S Atieku
Gecko inspired adhesive technology that improves the way you hang or attach whatever you need. “It’s never too heavy to hang”.
Inkdustrial
Courtney S Jiggetts
A software platform that integrates all components of design and project management into one seamless program.
OthersideAI
Miles Feldstein
AI powered software to change the way we write, offering incredibly intuitive, accurate and efficient solutions
OurChosenName
Aley O’Mara
Provides pronouns, gender, and preferred name advisory consulting to companies looking to build and maintain a welcoming and inclusive working environment.
ShaMoon
Nicolas Alexander Misita
ShaMoon gives visibility and connection to the creative community by offering high- quality branded clothing in connection to relevant original content.
Snow School Productions
Connor Lawrence Johnson
A Syracuse University based production company that will connect the arts like never before. Producing short films and other content while promoting communication and collaboration between SU programs.
Solace Vision
Alec O’Del and Shawn Gaetano
Helping people overcome debilitating phobias by the use of Virtual Reality, which improves their quality of life by gaining control of the phobia.
SYMBTC
Marin Grillo
A software platform to create networks and mentor relationships.
Tableau Media
Gabriela Holliman-Lopez and Hanna Seraji
An online magazine centering marginalized voices through art, creative writing, poetry, illustration, de-stigmatization of topics around mental health awareness, and other inter- disciplinary writings in humanities and social sciences.
TravSolo
Chizoba Anyaoha
A digital platform for travelers and adventurers on solo journeys, who want to meet people, and stay safe – all the while sharing memories on-the-go.
Thanks to our alumni judges and guest evaluators who were so instrumental in making the program such a success:
Jason Kuperberg, Silicon Valley based, Innovation Specialist and Teaching Fellow, Stanford University Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation Lab, former winner of Syracuse University Impact Prize and campus Hult Prize winner, expertise in innovation design
Elizabeth Ruscitto, Boston and Silicon Valley based consultant, formerly Director of Developer Programs and Platform Integration at Leap Motion, and Director of Developer Relations for HubSpot, now focused on mission-driven, tech-enabled innovation
Kennedy Patlan, Washington DC based, U.S. Venture Operations, Ashoka (world’s leading change-making nonprofit) , formerly Assistant Campaign Manager at the Ad Council, advertising, marketing communications expertise, with a passion for impact entrepreneurship and diverse, inclusive voices and perspectives
Mike Lemp, New York State based, Product Manager at Hill-Rom (formerly Welch Allyn), formerly Product Manager and Sales, CONMED Corporation, Fulbright Scholar, expertise in product development, particularly within the medical and health sectors
Caleb Obiagwu, New York, London and Nigeria based, consultant and triple serial entrepreneur, founder of three computer science, engineering and software companies, skilled in tech development, rapid prototyping, creation of MVPs, strategy, talent and team building
Jeannine Rogers, Syracuse based, Program Manager at The Tech Garden, formerly co-founder/“creative jedi” at leading communications and design company, Williams Sonoma manager, expertise in program design, marketing, as well as business development
Thanks also to our amazing 2019 – 2020 LaunchPad student team who worked with the SummerState Accelerator participants as coaches and organized “Mentor Madness” as part of the summer experience. They included: Alec Gillinder ’20, Claire Howard ’23, Emma Rothman ’21, Matt Shumer ’23, Patrick Prioletti G 21, Quinn King ’20, Sam Hollander ’22, Victoria Lawson ’20, Will DeVito ’20, David Fox ’19, Kesley Davis ’19 and G 20 and Emily Pearson ’21. We are so grateful for their work supporting the summer program, as well as the invaluable contributions they made to the startups across the Syracuse University campus during the entire 2019 – 2020 academic year in their roles as Rubin Family Innovation Mentors and Global Fellows.
Finally, and most importantly, thanks to Nick Barba ’20, who co-ran the summer program in his new role as LaunchPad project manager as an independent contractor. Nick is a Whitman finance grad, long-time member of the LaunchPad, venture founder, University Scholar and Whitman Scholar, and was also a 2020 Blackstone – Techstars LaunchPad Summer Fellow. Nick was an incredible asset helping organize and manage the summer program, and we are so delighted that he will be continuing in his role as project manager as an independent contractor this academic year at the LaunchPad.
Upstate Venture Connect, a non-profit that connects high-growth founders in Upstate NY, is looking for a part-time marketing associate intern this fall to help create and manage daily marketing campaigns that assist in securing sponsors and promoting talent. The position is remote.
Skills in a candidate should include:
Passion for innovation and entrepreneurship
Ability to work independently and remotely
Strong attention to detail
Experience with WordPress, Mailchimp, Google Suite, Zoom and Slack
Responsibilities for the role include:
Content Creation including:
Adding / Approving Events to the UNY Events Calendar
Social Posts (various channels)
Post Blogs on WordPress Site
Creating Newsletters in Mailchimp
Creating Graphics in Canva
Editing Short Videos in TBA cloud editing software
COVID-19 has challenged millions of people to adapt to working remotely. This fall, it will be common to split time between working from home and going into an office. That may be a change that’s permanent, even post-pandemic, as people appreciate the flexibility that comes with a hybrid model. In fact, a recent two-year Stanford study shows and astonishing productivity boost that comes from working from home, especially in a hybrid model. As businesses contemplate the future of physical locations and embrace a workforce that is partly remote, one thing is still certain. People still want a way to connect and be part of a community. Not surprisingly, co-working spaces are creating ways to do that by moving networking online. The LaunchPad is doing that this fall through a new platform that can help innovators expand networks without going into an office every day.
Enter Discord, the Syracuse LaunchPad’s new digital networking platform, chat room and resource network that allows SU innovators to communicate over voice, video, and text. Discord can connect like-minded innovators and creatives with peer mentors to get advice, build their network, or just hang out with fellow like-minded entrepreneurs. It’s Slack meets Zoom with a pinch of Reddit, all in one place, curated on LaunchPad Discord.
Discord is a freeware instant messaging, VoIP application and digital software platform that features integrated text, image, video and audio communication that a chat channel that can run on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, and in web browsers. More than 250 million people are currently on the platform which launched in 2011 and has become the space for building community in a digital environment.
The Syracuse LaunchPad Discord channel is organized by categories such as onboarding, announcements, community space, discussion rooms and mentor network with voice, text and video channels. If you are looking to collaborate with others, exploring the channels is a great way to build a team, find help, connect with a mentor or other entrepreneurs, and follow what other members of the LaunchPad are up.
Nick Barba ‘20 helped spearhead the new Syracuse LaunchPad Discord platform and will coordinate it in his new role as a project manager for the LaunchPad. For questions about how it works, reach out to Nick directly at ntbarba@syr.edu if you need help getting on-boarded.
We’re excited to see how much digital harmony we can foster with a little creative “discord.” Click here to get started using the new Syracuse LaunchPad Discord.
