June 13, 2016

Launch NY Newsletter – June 2016

Launch NY
Vital Startup Guidance for Entrepreneurs

#LaunchHour: Bright Buffalo Niagara Pre-Event Conversation

June 15^th is a big day in the startup community! Launch NY is a sponsor of the 2016 Bright Buffalo Niagara Entrepreneurs Expo featuring 30 competitively selected companies in 5 minute and 90 second investor pitches. #LaunchHour Twitterchat from 12-1pm that day is the first time in Bright Buffalo Niagara Expo history to have an online Pre-Event program featuring presenting companies, investors, and even a word from the keynote speaker, Bill Rancic, the original Apprentice. Join the conversation at noon before the Expo from 2-7 pm at the historic Lafayette Hotel in downtown Buffalo! Read more about #LaunchHour.

Startup Spotlight

House at Work

House at Work is an online platform that aims to let homeowners get their home improvement projects done with less hassle and bring transparency and trust to the home improvement industry. House at Work, based in Rochester, began working with Launch NY this year to help refine their business model, with their assigned EIR, Brad Gouldthorpe. “Brad has been a fabulous resource. He has shed light of potential market opportunities and pitfalls for my business that I would have not considered otherwise. Having someone who has walked in the same shoes as you, as an entrepreneur starting a new business, helps immeasurably” – Peter Schick, Founder and CEO, House at Work.

Vintrinsic

Vintrinsic, a Rochester based, Launch NY client, is in the final beta testing and are preparing for a full launch in June of their flagship app, Savor. The application will first launch in the Finger Lakes region, and is designed to help consumers discover the Finger Lakes wine region, allowing people to create their own wine trails by socially connecting beverage lovers with beverage producers. Throughout this process, Sam Weiner, Vintrinsic CEO, has been working with Ed Bizari, his Launch NY EIR, to focus on a product-market match and to continue to develop his company through his Business Model Canvas

Up Coming Events

June 15, 2016
#LaunchHour
12:00 – 1:00 PM

June 15, 2016
Bright Buffalo Niagara
Buffalo, NY
2:00 – 7:00 PM

June 16, 2016
Entrepreneurial Profile
Buffalo, NY
12:00 – 1:30 PM

June 22, 2016
Strategic Planning for Startups
Buffalo, MY
12:00 – 1:30 PM

June 22, 2016
CenterState CEO Economic Development Support
Syracuse, NY
3:00 – 4:00 PM

June 24, 2016
Starting & Managing Your Own Business Workshop
Buffalo, NY
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

News & Updates
NYSERDA Sponsorship

Launch NY welcomes and thanks its new sponsor NYSERDA,

who seeks to advance innovative energy solutions in ways that improve New York’s economy and environment, for their vision and generosity!

#LaunchHour TwitterChat Tips

Can’t make it to all the ecosystem events? Join us monthly online to learn and share.

How to Land Your First 5, 10, 100+ Customers – May 18, 2016

Q2. What do I need to do before I can land my first customer?
A2. Customer Discovery process should start early on. Myth – if you build it, they will come. #launchhour (@mphisocial)
A2. Expertise. Or a product and expertise #launchhour (@PatrickBosek)
A2. It’s all about #Differentiation #MeedingNeeds and #DefiningValue #lauchhour (@EmpireGenomics)
A2. You need a clear vision of your capabilities, your goals, what matters to your target market, and a level of trust. #launchhour (@StartUpGrindBuf)

Q5. How do I get my first customer?
A5. Any way you can. Understand how customers in your market find you. Social media, website, conferences, trade shows, retail… #launchhour (@GregGgalvin)
A5. If you are talking to as many people as possible to gain feedback, you’ll likely get your 1^stcustomer from this #launchhour (@GiveGab)
A5. Develop a sales process: #Prospects #Leads #Interest #Conversations and repeat frequently. #launchhour (@EmpireGenomics)

For our full archive, click here.

Resources

Is Launch NY a fit for you?
Launch NY provides entrepreneurs experienced mentoring using best practice processes and connections to specialized resources both in and beyond the Upstate NY ecosystem.Thus preparing you to compete for and win the funding and additional resources needed to move forward. Apply Now! >

Entrepreneur Toolkit
The toolkit is a set of templates and links designed to help start, launch and grow your business in upstate New York.
Check it out here >

5 Business Stages – Where are you?
Each stage contains critical deliverables for moving forward. Starting with the Explore stage, see where you are on the path to success.
Find out here >

EIR Introduction

Meet Deborah B. O’Shea

Western NY Region

Deb is a seasoned business attorney and trial lawyer as well as an experienced serial entrepreneur. She provides legal and business development counsel to start-up and early-stage companies – particularly in the healthcare, health IT, and energy sectors. Deb co-founded a transatlantic initiative that connected business, investment and technology opportunities between the NAFTA and European Union economic markets, particularly focused upon New York State and Ireland. She is an alumnus of the University of Buffalo and also studied at McGill University, Montreal. To learn more about Deb and our other EIRs, please visit https://launchny.org/who-we-are/

We appreciate your interest in our work and mission, and we are always eager to share our vision with those who just want to learn more about the “entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

Please feel free follow us on our social media channels or explore our website, and refer others interested in our organization and services.