June 18, 2018

Launch NY Newsletter – June 2018

Launch NY

Launch NY News & Updates	Upcoming Events
Launch NY Announces $1.5MM Award to Operate New Cleantech Incubator On May 30th, Launch NY announced a $1.5 million, four-year award from New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) to run the new Emerging Cleantech Opportunity (ECO) Incubator. ECO will leverage Launch NY’s robust mentoring and seed fund programs to grow promising cleantech companies and the overall industry cluster in the region. Launch NY is partnered with University at Buffalo (UB), including the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at UB School of Management, to deliver outreach programming to the cleantech community. Launch NY also partnered with the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus BNMC in tapping Paul Tyno, Strategic Advisor for Energy Initiatives for BNMC to be ECO Program Director. Read more about Paul and the partnership in our latest press release. Cast Your Vote for ECO’s Logo At the May 30^th kick-off event, Launch NY unveiled 8 logo concepts that were created by local students at the Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology (BCAT) under the expert guidance of Zack Schneider and his team at Agency 15. Attendees helped narrow the choices down to 3, and now we need your help choosing the winner! Use the link below to cast your vote for your top choice. VOTE NOW! Launch NY President & CEO Named as New York State Economic Development (NYSEDC) Council Chair Congratulations to our President & CEO, Marnie LaVigne, on being named the chair of NYSEDC, the state’s premier private sector organization promoting economic development statewide. Read more on the announcement and NYSEDC in the press release. Join Us on Wednesday, June 20th, at Noon for #LaunchHour TwitterChat to Learn More about the Cleantech Industry What does it mean to be a “green company”? Join us on Wednesday, June 20, 2018 at noon to learn more about the cleantech industry. Our panel of experts will include Paul Tyno, Alyson Slack, Derk LeClaire, and others who will be chatting about important resources to help your cleantech startup be successful. Never joined a TwitterChat before? It’s easy, just follow @Launch_NY on Twitter and use the hashtag #LaunchHour, to see the discussion. Enjoy the conversation and jump in with tweets anytime.	June 20, 2018 #LaunchHour TwitterChat: Cleantech Innovation: Startups Creating a Sustainable Future 12:00 – 1:00 PM June 18, 2018 SBIR Road Tour 8:00 – 5:00 PM Rochester, NY June 24 – 26, 2018 IEDC 2018 Economic Future Forum Buffalo, NY June 26, 2018 Content Marketing: How to Cut through the Clutter & Tell Your Story 12:00 – 1:00 PM Syracuse, NY June 28, 2018 Luminate Demo Day 11:00 – 2:00 PM Rochester, NY June 28, 2018 Networking@Rev: Food & Hospitality 6:00 – 8:30 PM Ithaca, NY July 9, 2018 Facebook Community Boost 8:00 – 5:00 PM Buffalo, NY July 11, 2018 RocGrowth Candids 5:30 – 7:30 PM Rochester, NY July 18, 2018 #LaunchHour TwitterChat 12:00 – 1:00 PM

Startup Spotlight
SimpleFund Makes Ditching the Bake Sales Possible SimpleFund, a LaunchNY Seed Fund portfolio company headquartered in Buffalo, NY is a fundraising technology platform that allows anyone to raise money for a favorite non-profit organization simply by using a smartphone, bypassing the onerous traditional ways like selling candy bars or cookies. The mobile app is free, and every time users take an action like reading an article or watching a video, they earn points. Those points are translated into dollars, and that money is donated to each user’s selected organization. “Launch NY has been crucial to our success so far. Their investment in SimpleFund has helped to validate us in the marketplace and provide us with much-needed working capital,” said Jon Carmen, CEO of SimpleFund, on his work with Launch NY and his Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR), Frank Codella. Read more on SimpleFund’s story in UpstartNY.

#LaunchHour TwitterChat Tips	Launch NY Resources
LaunchHour TwitterChats are monthly virtual chats featuring important topics for startups and entrepreneurs. Join us over your lunch to hear from expert panelists. Check out our archive for past TwitterChats filled with tips like those below. See you at the next #LaunchHour TwitterChat Wednesday, June 20^th at noon. May 16, 2018 Going Global: Grow Your Company Through International Trade View the whole chat on Wakelet. Q2. For a small startup company, what are the benefits of looking to international trade? Rosanna Masucci (@WTCBN) – It’s important for all companies to pursue international markets. 96% of the world’s population is outside of the US. Not exporting = missing out on huge sales potential. Craig Turner (@WTCBNpresident) – Looking to international markets is a viable way to build partnerships, grow your reach, and find new opportunities. Oscar Pedroso (@Thimbleio) – We started international via Kickstarter. Thinking international from the start helped us feel bigger than we actually are! Rachel Jackson (@RachelsRemedy) – International markets expand your market size, but it’s important to not expand to international markets before you are prepared to handle associated international import/export issues. Q6. International Intellectual Property (IP) security is always in the news. How can companies protect themselves? Oscar Pedroso (@Thimbleio) – Consult a lawyer and do business with strong partners who are established. We found our manufacturers and suppliers through our network via referrals. Rachel Jackson (@RachelsRemedy) – It is very important to know the climate of the territory your company is selling. For example, in China, it’s very important to file your trademark protection before you become a common name because you can be prevented from using your own name if someone files first. Trademarks are big business in China. Every country is different in that way, so again, knowledge and preparing as best you can is the best way to protect your IP. The larger you grow, the more IP issues you’ll likely have. View the whole chat on Wakelet. Join us for our next #LaunchHour TwitterChat, June 20, 2018 at noon for Cleantech Innovation: Startups Creating a Sustainable Future!	Upstate NY Resource Network Check it out here > Upstate NY Rainforest Canvas Study 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 > 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 > 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! >

Meet the Launch NY Team
Paul Tyno
Paul is a respected energy industry professional who has led multiple energy services companies to become integral resource partners with utility companies, Regional Transmission Organizations, Independent System Operators, program participants, federal and state regulatory agencies, trade associations, economic development organizations, and affiliate service providers. In addition to his role with the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) as Strategic Advisor for Energy Initiatives, Paul is serving as the recently announced ECO Incubator Program Director Prior to joining the BNMC in 2014, Paul served in lead roles with REGEN Energy in Toronto, Viridity Energy in Philadelphia, Direct Options in Cincinnati, Constellation Energy in New York, and Energy Curtailment Specialists in Buffalo. Read more about Paul and our other EIRs on our website.