Francisco De Jesùs. @aquitayo

2014 Stevens Innovation Expo Spotlights More than 120 Student Research Projects

Stevens Institute of Technology to Display more than 120 Technologies that Could Lead to Breakthroughs.

The hallmark of Stevens has been technological innovation that solves real-world problems. The annual Innovation Expo celebrates the impact of Stevens research and education within industry and society.

The 2014 Stevens Innovation Expo will take place Wednesday, April 30 on Stevens Institute of Technology's Hoboken campus, highlighting more than 120 interdisciplinary student research projects — including innovative new designs for emergency room equipment, urban flood barriers, 'green' roofs, tax software, 'smart' military suits, anti-glare car mirrors, a device that ties shoelaces with the push of a button, and the design of a cable car for a Beacon, New York mountain — as well as recent advances in Stevens faculty research.

"The hallmark of Stevens for 144 years has been technological innovation that solves real-world problems. The annual Stevens Innovation Expo celebrates the breadth and depth of academic study at Stevens and the impact of Stevens research and education within industry and society," said Stevens Provost George Korfiatis.

Following opening remarks by Korfiatis and Stevens President Nariman Farvardin, student teams will compete in the annual Elevator Pitch and Project Plan Pitch competitions for $12,000 in prizes. Both competitions will be moderated by Aaron Price, a co-founder of the mobile application livecube and founder of the NJ Tech Meetup. Presenters receive two minutes each to deliver concise pitches, and will be judged on quality of presentations, competitive advantage of projects proposed, and viability and innovativeness of business plans devised.

At 11 a.m., venture capitalist and Stevens Trustee Thomas Scholl will deliver the annual Thomas H. Scholl Lecture on Entrepreneurship, followed by a presentation from University of Delaware Provost Domenico DeGrasso titled "The Future of the American Research University".

The lunch break will feature a series of poster and research presentations describing new Stevens research efforts in key strategic areas such as healthcare, sustainable energy, financial systems and STEM education. Highlights include a talk on Stevens' logistical research to support researchers in the Antarctic; a discussion of the university's new Immersion Lab, which supports research in complex systems; and an update on Stevens' student Solar Decathlon team, which will participate in the international competition for the third time in 2015.

The afternoon portion of the program will be entirely devoted to the exposition, with more than 120 student teams presenting Senior Design Projects in Canavan Arena and the Walker Gymnasium as the capstones to their Stevens educations. Industry collaboration and sponsorship is a vital ingredient in a number of projects presented, which touch upon areas including medical device design, logistics, civil engineering, robotics, computer modeling, aerospace and defense, added Korfiatis.

For more information about the Expo, including a calendar of events and a look at the student projects, learn more at stevens.edu/expo.

The 2014 Stevens Innovation Expo will take place Wednesday, April 30 on Stevens Institute of Technology's Hoboken campus, highlighting more than 120 interdisciplinary student research projects — including innovative new designs for emergency room equipment, urban flood barriers, 'green' roofs, tax software, 'smart' military suits, anti-glare car mirrors, a device that ties shoelaces with the push of a button, and the design of a cable car for a Beacon, New York mountain — as well as recent advances in Stevens faculty research.

"The hallmark of Stevens for 144 years has been technological innovation that solves real-world problems. The annual Stevens Innovation Expo celebrates the breadth and depth of academic study at Stevens and the impact of Stevens research and education within industry and society," said Stevens Provost George Korfiatis.

Following opening remarks by Korfiatis and Stevens President Nariman Farvardin, student teams will compete in the annual Elevator Pitch and Project Plan Pitch competitions for $12,000 in prizes. Both competitions will be moderated by Aaron Price, a co-founder of the mobile application livecube and founder of the NJ Tech Meetup. Presenters receive two minutes each to deliver concise pitches, and will be judged on quality of presentations, competitive advantage of projects proposed, and viability and innovativeness of business plans devised.

At 11 a.m., venture capitalist and Stevens Trustee Thomas Scholl will deliver the annual Thomas H. Scholl Lecture on Entrepreneurship, followed by a presentation from University of Delaware Provost Domenico DeGrasso titled "The Future of the American Research University".

The lunch break will feature a series of poster and research presentations describing new Stevens research efforts in key strategic areas such as healthcare, sustainable energy, financial systems and STEM education. Highlights include a talk on Stevens' logistical research to support researchers in the Antarctic; a discussion of the university's new Immersion Lab, which supports research in complex systems; and an update on Stevens' student Solar Decathlon team, which will participate in the international competition for the third time in 2015.

The afternoon portion of the program will be entirely devoted to the exposition, with more than 120 student teams presenting Senior Design Projects in Canavan Arena and the Walker Gymnasium as the capstones to their Stevens educations. Industry collaboration and sponsorship is a vital ingredient in a number of projects presented, which touch upon areas including medical device design, logistics, civil engineering, robotics, computer modeling, aerospace and defense, added Korfiatis.

Media wishing to attend should contact Danielle Woodruffe at dwoodruf(at)stevens(dot)edu.

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Innovation Expo 2014

INNOVATION EXPO 2014
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2014
STEVENS CAMPUS
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

The Stevens Innovation Expo is an annual, one-day, campus-wide event which displays the extensive research and innovation accomplishments of faculty and students. It allows the public a sneak peek at innovative technologies, products and services developed by students and faculty throughout the year. This year, we will have a special research presentation from the Provost of the University of Delaware, Dr. Domenico Grasso, about the “The Future of the American Research University” and a presentation by Stevens Board of Trustee Member Thomas H. Scholl, namesake of the Thomas H. Scholl Lecture by Visiting Entrepreneurs which features notable visiting entrepreneurs and executives who have started successful businesses or improved the financial performance of existing companies. We look forward to having you visit our community this year at the Expo! 

Video: Young entrepreneur invents portable engine-in-a-box which gives an electric boost to heavy city rental bikes.

Francisco De Jesùs.

It's a journey that's kept inventor and electrical engineer Jeff Guida busy for the past nine months. The former hedge fund analyst is testing a small, portable engine-in-a-box which gives an electric boost to heavy city rental bikes.

Entrepreneurship: International CES 2014: to Showcase Global Startup Community.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

New areas and events dedicated to startups and entrepreneurs

The 2014 International CES® will spotlight the promise, power and future of technology through innovative startups and entrepreneurs. The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® today announced new areas and events at CES dedicated to the startup community, including the Indiegogo Zone and UP Global LIVE Stage. Owned and produced by CEA, the 2014 CES, the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies, will run January 7-10, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

 

“CES is a platform for innovators, big or small, who come to CES to take their business to the next level,” said Karen Chupka, senior vice president, International CES and corporate business strategy, CEA. “Startups are attending and launching their products at CES in ever-growing numbers, underscoring CES’ importance as the proving ground for innovators in consumer technology. We’re thrilled to bring new areas and events to the show floor that showcase these entrepreneurial companies and their groundbreaking innovations and provide them access to potential customers, partners, and investors as well as the global media.”

 

The all-new Indiegogo Zone, housed within the Eureka Park TechZone, will feature hardware campaigners from around the world. These innovators will showcase products and share experiences about raising funds on Indiegogo. The Indiegogo Zone provides an opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about crowdfunding for hardware.

 

The UP Global LIVE Stage, sponsored by GE, will showcase the startup community, facilitate connections and provide programming in Eureka Park. The stage will feature panels with iconic entrepreneurs, leading investors, corporate executives and media. In addition to programming, UP Global will host mentor sessions and pitch competitions and provide resources and networking opportunities for exhibitors and attendees. 

 

The second annual ShowStoppers Launch.it power session is a curated pitch event built exclusively for the young, transformative and entrepreneurial startups that exhibit in Eureka Park. Sixteen exhibitors will pitch to a panel of high profile angel/VC investors along with media, analysts and industry experts in the audience.

 

An anchor for the startup community at CES, the 2014 Eureka Park TechZone will feature more than 200 exhibitors, 30 percent more than the 2013 CES. In partnership with UP Global, the National Science Foundation (NSF), General Electric (GE) and AT&T, Eureka Park provides a stage for new companies with technologies to market their innovation to venture capitalists, media and buyers. Eureka Park will have a French pavilion for the first time with UbiFrance bringing 11 French startups to the area.

 

Building off the success of Eureka Park, the new Eureka Park: NEXT hosts the progressing stage of Eureka Park startups. This TechZone is designed for mid-stage startups that have launched a product in the past year. In Eureka Park: NEXT, retailers, venture capitalists, manufacturers and more will discover established startups looking to expand their growth.

 

Floored within Eureka Park, Academia Tech focuses on the technologies coming from colleges and universities. CES also offers special networking events curated for startups and entrepreneurs like the invitation-only Entrepreneurs Reception and Tech Cocktail’s Startup Night.

 

The 2014 CES will feature more than 3,200 exhibitors unveiling the latest consumer technology products and services across 15 product categories. For more information on the 2014 International CES, visit CESweb.org.

 

Note to Editors: The official name of the global technology event is “International CES.”  Subsequent references to the show can be shortened to “CES.”  Please do not use “Consumer Electronics Show” to refer to the International CES. Media registration is still open. If you need to register as press, do so here.

About CES

The International CES is the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for more than 40 years—the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. As the largest hands-on event of its kind, CES features all aspects of the industry. And because it is owned and produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the technology trade association representing the $203 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry, it attracts the world’s business leaders and pioneering thinkers to a forum where the industry’s most relevant issues are addressed. Follow CES online at www.CESweb.org and through social media: 

Press Contacts:

Tara Dunion

703-907-7419

tdunion@ce.org

Allison Fried

703-907-7603

afried@ce.org

Amazon Kindles Fire HDX 7 and HDX 8.9 inches tablets

CES2013:ShowStoppers and NY Angels Partner with CEA to produce Official Eureka Park Pitch Event for Entrepreneurs.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

CES2013: ShowStoppers and NY Angels Partner with CEA to produce Official Eureka Park Pitch Event for Entrepreneurs.

Looking for the hottest startups at the 2013 International CES?

ShowStoppers® and the New York Angels are excited to announce their partnership with the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, to help entrepreneurs and their startups raise early seed capital by launching a new event exclusively for Eureka Park exhibitors at the 2013 International CES®, the world's largest annual innovation event, scheduled January 8-11, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The official Eureka Park pitch event at the 2013 CES, ShowStoppers LaunchIt, is scheduled for Monday, January 7 from 3:15-5:15 p.m. during the 2013 CES Press Day at Mandalay Bay, one day before the CES show floor opens. Ten companies will be chosen from the more than 140 Eureka Park exhibitors.

ShowStoppers LaunchIt is a curated pitch event built around the young, innovative, transformative and entrepreneurial companies that exhibit in Eureka Park, a TechZone within CES where retailers, venture capitalists, manufacturers and others will find entrepreneurs launching new products, services, apps and ideas.

Companies that exhibit inside Eureka Park are invited to apply to pitch for funding at ShowStoppers LaunchIt – launchit.showstoppers.com

There is no application fee, and there is no fee charged to companies that are selected to pitch.

A panel of experienced Angel investors and venture capitalists organized by the New York Angels will pre-screen the companies that are selected to present. One of the largest and oldest angel groups that is coordinating support for ShowStoppers LaunchIt, the New York Angels is a member-led organization committed to finding, funding and mentoring great young companies from pitch through a successful exit. Supporting members of the network include Gust, the world-wide official deal management platform for angel investing; Vegas Valley Angels, Vegas Tech and LaunchIt, a ShowStoppers partner.

LaunchIt is a self-publishing event news and social information management platform that "leaves no new product, service or idea behind," where companies use built-in social networking tools to engage directly with the media and consumers around the world. ShowStoppers works with LaunchIt to power a ShowStoppers-branded news service that is socially engaged, to better connect startups and industry leaders with consumers and journalists.

"The New York Angels is no stranger to CES and ShowStoppers," said Brian Cohen, chairman, New York Angels. "We have had our invested startups at ShowStoppers and sourced exciting startups for new investment. This Eureka Park pitch event is the natural next step in highlighting these innovative companies to CES attendees and the world."

Eureka Park

The Venetian, Level 3, Lido 3101, Murano 3201-3301, San Polo 3404 

Sponsor(s): National Science Foundation and Startup America

The Eureka Park is a specialized TechZone exhibit area that provides a unique exhibiting opportunity to launch a new product, service or idea. In partnership with the National Science Foundation and Startup America,  Eureka Park will be the premier destination at the show where retailers, venture capitalists, manufacturers and other key attendee groups can find the budding entrepreneurs, fledgling start ups and home grown innovation. 

View the list of exhibitors

Email Exhibit@CESweb.org or call 703-907-7645.

About CEA

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $206 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,000 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also owns and produces the International CES – The Global Stage for Innovation. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA's industry services. Find CEA online: www.CE.org and www.DeclareInnovation.com. Follow CES at www.CESweb.org and through social media: .

http://facebook.com/InternationalCES

http://twitter.com/IntlCES

http://blog.ce.org

About CES

Note to Editors: The official name of the global technology event is "International CES." Subsequent references to the show can be shortened to "CES." Please do not use "Consumer Electronics Show" to refer to the International CES. For more information about the 2013 CES, visit CESweb.org.

About ShowStoppers

Now in its 20th year, ShowStoppers, http://www.showstoppers.com, is the global leader in producing press and business events spanning the US, Europe and Asia. Each event organizes product introductions, sneak previews and demonstrations for selected journalists, bloggers, industry and financial analysts, venture capitalists and business executives. Industry leaders, innovators and startups exhibit to help generate news coverage and product reviews, make new connections, promote brand, and open new markets. ShowStoppers produces events at CES, CTIA and Mobile World Congress, among others, and the official press events at IFA, NAB, Sandbox Summit and the CEA LineShow.

To exhibit at ShowStoppers events, contact Dave Leon, director of sales, dave@showstoppers.com, +1-845-638-3527.

SOURCE ShowStoppers

New Google for Entrepreneurs.Video.

New Google for Entrepreneurs.Video.



From the Google Blog:

Startups and entrepreneurs have the power to build technologies and creative solutions that transform the world and move us forward. Innovation is happening everywhere: There are approximately 400 million entrepreneurs across 54 countries, and 69 million early-stage entrepreneurs offering new products and services. As Google turns 14 this month, we’re celebrating this creative spirit and officially launching Google for Entrepreneurs, the umbrella for our several dozen programs and partnerships around the world that support startups and entrepreneurs. 

Our focus is threefold:

1. Partnerships with strong organizations that serve entrepreneurs in local communities
2. Google-led programs to bring our teams and our tools directly to entrepreneurs
3. Placing relevant Google tools in the hands of startups as they are getting off the ground and ready to scale

We’re already on a roll, with current projects ranging from support for the annual journey of entrepreneurship through India by train, to partnering with a number of accelerator and incubator programs around the world, like iHub in Kenya and Le Camping in France. And, this week, we’re rolling out our newest partnership: teaming up with Women 2.0 to bring their Founder Friday events to more cities. These events bring together current and aspiring female entrepreneurs once a month to connect with mentors and one another to build community. We’re partnering to launch Founder Fridays in Detroit, New Orleans, Sao Paulo and Moscow over the next year. 

To celebrate both our birthday and the spirit of entrepreneurship that’s helped get us where we are today, we are hosting our first annual Google for Entrepreneurs Week, which will bring together more than 3,000 entrepreneurs and Googlers around the world. We kicked off over the weekend with a Startup Weekend event hosted at the Google Ventures Startup Lab in Mountain View, Calif., where Bay Area entrepreneurs came together to create their own startups in 54 hours. Over the course of the next week, Googlers in 28 cities across 13 countries will be hosting an event in their communities to bring their passion and expertise to local entrepreneurs. We’re teaming with a number of partners to make this happen, including the Idea Village in New Orleans, Communitech in Waterloo, Tetuan Valley in Wroclaw, the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship in Johannesburg and the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce in Iowa.

For more on these existing programs and to stay connected on upcoming events, visit google.com/entrepreneurs and follow us on G+.

Video: Entrepreneurship: Homeless to millionaire restauranteur.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

The World Food Awards' 2011 Entrepreneur of the Year Hüseyin Özer reveals how the experience of living rough as a child in Ankara helped propel him to success in London's competitive restaurant business. 

Transcript:

It's lunchtime at Hüseyin Özer's restaurant. The Turkish businessman now has four branches of the Ozer and Sofra chain in London and he's just won the food industry's Entrepreneur of Year award. A world away from his humble beginnings in Ankara.

 SOUNDBITE: Hüseyin Özer, founder and owner of the Özer and Sofra Turkish restaurant chain, saying (English): "I was an unwanted child, my mother and father separated and then my mother got remarried, my father got remarried and they had more children. I was living with my grandparents." Hüseyin spent the next few years being passed between relatives.

 SOUNDBITE: Hüseyin Özer, founder and owner of the Özer and Sofra Turkish restaurant chain, saying (English): "Age 11 I was homeless I was staying in a public loo (toilet). I was selling things which enabled me to buy a piece of bread and some tripe soup - everyday I was hungry. In the end I found a little drinking place where I changed their ashtrays and brought them (customers) bread etc and they gave me food and I thought I was rich." Those early years proved useful. By day he worked in a cafe, by night he taught himself English and eventually left Turkey for a new life in the England. After several years of working in a kebab shop he opened his first London restaurant. Some thirty years later - he's now a multi-millionaire. And he says he's not bitter about his past. Receiving the Entrepreneur of the Year award, he paid tribute to his mother.

 SOUNDBITE: Hüseyin Özer, founder and owner of the Özer and Sofra Turkish restaurant chain, saying (English): "I hope she's in heaven right now, seeing all these things tonight and I hope she's proud of me." Now his half-brother David manages the Regent Street branch - not always an easy job. SOUNDBITE: David, Hüseyin Özer's half brother and Manager of the Özer restaurant in Regent Street, saying (English): "He's very tough, he's like everything to be perfect. The food it must be good, the service must be good otherwise you'll be in trouble because if you see on the table he has his mobile number if he doesn't make the customers happy they will call him straight away and then we will get in trouble." Hüseyin's exacting standards have earned his Regent Street branch a place in the prestigious Michelin Guide and though he's now in his sixties, he's concerned more with expansion than retirement.

HP Fuels Growth, Innovation for Small and Midsize Businesses.

WorldWide Tech & Sceince. Francisco De Jesús.

HP Fuels Growth, Innovation for Small and Midsize Businesses.

HP commits additional funding to expand $20 million entrepreneur program

PALO ALTO, Calif., June 21, 2011

HP today announced new solutions, advanced technology and an expanded entrepreneur program to enable small and midsize businesses (SMBs) to drive growth, improve employee productivity and protect assets.

Representing an estimated $234 billion in total addressable market,⁽¹⁾ SMBs are faced with daily challenges that include controlling costs, managing employee productivity and gaining access to credit. HP is committed to delivering solutions, financing and programs that allow clients to realign resources toward growth and innovation.

HP also has added 40 new training centers to its global program, HP Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs (HP LIFE), which empowers microenterprises and SMBs to create new revenue streams. Since 2007, HP has invested more than $20 million in the program, resulting in the creation of more than an estimated 20,000 jobs and more than approximately 6,500 new businesses.

Maximize employee productivity with collaboration

HP provides SMBs with a broad range of technologies that reduce costs, improve efficiency and ensure collaboration for greater employee productivity. New solutions enable clients to:

• Increase productivity with the HP ProLiant ML110 G7, an entry-level server that is simple to deploy and manage. It supports basic office applications such as web messaging, small databases, file and print, as well as small vertical applications.
• Scale performance with the HP ProLiant DL120 G7 server, a powerful, entry-level rack-optimized server running a wide range of dedicated applications, including IT infrastructure applications, web, messaging, file and print operations, small internet applications and shared web access.
• Simplify deployment and management with the HP V1810-48G web-managed switch. This 48-port switch easily integrates into existing multivendor networks and accommodates increasing performance requirements as businesses grow and develop.
• Reduce energy costs with the easy-to-install, standards-based HP V1410 unmanaged Fast Ethernet switch series. The first IEEE Energy Efficiency Ethernet compliant switches are operational out of the box to offer SMBs an affordable entry-level networking solution.
• Increase performance with the HP P2000 G3 Modular Smart Array (MSA). Among the industry’s first entry-level storage solutions to support the VMware API for Array Integration and VMware vCenter, the HP P2000 MSA allows SMBs to get enterprise-class performance and VMware manageability. In addition, HP Insight Control Storage Module Manager for VMware vCenter enables management and monitoring of server, storage and networking resources for virtual machines within the vCenter console.

Control disruptions with business protection

The explosive growth of data and email is creating increased risk and complexity as well as recurring disaster recovery expenses for SMBs. These new solutions address challenges allowing SMBs to:

• Lower management costs up to 30 percent and reduce risk by consolidating technology with the HP Branch Office Consolidation solution. This turnkey solution offers a concise business plan and management software to help SMBs simplify, automate and integrate infrastructure to increase efficiency, reduce operational risk and support branch offices.⁽²⁾
• Minimize backup time by 90 percent and reduce recovery by 87 percent⁽³⁾ with HP Business Risk Mitigation. The comprehensive infrastructure solution includes configurations for servers, storage and network upgrades, as well as management software for PCs, printers and other technology, to deliver high-availability data protection, security and offsite disaster recovery.
• Reduce risk of critical data loss with HP PC Backup Services, which reliably back up files on employee PCs ensuring rapid data restore in the event of an outage, corrupted files or a lost or stolen PC.

Identify future growth and revenue opportunities

Leveraging data to gain insight and make decisions is crucial to establishing a competitive advantage. Until now, this has been too complex and costly for many midsize businesses. HP has added business intelligence solutions to its HP AppSystem portfolio that are ideal for midsize organizations needing to easily mine rich customer data. As a result, clients can:

• Accelerate analysis of new and existing data sources with HP Business Decision Appliance. This complete, highly simplified business intelligence solution, now available for midsize businesses, brings together platforms from HP and Microsoft to deliver the power of information to everyone in an organization.
• Increase revenue and customer loyalty with the HP Business Data Warehouse Appliance, now available for midsize businesses, which includes preinstalled and preconfigured software in a single platform to leverage the power of real-time data analysis.

Manage cash and gain access to credit

HP Financial Services, the company’s leasing and life cycle asset management services division, is offering two financing options for businesses in the United States and Canada on HP equipment priced between $1,500 and $250,000. The new financing option offers a zero percent, 12-month lease with $1 purchase option or a zero percent, 36-month lease with fair market value purchase option.

About HP

HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure at the convergence of the cloud and connectivity, creating seamless, secure, context-aware experiences for a connected world. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.

Entrepreneurship: New Startup America Partnership Commitments.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

More than $400 Million in Products, Services, Mentorship and Funding to Help Scale and Grow New Companies

In response to President Obama’s call to action to promote high-growth entrepreneurship across the country, the Startup America Partnership today announced a new wave of commitments secured from more than 15 companies and organizations to deliver strategic and substantive resources that accelerate entrepreneurs starting and scaling companies. These new private-sector partnerships deliver more than $400 million in value to U.S. entrepreneurs, building upon 20+ commitments already secured by the Startup America Partnership from companies like Intel and IBM.

“Young businesses have created 40 million jobs over the past 25 years, and the need to create a strong ecosystem for startups in our country is more paramount than ever,” said Scott Case, CEO of the Startup America Partnership. “These new partnerships will help ensure that startups have every best chance to succeed.”

The new commitments announced today will help companies at varying levels of the new business life cycle. In the coming weeks, the Startup America Partnership will roll out a new free membership program, which will allow young companies ranging from Startup (newly created), Rampup (initial growth phase) and Speedup (exponential staff and revenue growth) stages to apply for access to these resources to help them grow. More details on the application process will be shared in the next few weeks.

“We’re gratified by the response we’ve seen from the private sector since launching the Startup America Partnership less than 90 days ago,” said Steve Case, Chair of the Startup America Partnership. “Today’s announcement of new commitments highlights the progress we’re making to provide entrepreneurs with resources to grow and scale. We’re grateful for the companies that have stepped up to help celebrate and accelerate entrepreneurs and we look forward to adding additional partners in the near future.”

New corporate commitments to the Startup America Partnership include:

• American Express:  American Express OPEN is proud to be offering over $125 million in value to Startup America Partnership member companies by providing special access and advantaged pricing for a suite of products and services to help businesses attract and retain customers and improve cash flow.
   
• Cisco:  Will provide training to approximately 6,000 entrepreneurs within 50 cities by January 2014. Training is provided through intermediary organizations trained and supported by Cisco.  Cisco’s support is valued at over $3 million.
   
• Ernst & Young:  Ernst & Young LLP (“EY”) has made a substantial commitment valued at more than $7.5 million to work with Startup America Partnership and their high-potential Speedup companies.  By leveraging EY professionals and the Entrepreneur Of The Year (EOY) network as advisors and mentors, and by providing access to relevant thought leadership, on-line resources and other analytical tools, EY will help these Speedup companies to more fully exploit their growth opportunities.  Winners of the EOY program represent the largest network of high growth entrepreneurs in America.
   
• First Data: A global leader in electronic commerce and payment processing, will offer significant discounts on processing services including credit and debit acceptance as well as point-of-sale terminals to Startup America Partnership member companies.
   
• Google: Google is committing up to $100 million to Startup America Partnership member companies to enable entrepreneurs to promote their companies with Google advertising over the next year.
   
• HP:  To further its initial commitment to the Startup America Partnership announced as part of January’s launch at the White House, HP, the largest Information Technology company in the world by revenue, will offer discounts across its commercial product categories (laptops, desktops, workstations, Palm smartphones, tablets, printers, wireless routers, servers, and more), to Startup America Partnership member companies. HP’s commitment – and potential savings for startups – is estimated to be $100M over three years. Details will be announced through the Startup America program once the application process to become a Startup America Partnership member begins.
   
• IndieGoGo: IndieGoGo has agreed to offer Startup America Partnership member companies and entrepreneurs the opportunity to raise $30 million of funding at a 50% discount on campaign fees.  IndieGoGo will also feature their campaigns on a newly created Startup America Partner Page on the company's website.
   
• Intuit:  Intuit Inc. will invest $37 million in products and services to promote high-growth entrepreneurship across the country. Intuit’s commitments include special offers and pricing for the company’s  flagship products and services, including QuickBooks Online, Intuit Payroll Services, QuickBooks Merchant Services and Intuit Websites.
   
• LinkedIn: LinkedIn will serve as the platform on which Startup America Partnership member companies can build their identity, grow their networks, and gain insights to help make them more productive and successful.   LinkedIn will also contribute training, services, and products to Startup America Partnership member companies.
   
• Microsoft: Microsoft will offer its BizSpark program, established in 2008, to all qualified software startups in the Startup America Partnership.  The program currently serves more than 38,000 startups worldwide, including 13,000 in the United States. It provides access to Microsoft’s extensive software portfolio free of charge for three years including support, training and access to Windows Azure, Microsoft’s Cloud Services Platform. Participants are also connected to a global network of over 700,000 mentors, partners and investors.  In the second half of 2010, companies in the Microsoft BizSpark program raised more than $850M in funding.
   
• Salesforce,com:Salesforce.com will provide products and technology to power the Startup America Partnership community. This entails a CRM implementation, a collaboration platform, a resource catalog built on Force.com, and a workflow engine to connect entrepreneurs with resources from private-sector partners. Professional Services will be delivered by Appirio.
   
• Silicon Valley Bank: Will host an exclusive event, which will be shared virtually across the United States, bringing together a number of America’s most promising entrepreneurs,  Startup America Partnership member companies, recognized experts from the venture community, small business evangelists, and other distinguished business leaders, all designed to give entrepreneurs the real world advice and coaching they need to succeed. 

In addition, new nonprofit commitments include:

• The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT):   NCWIT’s role in the Startup America Partnership will include helping high-tech startups to capitalize on the increased innovation and business benefits of gender diversity, and encouraging more people to become founders by promoting the achievements of technical women entrepreneurs. The NCWIT Entrepreneurial Alliance will work to ensure that high-tech startups have the research, practices, and community necessary to create and maintain a diverse and inclusive technical culture, right from the start.  More than $100K will be invested in this new alliance.
   
• Palindrome Advisors: Committed to connecting 1,000 underserved entrepreneurs with top industry advisors through meaningful engagement.  A new program titled “Palindrome Startups”, launched as a commitment to the Startup America Partnership, will match Palindrome’s Advisors, all experienced executives and proven entrepreneurs, with young companies and first-time entrepreneurs. In order to help increase the prevalence and success of high-growth enterprises creating quality jobs in the U.S., Palindrome will match individual advisors with entrepreneurs as mentors and ultimately as board members, paralleling its “deep engagement model” with the nonprofit sector.
   
• Angel Capital Association (ACA) and Angel Resource Institute (ARI): The angel project will double the number of high caliber investors in angel groups across the country, increasing annual investment by $1 billion.  In addition, qualifying Startup America Partnership member companies will be matched with angel investor mentors to build their success in starting and growing their businesses.
   
• The National Venture Capital Association (NVCA): Intends to formally create the NVCA / Startup America Partnership (SUA) Network, providing access to its 400+ venture capital firms, 4,000 + investors and thousands of venture-backed company CEOs in support of Startup America Partnership educational events around the country as well as access to StartUpHire.com, a free online jobs board for Startup America Partnership member companies.

“We are still in the startup phase of Startup America, but we are already seeing big results. Both the Obama Administration and the private sector are doing what it takes to answer the President’s call to action – enhancing the ability of entrepreneurs across the country to develop new ideas and create new jobs. Stay tuned for more news from the White House and the Startup America Partnership, as these campaigns continue to forge ahead,” said Austan Goolsbee, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors.

These announcements, and their potential to make a significant impact on entrepreneurs and their firms, will be celebrated during a Startup America roundtable taking place at the Facebook headquarters this afternoon at approximately 4:30PM PDT / 7:30PM EDT.  This roundtable will follow President Obama’s Shared Responsibility and Shared Prosperity town hall hosted by Facebook at 1:45PM PDT / 4:45PM EDT, and a roundtable on Women in Technology. All three events will take place in front of an audience of more than 1,000 entrepreneurs and Facebook employees; and are open to the public via Facebook’s livestreaming platform, Facebook Live at http://apps.facebook.com/facebooklive. 

Coinciding with the new commitments, the Startup America Partnership also unveiled a new website designed to better serve the needs of companies at particular stages of development. The website can be accessed at www.startupamericapartnership.org.

About the Startup America Partnership

The Startup America Partnership is a movement - by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs - to help inspire and celebrate entrepreneurs, their firms and the people that join them. Launched January 31st at the White House in response to President Obama’s call to celebrate, inspire, and accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship throughout the nation, the Partnership is bringing together an alliance of major corporations, funders, service providers, mentors and advisors working to dramatically increase the prevalence and success of high-growth enterprises in the U.S.  AOL co-founder Steve Case chairs the partnership and the Kauffman and Case Foundations are founding partners, providing initial funding and strategic guidance. For more information on the Partnership, visit www.startupamericapartnership.org and follow at www.twitter.com/startupamerica and www.facebook.com/startupamerica.

 

Media Contacts:

Allyson Burns

Startup America Partnershi

(202) 870-4750

allysonb@casefoundation.org

Vivian Liao

Startup America Partnership

(212) 277-4310

vivian.liao@edelman.com