According to an SBA study, military service is highly correlated with entrepreneurial tendencies. That’s good news for Memphis and Shelby County, whose proximity to the Millington Naval Base contributes to a population of more than 60,000 veterans. These veterans and their families are already equipped with skills that lay a solid foundation for starting up. Not only are they hard workers and team players, they know how to continue moving forward, despite the sometimes difficult journey. However, while the veteran community has a leg up in certain aspects, when it comes to starting a company, it’s not always easy to find the necessary resources. For those looking to start and grow their businesses – specifically technology businesses – Start Co. is the place to turn to. Start Co. is a nonprofit, venture development organization that helps entrepreneurs turn their unique, high-growth-potential ideas* into scalable business models and companies. We have seen a number of veterans and other entrepreneurs pass through our doors with technology or software related ideas, and over time we have cultivated a wealth of knowledge and resources to share with those who are beginning the startup journey. Thinking about starting up? Here are some of the services we offer: Weekly workshops – Speakers discuss different aspects of starting up. Topics range from legal and marketing advice to creating a better product or developing a working business model. Ad hoc mentoring and office hours – These sessions ensure that entrepreneurs stay on track and avoid some of the

This weekend, Start Co. is kicking off Global Entrepreneurship Week with 48 Hour Launch.  The event begins on Friday night, when participants have two minutes to pitch their company ideas to the community. Teams will then form around the five most popular ideas and spend the rest of the weekend preparing their companies to launch. On Sunday night, the companies will be presented to the community to compete for a $1,000 prize. Previously launched companies include MentorMe and ScrewPulp. It goes without saying that the collective talent and resources available throughout the weekend are invaluable to the five newly launched companies. Should they decide to continue with their companies’ development, founders will have covered remarkable ground and gained useful connections in the span of only two days. However, regardless of whether or not your own idea is selected, participating in 48 Hour Launch is definitely a worthwhile experience. Here are the top five benefits participants can gain through the experience: 1.      Where else can you find so many startup professionals under one roof? Teams will have office hours with legal, ad/design, and accounting professionals from Baker Donelson, archer>malmo, and The Marston Group. Additionally, developers from Mosaik Solutions and others will be working with the teams to build their products. Just by attending these office hours, participants receive helpful hints and tools that can be applied to any venture. No appointments, no billing. 2.      Connect with others who share your entrepreneurial tendencies. Perhaps someone shares your interest in solving a particular problem, or maybe they have advice

At Start Co., we believe that thinking like an entrepreneur is a mindset that benefits more than just our founders.  That’s why when Dr.s Lurene Kelley and Carrie Brown of the University of Memphis approached us about developing a course that taught entrepreneurial skills to their journalism students, we couldn’t say no.  “Given the disruptive forces that have forever changed the traditional news model, we thought that we needed a course that would encourage a different kind of thinking among our students,” said Lurene Kelley.  “We wanted them to think about developing their own journalistic endeavors or at least learn to think in a more innovative fashion.” Many would say that this partnership was born out of necessity.  The Internet has destabilized the business models that sustained quality journalism for decades.  “It is no longer enough for journalism students to develop strong skills in writing, reporting and creating multimedia editorial content,” Carrie Brown stated.  “They must also learn business fundamentals, marketing strategies and how to take advantage of new opportunities for sustainability and growth.”  This nontraditional skillset is essential in order for journalists to figure out their future in the age of the Internet. Entrepreneurial Journalism is a course requirement for any student seeking a graduate degree in journalism.  Throughout the semester, the class utilizes Start Co.’s founder’s toolkit in order to emphasize the importance of creative problem solving.  Students are taught to fully embrace the three D’s of starting up and learn to conduct customer discovery, explore product delivery

They listen to him as if a quiz will follow. As he speaks with his hands, attempting to project an imaginary graph on something about “money flow” and “potential costumers,” two women sit across from him. Their yellow notebooks are tattooed with information he’s shared. “…And this is when you’ll want your company to look at other ways of revenue,” their teacher, Start Co. Co-President Andre Fowlkes said, as he continued his lesson. It looked like a college lecture. But the two listening to him aren’t students. They’re entrepreneurs. And this type of scenario isn’t uncommon. In fact, given what Start Co. offers local startups and entrepreneurs, it’s one of many. Think of Start Co., as a Swiss-Army Knife of resources to Memphis’ startup and entrepreneur scene. They offer mentorships, workshops, and pitch practices. Their workspace, which includes Wi-Fi and coffee, is also open. And if speed is key, the company offers accelerator programs, which Start Co. Community Manager Hillary Quirk described as “three-month long boot camps that cram a lot of business development and entrepreneurship skills.” Located in the same building as Playhouse On The Square in Midtown, Start Co. started in 2008 to help a growing entrepreneur ecosystem. “If you looked at the growth from 2006 to today, then yeah.” Start Co. CEO/Co-President Eric Matthews said. “It is growing, and it seems to be growing dramatically. Every week, it’s three to five new entrepreneurs that reach out to us and are looking for support or assistance. That’s a

Far too often we see buzz phrases like “glass ceiling” and “gender gap” in the news with no thoughts on how to combat them.  We know that women face adversity professionally, especially when trying to start their own business, and we can agree that this is unfortunate—but what have we agreed to do about it?  That’s why Start Co. decided to provide solutions and create Upstart Memphis, a women’s exclusive accelerator program for tech-based startups. On July 11, 2013 four teams were given $15,000 each to get their startup off the ground.  Now, we would like you to see just how far they’ve come.  Join us Wednesday, October 23 at the Malco’s Studio on the Square at 2 PM as we celebrate and highlight our female founders and their accomplishments.  This year, Upstart Memphis will be showcasing: Leni Stoeva, CEO of Artwardly, a web-based service that leases artwork to businesses, corporations and collectors. Kelli Meade, CEO of GemPhones, a brand of high-fashion earphones designed to include both quality of sound and functionality. Zakkiyah Daniels, CEO of Stylecrook, a fashion retail marketplace where members can save on the latest styles with the help of their friends. Audrey Jones and Demarcus Bowser, co-founders of Kids360, a mobile app that allows parents to communicate their emergency contact information across multiple channels. In addition, we will also feature Brit Fitzpatrick, Founder and CEO of MentorMe as well as Tameesha Desangles, an entrepreneur who has advanced through Start Co.’s Launch University and earned an opportunity