Sat.Aug 07, 2021 - Fri.Aug 13, 2021

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SourceLink + National League of Cities – Impacting Entrepreneurship in Rural Communities

Source Link

SourceLink®, the National League of Cities (NLC) and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation are pleased to announce the results of recent efforts to advance entrepreneurial development in Kankakee and Belvidere, Illinois. Both communities recently participated in NLC’s City Innovation Ecosystems (CIE) program, offered in partnership with and support from the Kauffman Foundation.

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UBI Global Says Good-Bye to an Old Friend

UBI Global

UBI Connect is ending as we announce a new hub of tools and services developed by our team especially for you. Announcing ‘the end’ of something is never fun or easy, but in this case, there really is a lot to look forward to. While this month marks the end of UBI Connect, the communication […]. The post UBI Global Says Good-Bye to an Old Friend appeared first on UBI Global | Innovation Intelligence Company and Community.

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ThirdAI raises $6M to democratize AI to any hardware

TechCrunch

Houston-based ThirdAI , a company building tools to speed up deep learning technology without the need for specialized hardware like graphics processing units, brought in $6 million in seed funding. Neotribe Ventures, Cervin Ventures and Firebolt Ventures co-led the investment, which will be used to hire additional employees and invest in computing resources, Anshumali Shrivastava, Third AI co-founder and CEO, told TechCrunch.

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The Next Big Thing. How Can You Leverage the Future for Your Business?

Smart Hustle Magazine

As a small business owner, taking your startup to the next level involves many growth strategies. Whether it’s expansion or building your customer base, small business growth takes time, effort, and dedication. . But, let’s face it. Scaling your business is challenging. . Are you starting a business or at the stage where your business plans need a boost?

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From Curiosity to Competitive Edge: How Mid-Market CEOs Are Using AI to Scale Smarter

Speaker: Lee Andrews, Founder at LJA New Media & Tony Karrer, Founder and CTO at Aggregage

This session will walk you through how one CEO used generative AI, workflow automation, and sales personalization to transform an entire security company—then built the Zero to Strategy framework that other mid-market leaders are now using to unlock 3.5x ROI. As a business executive, you’ll learn how to assess AI opportunities in your business, drive adoption across teams, and overcome internal resource constraints—without hiring a single data scientist.

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7 Creative Financing Options for New Businesses and Startups

StartupNation

It takes money to make money. But financing isn’t always easy — especially if you’re the proud founder of a brand new business. Traditional banks and financial institutions set a high bar for borrowers. They want to see years in business, consistent revenue and excellent credit scores, and those are things that most new businesses just don’t have.

More Trending

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Consumer goods software company Aforza bags $22M to open US headquarters

TechCrunch

Aforza , developing cloud and mobile apps for consumer goods companies, announced a $22 million Series A round led by DN Capital. The London-based company’s technology is built on the Salesforce and Google Cloud platforms so that consumer goods companies can digitally transform product distribution and customer engagement to combat issues like unprofitable promotions and declining market share, Aforza co-founder and CEO Dominic Dinardo told TechCrunch.

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Syed Hasnain: Advocating for Refugee Rights and Equal Opportunities

Impact Hub

Syed Hasnain has experienced all the challenges associated with being a refugee in Europe and is now making a difference by advocating for refugee rights and equal rights opportunities in decision-making spaces. . Originally from Afghanistan, Hasnain is the co-founder and current president of UNIRE ( Italian National Union of Refugees and Exiles ), the first national network of refugees living in Italy.

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ACT Tulsa a one-of-a-kind accelerator program

Innovation 2 Enterprise

By Scott Meacham. ACT Tulsa is a one-of-a-kind accelerator program. There is considerable conversation and churn these days around the need for talent across the economy. Many industries are challenged with identifying and attracting candidates with the right skills and experience. Others are having a hard time finding applicants at all. Anyone who operates any kind of an enterprise, from a two-person startup to Paycom, knows that success depends on talent and execution first and then innovation

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Introducing Trust, and the Importance of Product-Founder Fit

Both Sides of the Table

Photo by Vanna Phon on Unsplash Customer acquisition is the lifeblood of many startups from e-commerce to gaming to marketplace companies, among others. Most of these startups spend the lion’s share of their marketing budget in today’s social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Snap, TikTok and so on because?—?no surprise?—?that’s where the customers are.

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State of AI in Sales & Marketing 2025

AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.

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FreshBooks reaches $1B+ valuation with $130.75M for its SMB-focused accounting platform

TechCrunch

FreshBooks , a Toronto-based cloud accounting software company focused on SMBs, announced today it has secured $80.75 million in a Series E round of funding, as well as $50 million in debt financing. Existing backer Accomplice led the equity financing, which the company described as “an inside round” that propelled FreshBooks to unicorn status with a valuation of “over $1 billion.” .

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Impact Hub Bergen rebrands to Social Impact Lab

Impact Hub

Impact Hub Bergen was the first Impact Hub to open in Norway — in November 2010 — and the second in Scandinavia. T he team in Bergen has been a frontrunner in the field of social innovation, both locally and nationally. After ten years of successful operations, it has decided to leave the Impact Hub network to follow a more hyperlocal approach. Under the new name of Social Impact Lab , the team will work to deepen their roots and broaden their reach throughout the city, continuing their commitme

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We’ve Moved

Innovation 2 Enterprise

i2E’s Tulsa office has moved from its former location of 9 years on East Third Street to a new suite of offices in the 15-story One Technology Center tower a few blocks west in the heart of downtown. The new address for our Tulsa office is 100 S Cincinnati Ave., Fifth Floor, Suite 514. i2E’s Tulsa staff now shares office space with the 36° North incubator, a not-for-profit co-working organization that serves as a “basecamp for entrepreneurs, startups and innovators.

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3 Tips to Grow Your Business in the Post-Pandemic Era

StartupNation

Summer is in full swing, and in some areas of the country, mask mandates have lifted and event production companies now have packed schedules. It seems like we are starting to finally overcome and move beyond the COVID-19 crisis. If you’re a business owner, you may be wondering what steps to take to ensure the long-term prosperity of your enterprise post-pandemic.

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15 Modern Use Cases for Enterprise Business Intelligence

Large enterprises face unique challenges in optimizing their Business Intelligence (BI) output due to the sheer scale and complexity of their operations. Unlike smaller organizations, where basic BI features and simple dashboards might suffice, enterprises must manage vast amounts of data from diverse sources. What are the top modern BI use cases for enterprise businesses to help you get a leg up on the competition?

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Siga secures $8.1M Series B to prevent cyberattacks on critical infrastructure

TechCrunch

Siga OT Solutions, an Israeli cybersecurity startup that helps organizations secure their operations by monitoring the raw electric signals of critical industrial assets, has raised $8.1 million in Series B funding. Siga says its SigaGuard technology, used by Israel’s critical water facilities and the New York Power Authority, is unique in that rather than monitoring the operational network, it uses machine learning and predictive analysis to “listen” to Level 0 signals.

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8 Collaborative Partnerships that are Driving Global Change

Impact Hub

Organizations and institutions, large and small, are taking responsibility to promote economic recovery in a sustainable way and driving global change. Impact Hub is collaborating with a wide range of organizations to drive inclusive and sustainable change across sectors, both public and private. We believe that only through collaboration, we can solve today’s complex challenges.

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We’ve Moved

Innovation 2 Enterprise

i2E’s Tulsa office has moved from its former location of 9 years on East Third Street to a new suite of offices in the 15-story One Technology Center tower a few blocks west in the heart of downtown. The new address for our Tulsa office is 100 S Cincinnati Ave., Fifth Floor, Suite 514. i2E’s Tulsa staff now shares office space with the 36° North incubator, a not-for-profit co-working organization that serves as a “basecamp for entrepreneurs, startups and innovators.

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Dell Technologies on Small Business: StartupNation Radio

StartupNation

On this week’s episode of StartupNation Radio, Jeff talks to Megan Shadle and YJ Lin from Dell Technologies to discuss Dell’s commitment to entrepreneurial spirit, as well as Alexis Wormley to hear the story of her clothing company, Offbeat Native. Tune in to the full StartupNation Radio show to hear Lin and Shadle discuss Dell’s commitment to entrepreneurship, as well as Wormley’s experience with starting a business in the fashion industry: First up are Shadle and Lin from Del

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How Top Tech CFOs Solve Annual Planning’s Biggest Challenges

Gearing up for 2025 annual planning? Our latest eBook from the Operators Guild is your ultimate guide. Discover real-world solutions and best practices shared by top CFOs, drawn directly from discussions within OG’s vibrant online community. Learn from senior executives at high-growth tech startups as they outline financial planning strategies, align CEO and board goals, and coordinate budgets across departments.

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The gray revolution: Fundraising within the older adult space

TechCrunch

Lawrence Kosick. Contributor. Share on Twitter. Lawrence Kosick is the co-founder of GetSetUp , the largest online learning community designed specifically for older adults. The technology industry is often thought of as being the domain of the young and the new. We see an emphasis on young founders (“40 Under 40”), innovative ideas and disruptive challenges to legacy brands, incumbent companies and “old” ways of thinking.

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The Most Important Lessons I’ve Learned from My Substack Newsletter Experiment

Entrepreneur's Handbook

Here’s what I’ve been telling big-name writers behind the scenes. Growing on Substack is counter-intuitive. Continue reading on Entrepreneur's Handbook ».

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Why I Angel Invest

Angel Capital Association

By: Daren Cotter, Tech Entrepreneur & Investor, Member of Gopher Angels I’ve been asked this question many times over the past 8 years. As my portfolio has grown, so has my answer to this question. I’m sharing my thought process because perhaps it will nudge some of you to angel invest too! I consider myself a furiously curious person, and angel investing is one of the most rewarding ways I’ve experienced to satisfy this curiosity.

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[OurCrowd in Globes] OurCrowd signs MoU with Azerbaijan Investment Co

OurCrowd

In the first stage, Azerbaijan Investment will invest in 10-15 startups from the OurCrowd portfolio, with a focus on energy, health, agtech and foodtech, education and more. Read more here. The post [OurCrowd in Globes] OurCrowd signs MoU with Azerbaijan Investment Co appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

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Your Fractional Finance and Accounting Team

Mighty Financial specializes in supporting the financial aspirations of small businesses and entrepreneurs. With our comprehensive bookkeeping and precise accounting expertise with decades of experience across diverse financial roles, our team offers tailor-made services ranging from essential bookkeeping to strategic fractional CFO support, catered specifically to the unique challenges of technology companies, startups, and SMEs.

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3 lies VCs tell ourselves about startup valuations

TechCrunch

Scott Lenet. Contributor. Share on Twitter. Scott Lenet is president of Touchdown Ventures. More posts by this contributor. Is there a creed in venture capital? Analyzing the spectrum of corporate innovation from R&D to VC. I’m frequently asked by journalists whether I think venture capital valuations are too high in the current environment. Because the average venture capital fund returns only 1.3x committed capital over the course of a decade, according to the last reported data from Cambr

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Hannah’s Journey – How To Conquer Roadblocks In Your Business (and Life)

Smart Hustle Magazine

How to conquer roadblocks on your journey to business success (and a better life)? What to do when the going gets tough? Questions like these are a challenge for most business owners at some time or other. In this ongoing series of the Smart Hustle Podcast , “Hannah’s Journey”, Ramon Ray speaks with Hannah Perry, owner of The Giggling Pig Art and Party studio about the challenges and success of growing her business.

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Is the 9-to-5 workday dead? What employees seek in return-to-office plans

Entrepreneurs' Organization

What do employees want in returning to the office? . Business owners often assume they know what their employees want due to a dangerous judgment error termed the false consensus effect. This problematic mental blindspot causes us to perceive others—especially teammates—as sharing our beliefs. That’s often not the case. The false consensus effect is one of over 100 misleading mental patterns that researchers in behavioral economics and cognitive neuroscience call cognitive biases.

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BEN FRANKLIN PORTFOLIO COMPANY IS “SAVING LIVES AND LIMBS” USING ULTRASOUND TECHNOLOGY!

Ben Franklin Technology Partners

ERIE, PA – In 2020, when Dr. Jeffrey Vaitekunas made his investment pitch presentation to Ben Franklin Technology Partners, he began with some very somber facts. “Every year, more people die from blood clots than from breast cancer and traffic accidents combined. The products currently on the market only work for five minutes at a time, often require an overnight hospital stay, and can create internal tissue damage. “.

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The GTM Intelligence Era: ZoomInfo 2025 Customer Impact Report

ZoomInfo customers aren’t just selling — they’re winning. Revenue teams using our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform grew pipeline by 32%, increased deal sizes by 40%, and booked 55% more meetings. Download this report to see what 11,000+ customers say about our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform and how it impacts their bottom line. The data speaks for itself!