#2015 team

[flashstarts]

Meet a Team: Windrush

Tell us about your company.

There is a huge amount of data that goes unused or is used once and then discarded. Windrush makes it possible for non-technical communicators at an organization to use that data to tell meaningful stories online. Stories engage audiences emotionally and facts lend credibility to your organization. 

Organizations including businesses and nonprofits have amazing data that people are interested in reading about which they could be using to promote their organization’s activities. Typically this data languishes in unread PDF reports online or in an old spreadsheet. Windrush helps organizations bring content creation in house and bring their data to life as mobile responsive, well designed and interactive online documents.

We are at a stage where we are acquiring new customers and improving the product with their help and feedback.

What attracted you to the Flashstarts accelerator?

For us as a company looking to sell to nonprofits, Cleveland was an obvious choice. Besides the location we were impressed with the level of attention and care that Charles and Shannon expressed when evaluating potential teams for the summer. Compared to the other programs we applied to and were accepted to, Flashstarts overall offered the most promising experience when it came to getting the coaching and resources we need to grow and improve as a new company.

Tell us about working and living in Cleveland.

Even though we had some issues finding housing right away we ended up getting a great place to rent in Shaker Heights that put us right near the RTA that we take to work every day. The space in Terminal Tower is great, while it is a little rough at the moment I am sure it will be amazing for next year’s teams. Lots of potential.

What has been the biggest challenge?

Learning how to manage all of the Flashstarts interns. We are a young company with only one full time employee. So learning how to manage up to 9 interns at a time was definitely a learning experience. Whether it was analyzing one's strengths and weaknesses, or just learning their work habits, it was something that we needed to learn in order to build a culture that makes everyone comfortable and challenges them to do their best work.

How do you like working with interns?

For a startup like ours it has been amazing to have the help that the interns are able to provide. We have been very impressed with the quality of the interns we worked with and it will be very dissapointing when the program ends and we no longer get to work with such amazing people.

What is some advice for future interns?

Don’t be afraid to speak up and give your honest feedback to the teams. Yes, the teams will give you a task that you can say “yes, absolutely” to and complete, but the founders of the companies do not know everything, and you will benefit them more by challenging them and providing honest, constructive feedback.

What surprised you about your experience at Flashstarts?

This year has been special for Flashstarts since the program is in the process of moving into a new space. As a team it has been great to be in an environment that is so new and we were pleasantly surprised that we were able to shape a workspace that works for our team and hopefully for teams in the future.

Any parting words?

Advice to future founders: at the end of the day, the team you decide to assemble is the most important decision you will make for your company. A great team will always outperform a great individual.

[flashstarts]

Meet a Team: Triple Analytics

Tell us about your company.

Triple Analytics saves time for physicians and insurance companies by automating the prior-authorization process. Prior authorizations were initially created by insurance companies to control costs by monitoring medical procedures performed by doctors and hospitals. They’ve gradually increased the amount of medical procedures that need prior authorizations over the past 5-10 years, taking up 50% of doctors’ time and leads to frustration in the medical community.

What attracted you to the Flashstarts accelerator?

I met Charlie last year when I came up with the concept; it was in the early stages at the time. We kept in touch and I made some traction, got into some hospitals and pilots, and felt the time was right to join the program. I am excited to be here.

Tell us about working and living in Cleveland

Absolutely love it. Cleveland is a great place to be as a healthcare startup. There are five different hospitals in Cleveland alone and many others in Northeast Ohio.

What has been the biggest challenge?

Can’t choose just one…. Parking in downtown? But seriously, the biggest challenge as a healthcare company has been learning to navigate the long sales cycles. The average sales cycle is a year and a half, and my company is a year and a half old.

How do you like working with interns?

It really differs from intern to intern, some interns come in and say, “Hi I am your intern for this week,” and you tell them what needs getting done. They come in and tell you this is my project plan and this is how I will get it done. Then there are some interns who need a bit of hand holding and will get it done. And then there are those where no matter how hard you try... lost effort. Overall, it is what I expected.

What are some things you’ve learned this summer, so far?

I am constantly learning the value of time management, both my own time and that of others. I am productive at very different times than others, but I am forcing myself to be a morning person because most other people are productive during the day.

What surprised you about your experience at Flashstarts?

Being isolated with my own company for the last year and being around other companies. Everybody thinks their own company is the best thing since sliced bread. It is nice being around other companies who think the same thing and getting to learn more about their idea is really fun.

Any parting words?

Embrace being around other companies and learn more about them; it is really cool and humbling.

[flashstarts]

Meet a Team: Colign

Tell us about your company.

Colign is an online platform that accelerates commercialization of technologies and helps create research partnerships. We are creating the perfect environment for individuals in the research community to connect and create opportunities. Colign was founded by Kevin and I, and we met while attending the University of Rochester.

 What attracted you to the Flashstarts accelerator?

First, Kevin is a native of Cleveland and is passionate about contributing to the growth of the city. Second, the founders of Flashstarts offer a wealth of knowledge and experience in the technology space and we were excited to be part of the expansion of Flashstarts and Startmart.

 Tell us about working and living in Cleveland

So far, being in Cleveland has been great. The people are friendly, and there are always things to do. It’s also great to be in a city with so much pride.

 What has been the biggest challenge?

The entire experience of building a product and company from the ground up has been quite the challenge. Luckily, our team enjoys challenges and responds well. 

How do you like working with interns?

The interns have been extremely valuable to our team. They are all smart, hardworking, and fun to be around.

 What is some advice for future interns?

With a small company, each team member should always be thinking ahead. It’s key that they take initiative and recognize the multiple roles they will play.

 What surprised you about your experience at Flashstarts?

All of the founders here are friendly and are very open to discussing ideas or providing advice. It has been great to hear about what other teams are working on and what they have learned from past experiences.  

 What are some things you’ve learned this summer, so far?

We have learned that our existing network is an extremely valuable resource. Through our network, we have been able to make some great connections.  Another thing we’ve learned is to trust our decisions as founders since we have the most skin in the game.

[flashstarts]

Meet a Team: Schedulytics

What attracted you to the Flashstarts accelerator?

I've worked with Charles before, and have a great deal of confidence in his mentoring.

Tell us about working and living in Cleveland

I've lived in Cleveland for a large part of my life, and it's great to be back in downtown. There is a lot of change right now, and it seems like it keeps getting better.

What has been the biggest challenge?

I come from a very technical background and my biggest challenge has probably been learning more about other aspects of running a business, such as marketing, sales, and even HR.

How do you like working with interns?

They are great.  It feels good to be surrounded by a group of people with such high energy and excitement.

What is some advice for future interns?

Make sure you are clear about what you have to offer, and what it is you want to do. It's important that the interns get to work on things they find interesting in addition to all of the things that just need to be done.

What surprised you about your experience at Flashstarts?

The realization that there is a lot more to a successful company than a great product.

[flashstarts]

Meet a Team: Science United

Tell us about your company.

Science United is a biomedical network whose purpose is to align skilled scientific professionals with highly-specialized careers. The idea arose because we both have PhDs in Molecular Pharmacology and realized that the lack of communication in the biomedical job search was hindering the process and resulting in poorly placed candidates.

So much of scientific research is finding the right fit between scientists and labs, thus our goal at Science United is to minimize the time and effort required in finding this perfect match. By allowing job seekers to upload a 90 second highlight video describing their skill set, goals, and research interests candidates are be able to showcase skill sets not found on traditional CVs and applications, giving employers a deeper, more personalized view into each candidate’s potential. Additionally our team of Ph.D scientists are able to provide a job-specific facilitated screening of candidates- further ensuring that the most qualified scientists find the right home. The biomedical industry accounts for over 7 million jobs in the U.S. and we believe that Science United will be a valuable resource to allow bioscience employers and scientists work together towards perfectly-tailored careers.    

What attracted you to the Flashstarts accelerator?

The Flashstarts accelerator is a very unique opportunity in that it provides startup companies with valuable resources and mentors that are incredibly involved in the company’s growth. From an award winning internship program consisting of bright and motivated interns, and experienced mentors that understand how to build and grow a startup company, we knew that Flashstarts was exactly the program we needed to elevate Science United to the next level.

Tell us about working and living in Cleveland.

We both received our Ph.Ds from Case Western Reserve University here in Cleveland, so we’ve been sold on the merits of this city for  a long time. However, it’s been inspiring to see the entrepreneurial spirit that exists in Cleveland, and we’re excited to be contributing to the social and economic renaissance that’s been brewing in the city for some years now.

What has been the biggest challenge?

Coming from a scientific academic background, we both had a steep learning curving in terms of getting familiar with many of the technical aspects involved in our project. In addition to learning about web development, marketing, sales, and analytics, a big challenge for us was learning that growing a startup company can be a rollercoaster of a journey- but that patience, focus, and belief in your product are essential to continued growth and development.

How do you like working with interns?

I’m sure I speak for all of the Flashstarts teams when I say that the most fun part about the program is the opportunity to work with this group of bright young minds whose diverse skill set and enormous potential are critical to the success of every company. It’s been an exciting to figure out how to maximize each intern’s specialty towards the goals of Science United, and to see them fully invested and excited about our company’s future keeps us inspired and motivated every day.

What is some advice for future interns?

Great advice for future interns is that although you may come in with expertise and be a specialist in one aspect or field, be prepared to learn and get involved on totally different paths. This program will give you the exposure and the opportunity to be involved in multiple facets of building a startup.

What surprised you about your experience at Flashstarts?

The first thing that comes to mind is how pleasantly surprised we’ve been at the collaborative environment that exists here. It’s been great to bounce ideas back and forth with interns as well as team leaders, and by pitching every Monday morning and having weekly meetings with the leadership, we already feel at ease and have a great sense of camaraderie with everyone in the organization.  

What are some things you’ve learned this summer, so far?

One thing that we’ve learnt so far this summer is that good leadership requires a healthy dose of humility, and the ability to admit ignorance is the only way to learn something new and apply it toward your goal. Additionally we’ve learned that being an entrepreneur is a 24 hour job, and you have to be willing to make sacrifices and remain fully committed to your goals in order to convert your vision into a viable product.  

Any parting words? Even though we’re only a few weeks into the program, Flashstarts has been invaluable for us to assess our strengths, weaknesses, and potential. By providing us with the resources we need to combat our weaknesses and an environment that fosters creativity, we are in a position to maximize our output from the program and are very grateful for the experience.

[flashstarts]

Meet a Team: InTouch

Tell us about your company

The inTouch app helps businesses communicate the right message, at the right time, directly to the smartphones of nearby customers. Utilizing a customizable backend, businesses can then send content through Bluetooth beacons directly to customers’ mobile devices via push notifications. The resulting data allows businesses to gain an unprecedented understanding of customer trends and behavior through its user dashboard.

What attracted you to the Flashstarts accelerator?

We were looking for a way to receive guidance and obtain exposure to outside investors and business mentors. Flashstarts stood as a leading accelerator program in the area which sparked our interest in them. Flashstarts also places an emphasis on startups in the tech industry, which is what we are in.

Tell us about working and living in Cleveland!

We have all grown up and lived in the Cleveland area our whole lives. The city is undergoing a major renaissance so to speak and it is extremely exciting to be a part of it. We hopefully will be able to associate the success of our company as being born and grown in Cleveland.

What has been the biggest challenge?

The biggest challenge about this endeavor is the formation of turning a nonexistent product into a fully operational company. In order to execute on an idea and actually bring it to life requires countless hours of business development and structure.

How do you like working with interns?

The interns have been invaluable; they are literally the reason we have been able to get to where we are.

What is some advice for future interns?

Future interns need to stay motivated and know that their contributions directly affect the success of the companies they are working with. This isn't a typical internship where interns are tasked with a structured, corporate style program. In order to be successful in this setting interns need to know how to self-manage and take initiative to make major impacts on young companies.

What surprised you about your experience at Flashstarts?

I have been very surprised at the talent level of the interns. It is also impressive at how structured the program is and the amount of doors it has already opened in such a short period of time.

What are some things you’ve learned this summer, so far?

I personally have learned how to delegate work that needs to be done by different skill sets.

Any parting words?

Go Browns.