Read the November 2009 newsletter to Fund members. This month's issue includes 2 new media outlets promoting Northeast Ohio's economic progress, an upcoming minority entrepreneurship conference, a profile of Vadxx, and more.

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N o v e m b e r ‘ 0 9 M e m b e r s N e w s l e t t e r
ffef N o v e m b e r ‘ 0 9 M e m b e r s N e w s l e t t e r
F U N D F O R O U R
E C O N O M I C F U T U R E
Two new media vehicles are highlighting the economic progress being made
in Northeast Ohio by the innovative companies, entrepreneurs and organizations
committed to building a more vibrant future.
State-backed hiVelocity is a bi-weekly e-mail newsletter and web site high-
lighting innovation across the state of Ohio, with a heavy emphasis on activities in
Northeast Ohio. The Ohio Department of Development launched hiVeIocity in late
September and an editorial staff has been hired to produce the publication. Early
stories have featured several Northeast Ohio companies, including CleveX, QED, Myers
Motors, AlphaMicron, VeriShot and others.
“NEOtropolis” is a new television program that airs at 9 p.m.Fridays on Western
Reserve PBS (WNEO/WEAO 45.1/49.1) at and repeats at 5:30 a.m. Saturdays.
The new half-hour weekly program strives to build Northeast Ohio viewers’ knowledge
of regional economic issues, strengthen confidence in the economy of Northeast Ohio,
and provide helpful information and resources to endure challenging economic times.
NEOtropolis is hosted by Thomas Mulready, publisher of CoolCleveland.com.
Content partners are Crain’s Cleveland Business and The Business Journal, which
serves the Mahoning Valley. Funding for the program is provided by Fund grantees
MAGNET and JumpStart, and Fund members Kent State University, The Burton D.
Morgan Foundation and The Raymond John Wean Foundation.
“NEOtropolis will offer timely information about the region’s business and
economy in a fast-paced yet in-depth format,” said Duilio Mariola, Western Reserve
Public Media executive producer. “We want to be a vehicle for dialogue about
regionalism for the four major cities in our broadcast area — Akron, Canton, Cleveland
and Youngstown. The first episode, for example, explored the biomedical technology
industry and its impact on the entire region.
The Fund and its grantees are working with the editorial staffs of both outlets to
coordinate and maximize coverage of the significant progress being made in Northeast
Ohio.
Northeast Ohio’s Economic
Progress in the Spotlight
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Northeast Ohio by
the Numbers
Case Western Reserve
University has received a total
of 109 federal stimulus awards
worth about $49 million
Northeast Ohio’s
aerospace-related sector
represents 24% of the region’s
manufacturing output
Business Facilities
magazine ranks Ohio the
country’s fourth best location
for biotechnology
Kent State University is
the second facility in the country
to provide continuing
education to professionals in
biocontainment laboratories
Get Connected
Watch or set your DVR to
record it Fridays at 9 p.m.
on WNEO/WEAO 45.1/49.1,
or watch it online at
www.westernreservepublicmedia.org.
Get Connected
Sign up for the bi-weekly
e-mail newsletter and catch
up on past stories at
www.hivelocitymedia.com.

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Minority Business Accelerator 2.5+
Assists Akron Company
The Minority Business Accelerator 2.5+ is building stronger connections across
Northeast Ohio, including assisting its first company outside of Cuyahoga County.
Raymond Jackson Enterprises (RJE), an Akron-area construction company,
landed a $450,000 business deal with the assistance of the Accelerator, which has
assisted 20 minority-owned companies in securing $55 million in new business.
“This is a nice-sized project for our company and is within the core scope of our
services,” said RJE President Phillip P. Moore. “This project allows us to self-perform
and to employ craftsman, both majority and minority, from Northeast Ohio.”
The Accelerator is providing technical support to RJE, which was founded 24
years ago as a residential flooring company. RJE will provide interior finishing work on
building renovations for the Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority. The project
will include carpeting, tile and ceramic flooring, and aesthetic structural work on
the building.
Wyatt Brownlee, who oversees the Accelerator’s portfolio of companies, said the
Accelerator is helping RJE pursue even more, larger business opportunities, as well.
Dec. 3 Summit to Highlight Opportunities
for Minority Entrepreneurs
On December 3, Fund grantee JumpStart, along with several regional and
national partners, will host a day-long event called Transforming the Landscape of
Business in America: A Minority Business Early-Stage Capital Summit.
The summit, also sponsored by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC),
The Marathon Club, The Institute for Entrepreneurial Thinking, The Presidents’
Council, and a host of other regional and national partners, will bring together some of
the country’s brightest professionals and investors dedicated to assisting and investing
in high growth minority-owned, women-owned and inner city-based businesses.
These same organizations have been responsible for growing some of the nation’s
largest and most successful diverse businesses over the past decade, and currently
play a direct role in shaping urban policy for the Obama administration.
The summit will include panel discussions featuring successful minority
entrepreneurs and investors who specialize in creating wealth for minorities through
entrepreneurship. Dr. William Pickard, currently CEO and chairman of VITEC, will
keynote the summit’s lunch program. VITEC is a leading automotive parts supplier and
Dr. Pickard is a successful serial entrepreneur, having led five entrepreneurial ventures
prior to VITEC, including the investor group that brought the MGM Grand Casino to
Detroit. In the afternoon, some of Northeast Ohio’s most promising minority-owned
companies will be highlighted in an entrepreneurial showcase.
“The partnership of ICIC and The Marathon Club in this summit recognizes the
national leadership of the Northeast Ohio region in the development of high growth,
equity-backed minority and female-led businesses, as well as those in the inner city,”
said Darrin Redus, chief economic inclusion officer of JumpStart. “This summit, which
brings together some of the most influential national and regional leaders in this space,
represents much more than an extraordinary opportunity for minority entrepreneurs.Darrin Redus
Chief Economic Inclusion Officer,
JumpStart
133
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Northeast Ohio by
the Numbers
The Global
Cardiovascular Innovation
Center announced
$2 million in grants
Lockheed Martin’s
Akron campus received a $133
million contract to build high-tech
blimps for the military

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It’s an opportunity for all entrepreneurial stakeholders, regardless of race or gender,
to better understand the unique challenges and critical next steps that must be addressed
if we are to see real progress in growing the types of larger scale, diverse, job creating
businesses that are a vital component to our regional and national economy.”
The event will be held at the Bank of America Conference Center at the
InterContinental Hotel in Cleveland from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $75. Visit
www.jumpstartinc.org or call JumpStart at 216.363.3400 for more information and
to register.
JumpStart Companies Raise Growth Capital
Despite a nationwide decrease in the amount of venture capital raised in 2009,
two growing companies in Fund grantee JumpStart’s portfolio have been successful in
closing rounds of funding in the past month.
MAR Systems, a clean-tech company that provides proprietary processes for
the removal of metal contaminants from water and industrial fluid waste streams, just
closed a $1.5 million Series B round of funding. Funding was led by Early Stage
Partners, a Northeast Ohio venture capital firm, with participation from several of MAR’s
existing investors. The funding will allow MAR to continue product development and
commercialization of its Sorbster™ media that removes mercury, arsenic and other
heavy metals from water.
“We’re on the verge of changing the water treatment industry with our media,”
said Tony Lammers, CEO, MAR Systems. “Not only is MAR excited to continue
commercialization on its latest media, but to have a partner in Northeast Ohio that
understands what we are accomplishing is extremely rewarding.”
BSKLive, which just closed a $1.3 million Series A venture round, provides integrated
employee scheduling and communications technology. BSKLive’s flagship product,
StaffKnex, is an intuitive, web-based application that combines staff scheduling, work
requirements, employee qualifications, business rules and communications into a
highly automated staff management system. The investment included $1 million from
Early Stage Partners and $300,000 from Glengary LLC. With the funds, BSKLive will
expand its sales staff, increase marketing efforts and build its ecosystem of partners.
6,400
86
1.8
MAR Systems and
BSKLive, Inc. raised
a combined total of
$2.8 million in
investments in their
latest funding rounds.
(A product of BSKLive, Inc.)
4
Northeast Ohio by
the Numbers
The number of Northeast
Ohio medical jobs has increased
by 6,400 in the last year
J.M. Smucker Co.
will add 86 jobs at its Orrville
facility
Neuros Medical received
$1.8 million from angel investors
to close its first round
of venture funding
Site Selection
magazine ranks Ohio the
fourth best business climate
to start a business

4. The Fund regularly features
Northeast Ohio companies being
helped by our grantees. These
companies, including the one
featured here, are part of the
region’s portfolio of growing
businesses that are building
Northeast Ohio’s economic future.
Vadxx Energy
Vadxx is one of the promising companies in Northeast Ohio’s growing portfolio of
companies in the energy sector.
The company recently opened an office at the MAGNET incubator in Cleveland to
go along with its main operation at the Akron Global Business Accelerator. Vadxx
CEO Jim Garrett took the time to answer a few questions from the Fund about his
company.
What makes Vadxx special?
Vadxx produces synthetic crude oil from petroleum-based solid and liquid wastes.
Vadxx has letters of intent for its first commercial units (with partners), contingent
upon its pilot plant performing as expected. The pilot plant will be producing synthetic
crude oil in January 2010 at a Vadxx location in Akron.
How have the Fund’s grantees and Northeast Ohio’s other
entrepreneurial support systems helped Vadxx?
Vadxx Energy has received incredible support from throughout the Northeast Ohio
region. This regional effort has helped bring Vadxx to its present situation. Funding and
support has been received from North Coast Opportunities (Cuyahoga County), GLIDE
(Lorain County) and the City of Akron. Of even more importance than funding, Vadxx
has received valuable advice and consultation from JumpStart/Techlift, Akron Global
Business Accelerator, MAGNET, NorTech and PolymerOhio. Lastly, Case Western
Reserve University and The University of Akron have provided advice.
Why Northeast Ohio is good for Vadxx?
Northeast Ohio is a region with good access to petroleum-based feedstocks, equipment
suppliers, high quality universities (especially in the polymer area), an excellent
business service community and a quality of life that Vadxx folks enjoy. In addition,
Northeast Ohio is developing a thriving advanced energy entrepreneurial community
that makes for interesting synergies.
What are Vadxx’s plans for the future?
Vadxx will begin operating its pilot plant, producing synthetic crude oil, in January
2010. Following that, Vadxx’s objective is to convert letters of intent into signed
contracts for its first commercial operating units in the first half of 2010. After design/
manufacturing/installation, Vadxx will begin operating its first commercial units in late
2010 or early 2011. Following operations of its first commercial units, Vadxx Energy
will seek meaningful capital infusions to implement additional commercial units in the
United States and elsewhere.
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