By Scott Meacham If you asked me to name the profession most similar to entrepreneurship, I would say science. Both are based on problem-solving, experimentation, data, and the confidence to recognize that failure is a critical aspect of the path to success. Paige Johnson, founder and CEO of Tulsa-based Ten-Nine Technologies, is a noted researchRead more
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By Scott Meacham I often get the question “What is a typical day like working with entrepreneurs ?” My answer is short: There is no such thing as a typical day, and that is perfectly okay. I like it that way. The variability and unexpected nature of entrepreneurship is what makes working with startups andRead more
By Scott Meacham This past week, we reopened our offices. For a few weeks, for the safety or our staff and the community, we shuttered our space and worked remotely, although we never really “closed.” Working remotely, we negotiated term sheets, concluded a major funding round for an exciting new Oklahoma startup, and held theRead more
By Scott Meacham Oklahoma is a state that has learned how to live through boom and bust. While we are constantly working to diversify our economy, the sectors of energy, agriculture, and aerospace dominate. With a mix like that, Oklahomans have had to learn how to take a 360 degree view. From tornados to swingsRead more
By Scott Meacham Every spring, the celebratory conclusion of the annual Love’s Entrepreneur’s Cup brings into sharp focus—and the limelight—the months of hard work that teams from Oklahoma’s colleges and universities put into this business plan and pitch competition. I am floored by the enthusiasm, work ethic, and talent of these students. I start outRead more
Oklahoma City-based Happliy and its Datebox “date in a box” subscription service was recently featured in a Forbes magazine article on the growth of subscription services during the Coronavirus national shutdown. Happily is an i2E portfolio company. Here’s the key quote from Happily’s Brett Kolomyjec from the article: “We’re providing both convenience, fun [and] discovery…Read more
By Scott Meacham A most difficult and heart-rending aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic is that COVID patients in hospitals and long-term care facilities are so alone. Quarantine is mandatory. No outside visitors. Not friends, family, or even next of kin. A patient’s only human contact is with “strangers” wearing face masks and shields, gloves andRead more
Ten-Nine Technologies to onboard engineering and management talent, develop prototypes, and build production facilities to supply a leading battery manufacturer – major funding provided by i2E Management Company, Inc., investing for growth in Oklahoma, as well as Oklahoma and Kansas angel investors. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 7, 2020, 09:00 US Central Time Contact: Sarah SeagravesRead more
By Scott Meacham Great ideas and great companies don’t go away during times of crisis. Many just require a little more nurturing. Other businesses recognize that with quick action and a bit of a pivot, they can not only survive a crisis, but that they can actually improve the situation. MaxQ, a Stillwater company thatRead more
Contact: Sarah Seagraves, Senior VP for Marketing (405) 813-2403 sseagraves@i2E.org May 1, 2020 OKLAHOMA CITY — Student entrepreneurs from college campuses across Oklahoma pitched winning business plans online to virtual panels of judges in the recent Love’s Entrepreneur’s Cup competition that awarded $158,000 in cash prizes and scholarships. Oral presentations in the 2020 Love’s CupRead more
By Scott Meacham “Necessity is the mother of invention.” This saying is commonly attributed to the Greek philosopher Plato. After multiple translations from ancient Greek over more than 2000 years, it is no surprise that scholars debate the exact wording that Plato used in The Republic, but regardless his observation is spot on: When theRead more
Emerging Oklahoma coding professionals are invited to a free virtual “Diversity in Tech” opportunity on April 30 from Holberton School Tulsa to hear from panelists as they share their secrets to leveling the playing field in the tech industry. Check it out. More infoRead more
By PAULA BURKES Copyright 2020, The Oklahoman Stacey Brandhorst directs business development for i2E, a nonprofit that helps entrepreneurs commercialize technologies, launch and grow new businesses and access capital. Question: You recently launched the 30th cohort of i2E’s e3 program (formerly Venture Assessment Program) with five new Oklahoma ventures as an online virtual class, usingRead more
By Scott Meacham We have a new virtual rallying cry at i2E: Love’s Cup Is Unstoppable! In this unreal time of COVID-19, let me tell you what that means. 2020 is the sixteenth year of the widely acclaimed Love’s Entrepreneur’s Cup statewide collegiate business plan competition. From day one, the vision for Love’s Cup (formerlyRead more
By Scott Meacham Thousands of international travelers have been caught in the COVID-19 pandemic as it spreads. Earlier this month, my wife and I were two of those. Our story starts in Morocco. Susan and I were on a trip we booked at the last minute because our vacation to SE Asia was cancelled dueRead more
If you missed this morning’s Facebook live presentation on COVID-19 Efforts and Resources for Entrepreneurs, you can watch the replay here. The presentation was organized and hosted by i2E’s Malachi Blankenship.Read more
By Scott Meacham The COVID-19 medical and economic crisis is relentless. Every day more people, locations and institutions are impacted. Scientists and other experts are appropriately realistic. Matters are likely to worsen, at least near-term, before we flatten the curve of infection. Our hearts go out to the sick and their families. We send everlastingRead more
By Paula Burkes Copyright 2020, The Oklahoman Editor’s note: William Petty is CEO of Stillwater-based Bubble Calm, which was first place winner in the High Growth Graduate Division of the 2019 Love’s Cup competition Q: I understand you’re marketing a product that helps people in times like these. What is it? A: Bubble Calm isRead more
April 1, 2020 Contact: Sarah Seagraves, Senior VP for Marketing (405) 813-2403 sseagraves@i2E.org Oklahoma City, OK-based Linear Health Sciences has developed a globally patented medical device known as the Orchid Safety Release Valve (SRV), designed to limit disconnection of IV catheters for patients worldwide. OKLAHOMA CITY — i2E Management Company, Inc. (iMCI), recently led anRead more
By Scott Meacham We are in unprecedented times. Seemingly overnight, the world has changed, possibly forever. We are dealing with a pandemic disease that has no vaccine or cure. The stock market has lost a third of its value. People are being furloughed and laid off. Many hourly workers can’t pay for their groceries, rentRead more
