Aevus Precision Diagnostics founders Puneet Chadha (left) and Yash Sagar Santani Oklahoma City made its introduction to the co-founders of Aevus Precision Diagnostics through a magazine’s list of top U.S. cities in which to start a business. In 2018, Yash Sagar Santani and Puneet Chadha were living and working in New York City’s financial districtRead more
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By Scott Meacham Companies that are more diverse produce better financial results — much better, according to the most recent report in the McKinsey & Company series “Delivering through Diversity.” In the McKinsey report, companies in the top quartile for ethnic/cultural diversity on executive teams were 33% more likely to have industry-leading profitability. Moreover, companiesRead more
By Scott Meacham It’s official. The country is in a recession. Of course, we didn’t need the recent announcement by the National Bureau of Economic Research to tell us that. Given its unusualness, our hope is that we have nearly bottomed out from the pandemic free-fall and that economic recovery will come quickly. However, weRead more
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
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 Heide BrandesCopyright © 2020 The Journal Record After seven years of being in dental practice, Stillwater-based dentist Russell Brorsen noticed a conflict of interest that he says affects not only patient trust but also dental businesses in general. Many times, the same dentist who diagnoses a condition will be the one who performs the proceduresRead more
i2E’s e3, formerly known as the Venture Assessment Program (VAP), has been a great tool for helping Oklahoma startup founders rigorously perform structured market validation of their ideas and solutions before they start creating products that the market does not want to buy. This program is the most robust in the region and boasts moreRead 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
