“The Tulsa Collaboratorium is one example of how we can grow jobs and support entrepreneurs in Tulsa,” Mayor Dewey Bartlett said. “Most recently, the Mayor’s Office and City Council comprised goals and objectives setting a future vision for Tulsa. Entrepreneurship was one area of focus that we believe should be highlighted and I look forward to the continued job growth made by the entrepreneurs located at the Tulsa Collaboratorium.”

Keynote speakers from across the country are coming to speak, including Dave Mathews, CEO and Founder of NeuAer in San Francisco, CA and Thom Ruhe, Director of Entrepreneurship of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in Washington, DC. Area business leaders will conduct coaching sessions on the following topics: strategic communications, understanding business and financial models, raising capital for business and sales and solutions for business.

“Since launching in 2008 over 72 startups have received coaching from the Collaboratorium and 18 member companies have generated 45 new jobs, adding over $2,071,935 to Tulsa’s annual payroll,” said Sean Griffin, Collaboratorium Board Chairman and Founder. “Locally grown entrepreneurs are critical in our effort to foster a ‘culture of start-ups’ in Tulsa, where people of any age or economic background are empowered to take risks and follow their dreams.”

Sponsors for the 2012 Tulsa Collaboratorium Summit include: Alcatel Lucent, City of Tulsa, Consumer Affairs, i2E and the University of Tulsa. For more information, updates or to register for the 2012 Collaboratorium Summit, visit tulsacollab.com

Are you an early stage company and want to see if your pitch has what it takes to obtain an investment?

On Wednesday, November 16, 2011 the Pitch-O-Rama will invest $500 into the days best business model pitch.  Nine companies will be selected to present a two-minute pitch in front of a live audience and a panel of judges comprised of experienced entrepreneurs and investors.

The Pitch-O-Rama is designed to provide early stage companies a platform to showcase their business model. All participants will receive valuable interactive feedback and the winner of the Pitch-O-Rama will receive a cash prize of $500!

We have assembled a stellar judging panel that includes:

• Kristen Bergman – Co-Founder, BizXe and TCC Launch Flight Captain
• Matt Galloway – Founder, Architactile and TCC Launch Thought Partner
• Joel Kantor – Managing Partner, Mimosa Tree Capital Partners and Entrepreneurial Spirit Award Coach
• Tonya Nkokheli – Founder, InnovativeMarkets and TCC Launch Thought Partner

If you think you have got what it takes to win the Pitch-O-Rama, Sign up today!

Deadline for submission is November 3rd, 2011

The Pitch-O-Rama will be held during Tulsa Global Entrepreneurship Week

Wednesday, November 16, 2011 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Tulsa Community College Center for Creativity – 909 S. Boston Avenue

The event is open to the public with a $10 admission fee that includes lunch. For questions please email pitchorama@tulsacollab.com

Submit your first pitch here: http://tulsacollab.com/pitch-o-rama/

Tulsa is undergoing an entrepreneurial evolution.

You can see it in the growing popularity of the annual Spirit Award competition, the growth of college-sponsored entrepreneurial programs, the development of incubators and resources available for supporting entrepreneurs.

Between 2007 and 2010, an entrepreneurial ecosystem has emerged that has spawned 64 operating startups, the creation of 269 jobs and an annual payroll of $12.4 million. And entrepreneurial enthusiasts want to see that trend continue.

“We need to nurture an environment that allows for businesses to grow. As time passes, businesses mature, families fall out, and so businesses come and go. If we do not have a constant stream and a mechanism to create new businesses, then we will be challenged to have an economy that is strong,” said Sean Griffin, who is chairman of the Economic Development Commission Entrepreneurial Initiatives. “So, it’s essential for us to grow jobs and grow an economy built on … locally grown jobs.”

To keep that momentum going, StartUp Tulsa, a publicly and privately funded, entrepreneurial, economy-building endeavor of the Tulsa Economic Development Commission, aims to accelerate and nurture startups in Tulsa.

In a recently released report, StartUp Tulsa outlines the city’s entrepreneurial achievements in recent years. It also announces a five-year goal of generating 226 new operating startups that would lead to 949 new locally grown jobs with average salaries of $46,043.

“The bottom line is that the communities that are developing entrepreneurs, like Tulsa, are the ones that basically are thriving. They are the drivers for the future,” said Dean VanTrease, fundraising chairman of the City of Tulsa’s Economic Development Commission Entrepreneurial Initiatives. Five years ago, Tulsa wasn’t known for developing many new entrepreneurs, although it has a history rich with entrepreneurs, VanTrease said. “It’s incredible what’s happening right now in Tulsa. A lot of the new jobs are being created by entrepreneurs and small business. In fact, if you look at the country, over half of the new jobs are coming from them. That bodes well for Tulsa’s future,” VanTrease said.

Spirit Award sparks entrepreneurial efforts
The introduction of the Spirit Award in 2007 helped kick-start Tulsa’s expanding entrepreneurial enthusiasm. Until then, entrepreneurs weren’t being acknowledged, rewarded and promoted. They weren’t getting the coaching and mentoring they needed, Griffin said.

Kathy Taylor, former Tulsa mayor and Oklahoma’s former secretary of commerce and tourism, recognized the need for a strong entrepreneurial base and endorsed the first competition, which initially was called the Mayor’s Entrepreneurial Spirit Award.

“I was happy to be a part of it. I just had the good fortune to be able to use my voice as the mayor to support an amazing group of people who really believed we could do this,” Taylor said.

Last year, the competition was renamed SpiritBank/Tulsa Community College Entrepreneurial Spirit Award in recognition of its two title sponsors.

“Where we are right now is an exciting place because people are really beginning to have the confidence to act on their ideas,” said Taylor. “The economy in Oklahoma in particular is driven by small business … A lot of states will fight over and spend resources and time trying to get the big companies to move here, but the fact is, most of the jobs are going to be from smaller companies or companies that don’t exist yet.”

It wasn’t until the third year of the Spirit Award competition, however, that the traditional community really started to take notice.

As more entrepreneurs became involved in the competition, and people heard about their success, others realized something was going on, that this wasn’t an anomaly, and began asking what could be done to help, Griffin said.

Before, people were starting companies here, but they weren’t as visible or as publicly promoted and honored as they are now, Griffin said.

Entrepreneurs ignite
“I think the Spirit Award was an integral part of our company growing because it forced us to step back and work on the business not in the business, and that’s what many small businesses need to do in order to grow,” said Carey Dunkin Baker, founder of Part-Time Pros. “So often you get caught up in the day-to-day minutiae of how to run your business, and you forget to step back and say, strategically, where am I headed. … am I doing this the right way.”

In less than three years, Part-Time Pros has bought a medical staffing company, outgrown its original office space and exceeded $1 million in revenue.

While the company probably would have grown on its own, Baker doubts it would have grown at the pace it has without the coaching and support it received through the Spirit Award.

Matt Galloway, founder of Architactile, which has launched an iPad application for architects, is another success story born of Tulsa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Not only did his business make it to the semi-final round of the 2010 Spirit Award, but he won the first year of StartUp Weekend Tulsa and is a coach with the Tulsa Community College’s Launch entrepreneurial program.

He calls Tulsa a “terrific place for entrepreneurs right now,” with its low cost of living, low business costs, central location, good labor pool and Internet connectivity, and it’s a great place to raise a family. The community has a tremendous wealth of resources. Those who want to start a business don’t have to do it completely alone because there are a lot of people willing to help and support them, he added.

Galloway likes being connected to a growing network of like-minded entrepreneurs with similar experiences and individuals who can understand and encourage him to move forward.
“A lot of people are trying to figure out what Tulsa needs to continue growing, and I think entrepreneurism is a big piece of that. As a community we need to be celebrating, highlighting, talking about, encouraging and funding entrepreneurial efforts. We could make some huge positive impacts in Tulsa as a community if we continue to embrace more entrepreneurs,” he said.

Entrepreneurial resources
Several entrepreneurial-centered programs are nurturing and encouraging the Tulsa-area’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. Among them are:

i2E Inc.: A private nonprofit corporation focused on growing technology-based companies in Oklahoma and positively impacting the economy. The group works directly with entrepreneurs, researchers and companies to help them commercialize their technologies. Visit tulsaworld.com/i2e, or call (918) 582-5592.

SpiritBank/Tulsa Community College Entrepreneurial Spirit Award: Annual competition open to anyone with a business ranging from a startup to a company that has been in operation for up to five years or to people who simply have an idea for a new business. Information: Visit tulsaworld.com/spiritaward

The Tulseys: An annual public-voting contest where people nominate and vote online for entrepreneurs in several categories Winners receive a hand-cast bronze Golden Driller statuette.

The Collaboratorium: A downtown resource center for entrepreneurs, located on the 10th floor of 111 W. Fifth St. Building. It provides discounted shared office space, coaching opportunities, connections to entrepreneurial networks and access to other resources. Information: Visit tulsaworld.com/collab

EVOC: The Entrepreneurial Venture Oversight Committee, offered through the Tulsa Metro Chamber, is a partnership of entities involved in forming, promoting, funding, advising, honoring and helping startups. Information: Call (918) 560-0235.

Tulsa Startup Weekend: A 54-hour event where developers, coders, designers, marketers, product managers and startup enthusiasts come together to create startups. Takes place in November during Global Entrepreneurship Week.

The Forge: A small-business incubator at 206 S. Cheyenne Ave. that helps startup firms owned by young professionals and those who cater to the same demographic. Features: operations space for small businesses, a meeting place for entrepreneurs and a business knowledge base. Tenants get core services such as utilities, phone and Internet access, and office supplies. Information: Visit tulsaworld.com/theforge or call (918) 574-8700.

Tulsa Community College’s “Launch Your Entrepreneurial Journey”: A limited number of individuals are selected through an application and interview process to take part in this 16-week nontraditional, innovative program. Information: Visit tulsaworld.com/tcclaunch or (918) 595-7723.

Fab Lab: The Hardesty Center for Fab Lab Tulsa is a nonprofit entity collaborating with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to assemble a diverse collection of state-of-the-art equipment and computers into one workspace as a new community center for innovation, entrepreneurship, and STEM education. Currently housed in The Collaboratorium but opening soon at 710 S. Lewis Ave. Information: tulsaworld.com/fablabtulsa

SourceLink: a free referral network, offered through the Tulsa Metro Chamber, that links small and emerging businesses to local nonprofit and government resources that can help them grow. Location: SourceLink Business Center, 2 W. Second St., plaza level. Information: Call (918) 560-0275 or visit tulsaworld.com/sourcelink

StartUp Tulsa
Definition: A publicly and privately funded, entrepreneurial, economy-building endeavor of the Tulsa Economic Development Commission.

Mission: Accelerate the growth of a culture of startups generating locally grown jobs, enhancing and expanding Tulsa’s entrepreneurial economy.

Five-year goal: Generate 226 new operating startups, resulting in 949 new locally grown jobs with average salaries of $46,043.

Measuring success:

* Add $43.7 million to Tulsa’s annual payroll.

* Inspire 2,200 new entrepreneurial startups.

* Support the creation of six new entrepreneurial programs.

* Grow 1,518 indirect jobs.

* Grow Tulsa Global Entrepreneurship Week participation by 35 percent.

Information: startuptulsa.com

Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
by the numbers

2007-2010

Startups inspired to participate……..615

Startups operating…….64

Jobs created…..269

Amount added to Tulsa’s annual payroll…..$12,376,358

Average Salary…..$46,043

Money raised…..$14,875,000

Laurie Winslow 581-8466
laurie.winslow@tulsaworld.com
By LAURIE WINSLOW World Staff Writer

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectid=46&articleid=20110220_46_E1_CUTLIN101897

If recent press is any indication, Tulsa is well on its way to becoming an economic powerhouse. Among other accolades, Tulsa was recently recognized by Forbes as the No. 2 midsized city for jobs and by Business Week as the No. 7 strongest U.S. metro economy. Additionally, the Kauffman Foundation recently ranked Oklahoma the premie rstate for entrepreneurship.
According to a recent report released by StartUp Tulsa, a publicly and privately funded initiative of the Tulsa Economic Development Commission, no small part of that success is due to the city’s development of what it calls a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem, the system of accelerators, competitions, conferences, investors and advisers feeding Tulsa’s startup economy.

Sean Griffin, visual thinker and StartUp Tulsa chair, said that six years ago, startups had little incentive to stay in Tulsa.

“When I first moved to Tulsa, there was this focus on small business, but there wasn’t much support for entrepreneurs,” he said. “A lot of people I would meet would tell me how they just needed to get out of Tulsa, that it was just impossible to start a business here. Meanwhile, what I was finding was just the opposite. In Tulsa, you have this pool of smart, talented workers, access to capital and a low cost of doing business you don’t find in a lot of places.”

The disparity led Griffin to develop an idea for what is now the Spirit Bank/Tulsa Community College Tulsa Entrepreneurial Spirit Award with the help of then-Mayor Kathy Taylor, who had experienced a similar discrepancy.

“When then-Gov. Brad Henry named me secretary of commerce, my theory was to try to get big companies to move jobs here,” Taylor said. “What I quickly came to realize is that most of the jobs that come on line in Oklahoma were created by small businesses.”

The Spirit Award, a seven-month business model competition offering hands-on mentoring and cash prizes, took off and led to the creation of a chain of programs and competitions encouraging entrepreneurship.

“It’s important to have some kind of rewards system in place to recognize innovation,” Taylor said. “That is being reflected nationally with President (Barack) Obama’s StartUp America program.”

Griffin said, “Something we noticed during the Spirit Award competition was something the contestants wanted, even more than the prize money, was the mentoring. That led me to found The Collaboratorium,” a nontraditional entrepreneurial resource center designed to provide hands-on business coaching, education and discounted shared space to budding businesses.

Tulsa is now home to a host of programs and competitions, including Tulsa Global Entrepreneurship Week, The Tulseys and Tulsa Startup Weekend, among others.

Recently, the academic world entered the mix with Tulsa Community College’s Launch, an accelerated course of 16 weekly experiential business-building sessions designed to support development of a startup.

Tom McKeon, TCC president and CEO, said the school wanted to take a nontraditional approach to business education.

“Many of the entrepreneurial business programs at community colleges were aimed at associate’s degrees or entry into baccalaureate programs,” he said. “What we had in mind was really more of a fast-track program. If you have a business idea, you really aren’t going to want to go to school for two years to develop the idea. You want to learn what you absolutely need to start and then get going.”

With the entrance of academia, Tulsa reached its critical mass.

“All of the sudden you saw this major shift,” Griffin said.

Where before entrepreneurs may have been viewed as a fringe group composed of what Griffin called “a special type of people,” now, entrepreneurialism was being validated, recognized as noble by all manner of contests, events, publicity and academia.

“At it’s core, what you have is people saying, ‘It’s OK to take a risk,’” Griffin said. “You see it portrayed as a legitimate career path now, and that is encouraging people to take that idea they have and try to make a run at it as a business. We have really created this little ecosystem that feeds itself and grows organically.”

And that ecosystem is churning out some impressive numbers. Griffin and Dean VanTrease, TEDC’s entrepreneurial initiatives fundraising chair, recently presented StartUp Tulsa’s first annual report, which included new data finding that between the Spirit Award, Launch, Tulsa Startup Weekend and The Collaboratorium, Tulsa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has birthed 64 operating companies and 269 jobs, adding $12.4 million to the city’s payroll.

“These are highly impressive numbers you are seeing,” Griffin said. “And they only measure direct impact. They don’t include any multipliers. We haven’t even tried to track the full economic impact.”

And the Commission has no intention of stopping there. In its report it lists its goals as generating 226 new operating startups resulting in 949 new jobs, adding $43.7 million to Tulsa’s annual payroll, supporting the creation of six new entrepreneurial programs and growing Tulsa Global Entrepreneurship Week participation by 35 percent.

“We need to continue to feed the ecosystem without trying to govern or regulate it,” Griffin said. “If we do it right, the result will be a more vibrant city with a strong local identity, something that will attract young professionals, which will feed the ecosystem and so on.”

Taylor said a strong entrepreneurial economy is part of Tulsa’s fabric.

“Tulsa was founded by entrepreneurs,” she said. “All of the early oil exploration, settlers coming to strike out on their own; we have a rich history of entrepreneurialism. It had lost some of its energy, but we’re working to bring it back to life.” «

TULSA START-UP SUCCESS STORY: COLLABORATORIUM MEMBER PING.FM ACQUIRED BY GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY LEADER, SEESMIC

TULSA, Oklahoma – Local entrepreneurs, Sean McCullough and Adam Duffy of Ping.fm are joining forces with Seesmic. Seesmic acquired Ping.fm and plans to integrate Ping.fm into all of its applications. Ping.fm is a status update service, which allows users to updates posts on over 50 social networks through SMS, mobile apps, IM services and third party applications that support the services.

“Ping.fm is a Tulsa start-up success story. They showcase that great ideas can be discovered and funded and location is not a deterrent for success. The Collaboratorium team and members are proud and wish Ping.fm the best in the next chapter of their story,” said Sean Griffin, Collaboratorium Chair.

McCullough and Duffy have been members of the Collaboratorium, an entrepreneurial resource center located in downtown Tulsa, since its opening in May 2009.

“The Collaboratorium played a critical role in our success. The dynamic and supportive environment allowed us to focus on our business model and create greater value for our customers and investors. We look forward to giving back to the Collaboratorium and the City of Tulsa as we continue down our entrepreneurial journey,” said Sean McCullough, Ping.fm co-founder.

Ping.fm’s founders Adam Duffy and Sean McCullough will join Seesmic as full-time employees and continue to work on building and expanding Ping.fm. For more information about Ping.fm and Seesmic, visit seesmic.com

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About The Collaboratorium
The Collaboratorium is a non-traditional entrepreneurial resource center focused on growing entrepreneurs and businesses that make Tulsa a unique and exceptional place to live, work and play. Founding Sponsors include Kanbar Properties and Sustainable Tulsa. For more information about The Tulsa Collaboratorium, visit www.tulsacollab.com

Contact:
Lou Ann Lissonnet
918.595.3672
louann@atmos.tv