Downtown : Innovation + Startup News

CincyTech has just closed a $4.4 million investment round for a seed fund that will invest in 10-12 Southwest Ohio high-tech startups.

CincyTech Fund II follows Fund I, which launched in 2007 with $6 million from the Ohio Third Frontier program and $4.4 million from local corporations, foundations and institutions. Fund I has been fully committed or reserved. The initial CincyTech Fund led to investments in 24 local companies.

As with the first fund, Fund II is comprised of a mix of public and private dollars. CincyTech matched $2 million announced earlier this year from Ohio Third Frontier with $2.4 million raised from Southwest Ohio partners.

That $2 million state award is part of the $25 million invested statewide through Ohio Third Frontier's Pre-Seed Fund Capitalization Program and Entrepreneurial Signature Program Continuity Initiative. Third Frontier is a target economic develop and job creation program approved by voters.

The 10-year, $1.6 billion state initiative aims to grow Ohio's economy by investing in advanced and alternative energy, biomedical, advanced materials, instruments, controls, electronics and advanced propulsion. The effort launched in 2002. In May 2010 voters overwhelmingly approved a $700 million bond issue renewal.

There are plans to announce new CincyTech investments in the next few weeks.

"The timing of the Fund II's closing is crucial because we have such an active pipeline of potential investments," says CincyTech president Bob Coy.

Like CincyTech Fund I LLC, Fund II will invest in companies focused on information technology, bioscience and advanced manufacturing and that are based in or willing to move to Southwest Ohio.

In addition to financial investments, CincyTech also offers business support services like management assistance, business plan development and Imaging Grants which help cover the costs of fleshing out an idea and making it a potential business. Grants can cover technology validation studies, market analysis and other work.

By Feoshia Henderson
You can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites

Sure, we're livable, but are we social media savvy? The latest word from techie guru site Mashable is yes. In fact, we're the tops.

As part of its "Social Media Day" celebration, Mashable asked its audience to nominate cities they believed had the strongest social media scene. We ranked above New York and San Francisco, thanks in part to social media hot dogs like @ochocinco and in part to a video submitted by Cincinnatian Blair Ward.

Ward gave props to groups like Cincinnati Social Media, Inc. and the more regionally minded Cin-Day Social Media Club, whose members meetup and tweetup regularly to build momentum and connections.

"Based on our position as a consumer marketing hub with well-established companies such as The Kroger Co., Procter & Gamble and Macy's, Cincinnati is in a perfect position to capitalize on social media venues," says Kevin Dugan, director of marketing for Empower Mediamarketing.

He counts Cincinnati's dense consumer marketing as well as innovative social networks and powerful arts community as key factors that drive residents to go social.

Mashable promoted the award as part of its Social Media Day June 30. Mashable's Cincinnati Social Media Day meetup attracted 124 attendees to The Pub at Rookwood Mews.

By Mike Simkin

Consumer businesses, nonprofit organizations, advertisers and startups of all types are integrating Quick Response, or QR codes into their marketing campaigns. The two-dimensional codes - the little mottled squares appearing on ads and signage throughout the Tristate - allow users to connect instantly with customized information by scanning the code with app-equipped smartphones. This new tool is flexible, and opens the door for a world of new marketing and information-sharing ideas. Now, tapping the full potential of these quirky graphic boxes is within reach of almost anyone, thanks to a Cincinnati-based startup.

SmartyTags allows users to generate original QR codes, track their use and manage how they fit into marketing and communication campaigns. Company co-founder J.B. Kropp said the four-month-old startup is basically a management system for the codes.

"No ones built a platform with the marketplace in mind," he said, explaining that, until now, QR code generators have been very tech-oriented. SmartyTags, he said, approaches code generation and management from a marketing standpoint: a user can generate a code and perform simple tracking functions without any technical background.

Kropp, who helped found The Brandery, a marketing venture accelerator, in 2010, said he's been increasingly interested in QR codes' potential, thanks to a background launching marketing-oriented startups.

"I thought to myself, 'wow, no one's built this tool,'" he said of his decision to pursue the concept that became SmartyTags with two partners in late 2010.

Apparently Kropp and his partners aren't the only ones interested in leveraging this technology. The Cincinnati Zoo provided a test case for the startup when it used QR codes in its displays, giving visitors a way to connect with special videos and information. From its first day, the project generated hundreds of user hits, giving the zoo a wealth of data on when, where and how users are exploring its exhibits.

Kropp said several hundred users - individuals, organizations and businesses - register to create and manage QR codes through SmartyTags each month, and that he's been enthusiastically approached by the US Postal Service, which is interested in leveraging the technology.

"It's the only way to connect digitally through the mail," he said. "It's a game-changer for them."

With less than a half-year under its belt, SmartyTags is still in its initial stages. But Kropp is optimistic about where the startup - and the technology - are going.

"I think we're in the early stages of QR code adoption," he said. "We're hoping our platform is the standard platform for creating codes and gathering data."

Writer: Matt Cunningham

The days of using puffy paint and glitter pens to create homemade t-shirts are over - Cincinnati entrepreneurs Jaydev Karande and Chad Reynolds' latest company is taking t-shirts high tech.

Wearcast is an on-demand merchandise company that allows people to create something physical out of the digital by "casting" social media content onto apparel.

On Friday, July 15, Wearcast will pair with Cincy Apparel and Yelp.com to sponsor the Cincy Apparel T-shirt Fest on Fountain Square. From 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. local t-shirt vendors will celebrate all things Cincinnati with locally themed t-shirts for sale. Wearcast will appear on the JumboTron facing Fountain Square, picturing t-shirts being "cast" live at the festival.

"The festival serves to encourage more people to come downtown and spend time on the Square, while creating new customers and visibility for participating vendors," says Christy Samad, communications director of Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC), which is organizing the event.  

Karande and Reynolds have been friends for more than 10 years and were both successful entrepreneurs before Wearcast. Karande is co-founder of Zipscene, a mobile-app marketing firm. Reynolds brings years of clothing-design experience from Fanattik, a company he started in high school to design school spirit wear.

Wearcast is accessible online or through mobile apps on Android and iPhone. The software lets the user create, purchase and ship a personalized t-shirt in as little as 30 seconds. With the ease and simplicity of updating your Facebook status or sending a tweet, you can now create your own t-shirt with an inside joke, or even a picture snapped from your mobile phone.

"The idea is that you can tell your story through what you wear," Karande says.  

"Just as Instagram has turned the average person into a photographer, Twitter has made the average person a news reporter, LinkedIn has made everyone a networking genius and Facebook has made everyone a stalker," Karande jokes. "We've created an outlet with tools that make it easy for anyone to become a t-shirt designer."

Not only does Wearcast provide individuals with creative freedom, but it's an excellent tool for marketing, brand identity and promotion. Local music personality Bootsy Collins plans to use the website to promote his latest tour.

Wearcast has a lot of projects in the works, with new clothing styles being added just this week. Users can now design tank tops and v-neck shirts along with the original t-shirts at a reasonable price.

Karande is also in talks to provide Wearcast services to charities and political candidates as a fundraising tool. Sizes for children and group orders should also be available through the website within the next month.

Writer: Sarah Blazak

Cincinnati-based micro-lending organization Bad Girl Ventures recently announced the finalists in its third class of women entrepreneurs seeking support and startup capital. The 10 finalists come from a wide range of industries and backgrounds, and Bad Girl Ventures founder Candace Klein said that the variety has her excited.

"We originally thought we'd be getting small mom-and-pop type businesses, but we're finding that we're also getting high-growth startup businesses applying," she said.

Once selected, the finalists will complete an eight-week training session in which business leaders cover every aspect of starting a business, from developing a business plan to marketing, accounting and acquiring funding. At the end, one finalist will receive a $25,000 micro-loan to help boost her company.

The finalists range from experienced businesswomen looking to expand their already-growing companies to a young entrepreneur getting a very early start on her business goals:

Grace Bosworth, of Global to Local Language Solutions, LLC, offers technology-based language solutions for businesses. Likewise, Mariel Broadus-Rodriguez, of CultureSpeak Consultng, offers language services to the healthcare industry. Jocelyn Cates' Venue Agent offers an innovative means for event locations to market their space at discount rates, and Beth Robeson's Healthy Kids Fast! provides a health education program for children and their parents.

Food-related businesses make up a sizeable part of the class, with Maria Walley of Daelia's Food Company seeking to expand her already-growing product distribution reach. Shalini Latour of Chocolats Latour is looking to enhance the growth of her confectionary brand, and 9-year-old Rosie Dean is seeking to expand her family's successful farm with her own boutique turkey operation.

Three of the finalists' businesses focus on building and construction, fields where one might not expect to see many women-owned businesses. Toni Winston of Tiburon Energy/Tiburon Construction offers a range of energy efficiency services, while Sarah Stevenson's Emerald Construction Management offers general contractor services. Lu Anne Van Kleunen's Premium Sealcoat offers asphalt-sealing services that have been well received in the Northern Kentucky and Dayton markets.

Klein said this third round of finalists comes as Bad Girl Ventures realizes a number of significant milestones. The non-profit has educated 60 businesses and financed 18 of them, helping to create 30 jobs in the region through business growth. In addition, she said the businesses involved with Bad Girl Ventures are doing something unexpected: forming a community.

"They're hiring each other, and working with each other, which is very exciting," Klein said. "That wasn't in my business plan, but it makes sense. It's been neat to watch that happen."

Writer: Matt Cunningham

Cincinnati venture mentoring and investment firm Queen City Angels held its 10th annual Entrepreneur Boot Camp June 6 and 7 at the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati's offices. For two days, entrepreneurs networked, met and learned from guest panelists, Queen City Angels' experienced members and each other.

"These are entrepreneurs who are starting their first business, or haven't raised money from strangers before," explained Jim Cunningham, Queen City Angels member and executive director of C-Cap, Cincinnati's angel capital hub. He noted that the two-day seminar focused heavily on financial and funding matters. "That's what we do, and most entrepreneurs don't have a financial background."

As local entrepreneurs and experienced venture capitalists discussed topics ranging from online branding to creating a business plan that appeals to investors, attendees took copious notes and enthusiastically asked questions. Often, one attendee would help answer another's question, giving the seminars a sense of thorough, complete engagement on both sides of the speaker's table.

Jocelyn Cates, who founded the Cincinnati Innovates prize-winning business Venue Agent, said she attended the boot camp after her experiences in Queen City Angels' Morning Mentoring program. She noted that much of the seminar served to reinforce the value of coaching and networking, two key aspects of her business as she prepares to seek additional financing.

"I want to make sure I have all the tools under my belt," she said.

Selena Cuffe, founder and CEO of wine importer Heritage Link Brands, said being part of the boot camp helped her clarify plans to handle her company's early growth; in the first six months of 2011, she said the company has already exceeded its 2010 sales by 40 percent.

"I came here to try and decide how to best move forward," she said. "When you're going through the steps of taking your business to the next level, it's nice to have somebody you can bounce ideas off of before you do that," she said.

Queen City Angels chairman Tony Shipley said the boot camps don't only offer a chance to help entrepreneurs like Cuffe and Cates move forward; they also inspire and energize the veterans who come to provide advice.

"It's always good to be engaged with people who are passionate about taking good ideas and bringing them to market," he said. "From the investment standpoint, you get to see all these neat ideas and meet people making the ideas happen. It's high-energy stuff."

Story: Matt Cunningham
Photo: Courtesy of Queen City Angels

Cincinnati may be home to some famous ice cream brands, but nothing quite captures summer fun and youth like a popsicle.

One Mt. Auburn entrepreneur has just turned her passion for the icy treat into a gourmet, small batch popsicle business called streetpops.

Sarah Bornick is debuting the pops this summer at events and venues across downtown and Over-The-Rhine. She creates the recipes and produces the pops herself, with some help from a friend, in an area commercial kitchen.

Bornick, who said she "loves the portability" of popsicles, came up with the idea about six months ago. Initially, she wanted to open a gourmet ice cream store, but decided to try something a little different. There is less competition in the popsicle space, and by selling in small batches at events, she keeps costs manageable.

"If this goes well, hopefully down the road I can open a storefront," she said.

Bornick makes small batches of 50 or 60 popsicles at a time. Flavors run the gamut from the familiar to the adventurous, including strawberry mint, peanut butter, blueberry lemon thyme, avocado and chocolate chili pepper.

Bornick is also a freelance graphic designer, which came in handy in designing the packaging, web site and t-shirts she'll use to promote the business.

Starting this month you can find streetpops at some of Cincinnati's most popular events, including Second Sunday on Main, and Paddlefest at Sawyer Point on June 25. She will also be at Findlay Market on Saturdays and Sundays and at The City Flea, a new, open air urban flea market that kicked off June 4. She's talking with several local business and coffee shops who are interested in carrying Streetpops.

"The response so far has been really encouraging," she said.

Bornick's treats are also available for office parties, family outing, weddings, baby showers, church festival or other events. You can reach Bornick through her Facebook page.

Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Sara Bornick, founder streetpops

The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber is ramping up its efforts to retain and grow the region's existing businesses through a revamped program called GrowthForce

GrowthForce is building and expanding on the successful 20-year old Regional Business Retention Committee (RBRC), a volunteer group of 30 business leaders who mentor local business owners through growth periods.

"GrowthForce is a collaboration of business sector volunteers, local economic development professionals, and regional Workforce Investment Boards, a vastly expanded team of experts to address business needs," said Julia Muntel, the Director of Investor Relations and Business Retention with the Chamber. "The coordinated approach allows us to maximize resources by working in a regional, aligned fashion. This gives us the most bang for our buck. GrowthForce leverages powerful, existing resources and applies the same methods and tools of business attraction to help local companies stay strong and grow jobs in the economy.

Focusing on local, established business growth isn't a small piece of Cincinnati's economic pie. In 2010, nearly three-fourths of the region's total business investment came from existing businesses, according to the Chamber.

The free program is open to companies in the 15-county tri-state region of SW Ohio, Northern Kentucky and SE Indiana. The program's goals are to grow the its number of business outreach volunteers by 25 percent, and to increase the number of participating businesses to 450, a 10 percent jump from last year.

"In this era of elevated competition and economic uncertainty, we have recently chosen to focus on companies that may be rapidly expanding, within targeted industries, or those experiencing a variety of changes in their business cycle. These high potential companies, large and small, may be well positioned for growth," explained Muntel.

GrowthForce's expansion is largely being supported with a $250,000 grant to increase business retention efforts that the Ohio Department of Development awarded the Chamber last December.

To support the program, the Chamber will publish the Cincinnati USA Regional Business Resource Guide, and provide training and orientation to partners. The resource guide and other supporting materials can be found online on the GrowthForce website.

Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Chris Kemper, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber

You can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites 

You can't get more local than a map as a way to highlight local businesses and area landmarks. But a new company and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber's YP arm have partnered to create a fun, visually appealing map that personifies its creating company's name:  Distinctly Local.

The first of a series of planned urban and specialty walking maps was unveiled last week at the Red Tree gallery and coffee shop in Oakley. The slick, full-color map outlines the Cincinnati core, as well as Newport and Covington in Northern Kentucky.

The maps are geared towards people in the city during a long weekend or an event, as well as those recently transplanted or planning to move to the city, said Joe Hansbauer, who helped make the map a reality.

"We wanted to create a product that was accessible, and shows the places that give Cincinnati its unique flavor," he said.

The idea for the map came from Hansbauer, Doug Brauch, and John Mark Ouderslyus, friends and members of Give Back Cincinnati. It was designed and illustrated by Standard Design Partners. Plans are to update the map annually, along with support from business sponsors. Distinctly Local plans other specialty maps around events like the Flying Pig or MidPoint Music Festival.

The animated map has traditional street, neighborhood and interstate makers, before delving into more creative territory. It marks neighborhood business districts, locally owned businesses and city landmarks like Findlay Market, Cincinnati Museum Center and the World Peace Bell in Newport.

It also highlights urban places important to Cincinnati's identity like Skyline Chili, Graeters, Paul Brown Stadium and Carew Tower. These places are drawn and named, so users can clearly make out the football and baseball stadiums, see the crown atop the Great American tower and get a tiny glimpse of the Genius of Water on Fountain Square.

And unlike most maps today locations are measured in walk time.

"We were looking for a piece that would really showcase our region, the neighborhoods close to the central core and highlight the cool, unique, independent shops, vendors and restaurants that are all around us," said Jennifer Young, Marketing Communications manager for  HYPE (Harnessing Young Professional Energy).

The map will be included in new hire packets for Chamber members, and will also be distributed at area hotels, convention centers and real estate offices. Eventually the map could be online as well.

Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Sources: Jen Young, HYPE Marketing Communications and Joe Hansbauer, Give Back Cincinnati

You can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites

One of the largest research firms in the world has consolidated some of its Cincinnati operations, moving into a custom-designed, open floor-plan building just minutes from downtown.

Ipsos, a global market research company, is keeping its location on Fifth Street downtown but merged its Sharonville and Elsinore Place offices into a new building in Columbia Tusculum. Al. Neyer, Inc., developed the $25 million One Columbia Square project at the corner of Columbia Parkway and Delta Avenue. `

The company will house employees on the top two floors of the building, taking 33,000 of the 48,000 square feet available, said Gail Paul, Neyer's business development communication strategist. Gary Palomba, Ipsos's senior vice president of procurement and administration, said the company has 256 local employees. Another 45 people are based in Cincinnati but work from remote locations, often on the road, Palomba said.

"It's a marvelous building in a great location," Palomba said of the new offices. "We wanted a space in an easily accessible area. We wanted an open, energetic atmosphere that's conducive to the free flow of information and strategies."

Ipsos is one of the fastest growing market research companies in the United States and a market leader in Canada. It has more than 1,500 employees in the two countries, offering an array of survey-based services in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media and public affairs research, as well as survey management, forecasting, modeling, and consulting.

The company has operations in more than 50 countries and ranks fifth among global research companies. It strives to make survey-based research one of the primary means to understand contemporary society and economy, Palomba said. Its Cincinnati operations include three specialized areas of activity:

Ipsos Marketing: This operates under a global structure that brings clients research expertise throughout the innovation and brand development process. It seeks to offer in-depth understanding of the drivers of consumer choice and of the marketing challenges faced by its clients. It provides integrated qualitative and quantitative research solutions.

Ipsos ASI: This is the largest provider of advertising pre-testing services in the world. It offers advertising research solutions to help clients make decisions at all stages of the advertising development process, and to maximize the return on their advertising investment. It provides copy testing, as well as leading services in the areas of advertising tracking and brand equity evaluation.

Ipsos Observer: This is the survey management, data collection and delivery specialists. Its goal is to work with clients to determine the best solution for their business issues, offering both global strength and local expertise to help determine the best methodology.

Writer: Paul A. Long
Source: Gary Palomba, Ipsos's senior vice president of procurement and administration

The nonpartisan CincyPac political action committee is gearing up for the 2011 election season with a kickoff on April 29.

The event will be at The Famous Neon's Unplugged in OTR, starting with a 7:30 p.m. Happy Hour. This will be one in a series of planned monthly happy hours across the city leading up to November elections, President Shawn Baker said.

The public event will be part get-together, part fundraiser. There is a suggested $10 donation at the door, which will go toward CincyPAC. An Urban Scavenger Hunt is also set that night from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The cost is $25 a person. Funds go toward CincyPAC operations and endorsed candidate campaigns.

This political action committee is a rare breed; founded in 2007, it's comprised of young professionals across the political spectrum and is focused on the urban core of Cincinnati. Baker described it as progressive, not in a left-leaning political sense, but in advocating for council members and city policies that move the city forward in a host of areas from economics to education.

CincyPAC support revolves around a host of core issues that include: Access to Economic Prosperity, Adequate Public Transportation, Health and Environmental Sustainability and more. This year it's added Access to Quality Education among those issues.

"Anything that we think fits into those core values is where we focus our attention," Baker said. "We will support candidates who support those issues, analyze policies, and reach out to council members to support any member who is involved in these issues."

In the past CincyPAC supported Issue 1, the Ohio Third Frontier economic developing funding initiative. CincyPAC members also supported Cincinnatians for Progress' "No on 9" campaign, which defeated a ballot initiative that would have required a public vote on all passenger rail and transit expenditures. Those opposed saw Issue 9 as a way to halt the still controversial Cincinnati streetcar project.

The organization will continue to get involved in issues including the streetcar which faced another recent setback when a state agency pulled $52 million in appropriated funding from the project.

"Streetcar, new business development, progress in our neighborhoods - there's a lot that our constituents are interested in," Baker said. "We are the voice of Cincinnati's urban professionals. We aim to educate our community on the issues that are critical to Cincinnati's success, and which council candidates best support those issues."

Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Shawn Baker, president CincyPAC

The third annual Cincinnati Innovates competition has just started, growing to offer nearly $90,000 in prizes designed to push forward groundbreaking products and services.

"The goal of Cincinnati Innovates is to connect aspiring entrepreneurs - people with ideas - to all the great resources our region has to offer: incubators, angel investors, banks, mentors, and experts. The grant awards are just the first step," says Elizabeth Edwards, venture capital investor and founder of Cincinnati Innovates.

The competition opened April 15 and continues through July 15. As in the past two years, it's open to anyone now or originally from a 15-county area of Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana. The contest is looking for a broad range of innovative products, devices, business processes and more to highlight, fund and support.

This year 12 awards will be given with a $25,000 top cash prize sponsored by CincyTech. For many winners, Cincinnati Innovates is an early step in their path to development, investment and growth. In total, more than $135,000 has been awarded, with winners attracting more than $3 million in additional financing, said competition founder Elizabeth Edwards.

"There have been lots of new patents filed, a lot of new funding. There has been some really great progress for these startups and that was exactly wanted we wanted to see happen," said Edwards.

To enter the contest or get more info, go to the contest website. There you'll enter a short description of your idea and upload pictures, video, or sketches to help explain and showcase it. You can also take a look at past entries and winners. Last year more than 300 people entered and more than 100 attended supporting innovation workshops offered during the competition timeline.

This year those workshops will expand and include: Patents and Trademarks, Startup Financing, Individual Health Insurance, Branding, Concept Development, and Licensing.

There are 25 Cincinnati Innovates sponsors (including Soapbox); many are offering cash or in-kind service awards including the $25,000 CincyTech award; $10,000 and $5,000 in-kind Taft Patent Awards applied toward the patent process. There are two $10,000 in-kind branding and marketing awards: the Round Pixel Studio Web Development Award and the LPK Design and Branding Award.

Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Elizabeth Edwards, founder Cincinnati Innovates

The most recent in a series of eye-popping, large window displays at Landor Associates' location in the old Shillito Department store building matches Landor's branding teams with local artists.

Dubbed Smashup Creative, the window installation is the latest project designed to inspire Landor employees through outside collaboration, and offer the outside world a peak into the creative process of branding and design.

"Cincinnati is a hotbed for creativity. We love being part of a community that draws inspiration from one another, and we embrace the opportunity to come together and collaborate," explained Landor Client Manger, Special Projects, Mara McCormick.

The displays are a collaboration of Cincinnati artists and Landor employees who work on well-known brands like Cheer, Sour Patch Kids, Crest and Old Spice. The smashup put a fresh twist on those familiar brands.

"The Old Spice team was paired with local artist and illustrator Keith Neltner. Keith grew up on a farm, and it instilled in him an appreciation for texture, vintage signage, and a hand-crafted feel that shows up in his work today. The Old Spice team got inspired by Keith's raw style, and pulled skull graphics from some of his recent work to infuse into their conceptual packaging idea. They used materials like spray paint and wheat paste to bring the window display to life," McCormick said.

The artists' mediums varied, from musicians to glass blowers, and were chosen based on employee recommendations. The five chosen were Neltner, Charley Harper, Courttney Cooper, Higher Level Art, and Neusole Glass Works.

The Landor team used wildlife artist Harper's work and created a new brand Bugaboo, a line of grilling accessories inspired by one of his favorite subjects: the ladybug.

"This gives us the opportunity to actively seek inspiration outside of our cubicles as we did with Smashup Creative, or as we've done with past window installations, look within our own walls to get inspired by our people, the work we do and the many talents we bring to the table. Either way, the window activations are a place for us to share our discoveries and hopefully give people something to think about, talk about or simply enjoy as they pass by," McCormick said.

Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Landor Associates Client Manger, Special Projects Mara McCormick

You can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites

Frost Brown Todd has just begun hosting what the law firm hopes will be a series of virtual trade missions, where regional companies meet with firms abroad to boost U.S. exports.

These trade missions occur at the firm's downtown Cincinnati offices, and partner six to eight U.S. and foreign-based companies through video conferencing. The meetings are in partnership with the U.S. Consulate and the U.S. Commerce Department's US Export Assistance Center in Cincinnati.

The most recent one, on March 8, was between Cincinnati area firms and companies in Saudi Arabia, whose representatives connected via U.S. embassy feed. The Saudi firms were looking for architecture, construction and engineering services.

"There is a lot of money in Saudi Arabia, and they are building whole cities there. They tend to import architecture and construction services because there are not many providers there. It's a great opportunity for smaller-sized engineering and architecture firms in Cincinnati," said Joseph Dehner, chair of the international services group at Frost Brown Todd.

The sessions are done in a group setting and in total last about two hours. Each U.S. and Saudi company has about five minutes each to introduce their companies, skills or needs followed by a question and answer period.

The law firm designed the idea for the missions and garnered the participation of the U.S. government. In addition to Saudi Arabia, the law firm also hosted a meeting between regional companies and Egyptian firms late last year. A life sciences trade mission is planned in June with Indian companies in partnership with the India-US Business Network. You can register here.

Each company is selected beforehand based on specific projects and abilities to make the meeting its most effective. And though nothing beats an in-person meeting, this comes pretty close, and saves companies travel dollars and time.

"Why spend the time and money traveling. This way it's pretty easy to meet eight companies that might actually hire you," Dehner said.
A couple of companies have already received work from the Egyptian meeting, Dehner said. It's too early to know the results of the Saudi Arbian one, he added.

Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Joseph Dehner, chair of the international services group at Frost Brown Todd

You can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites

Marble Hill Chocolatier founder Bill Sands has started a new foodie endeavor, bringing his artisan production techniques to the world of jams and jellies.

Sands launched Marble Hill Provisions, a line of all natural specialty jams, jellies, marmalades and relishes late last fall. Recent seasonal flavors include fig, pear and quince Ginger jams, cranberry orange marmalade and cucumber bell pepper relish.

Sands, who lives in Union, Ky. began introducing the line at local farmers' markets last year. Eventually, he built a small wholesale clientele including local shops Coffee Emporium, Fresh Market and Piazza Discepoli. Most recently Park + Vine has begun carrying the line.

The line is made in small batches, mostly by Sands who enlists help from his wife and family for larger orders. He develops the flavor pairings himself and works from home, and in rented commercial kitchens.

It's a much more scaled down operation than Marble Hill Chocolatier which had a storefront in O'Bryonville and a staff, but closed in 2008.

"We're taking it one step at a time. We're not out to conquer the world necessarily," Sands said. "We've learned some from the first time around, patience for starters. We want to take our time and see what happens."

He plans to unveil some new flavors this spring and summer and strengthen partnerships with local and regional farmers to provide local ingredients in his offerings. If the line proves successful, he plans to expand with glazes, sauces and more.

"We're looking forward to working with some new farmers this year. We try to work with local and regional farmers as much as possible," he said.

Sands, originally from New York, has long loved cooking and entertaining. His professional background is varied. He has a music degree and worked as an IT consultant and in sales. He was a bit hesitant to get back into the challenging world of food entrepreneurism after closing in O'Bryonville, but has hopped back in.

"I couldn't stay away from food. I love the business. I like the food community in Cincinnati, and I wanted to do it in a way that was profitable and can make the best use of my time," he said.

Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Bill Sands, founder Marble Hill Provisions

You can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites