Bad Girl Ventures will host a public reception in their new Covington headquarters Sept. 8 as well as announce the members of its second
Launch class.
For several years, BGV has been operating out of the HCDC space in Norwood. They will maintain an office and continue holding classes there, with the Covington location offering new opportunities.
“Our Covington space represents an expansion of our programming — a widening of our net, so to speak,” BGV Executive Director Nancy Aichholz says. “We cross industries, we cross the state of Ohio and now we cross the river.”
This has been a big year for BGV, with the rollout of their new curriculum and now moving into their new home — all part of the organization's efforts to become the leading resource for female entrepreneurs in the region.
“Our vision for the Covington space, which is more 'our own,' is to have a very welcoming combination of offices and meeting spaces where Bad Girls and all female entrepreneurs are welcome to stop in for an hour to visit with other women in their same situations, or come and work all day, bring clients for meetings, etc.,” Aichholz says.
BGV’s Covington home will create a new hub of activity within the
StartupCincy community.
“We have great relationships on both sides of the river,” Aichholz says. “We look forward to having our women engage in as many programs that the Cincinnati entrepreneurial ecosystem has to offer.”
Details of the new space have, understandably, not been revealed yet, as BGV is saving the first peek for those attending the reception.
The other big announcement will be the businesses joining BGV’s second Launch class. The inaugural class began in February and wrapped up in June. Eight female-led companies participated in classes and a mentorship program, which culminated in a pitch night, with a prize of a loan from BGV that would take the winning company to the next level.
Meaghan Dunklee’s company
Wedding Bags won the $25,000 loan, while Melyssa, Michelle and Christine Kirn of
Grainwell received a $12,500 loan.
“All of the companies had great media attention,” says Angela Ozar, BGV’s Cincinnati/NKY market manager. “We’re staying in close contact and are excited to have them be part of our BGV network.”
Based on participant feedback, BGV is making a few tweaks and one big change to the program — the second class of Launch will welcome the public to its pitch night.
Two applicants to the round two class are recent graduates from BGV’s
Explore program, which is the first class in BGV’s curriculum series.
“Explore is about helping entrepreneurial women find the right direction for them, and helping them be successful in any field,” Ozar says.
BGV is still accepting applications for the next round of Explore, which begins Sept. 14.
“The changes to the BGV curriculum we made last year are working,” Ozar says. “With our approach, we are able to provide continual support to our companies as they grow.”
Grow is the ongoing support plank of the BGV curriculum. Those classes, which will begin in the fall, will be held at the BGV Covington headquarters and other venues in the region. The Grow program is open to BGV graduates as well as any other female-owned businesses.
Click
here to register for the Sept. 8 open house.
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