Did you know that almost all investment returns are now private? If you don’t invest early, you don’t make any money. If you’re going to invest in a tech company like Uber, you MUST invest while the company is still private or long before the... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSSSteven Plappert and two co-founders, Andrew Busa and Chris Pierce, started an online fantasy sports company in 2013 called FantasyHub. The company saw early promise and growth, moved to Austin, TX to join... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSSPeople often cite healthcare as an area of expertise that may help propel Louisville, KY to greater startup and business prominence in the United States, and Dr. Angelique Johnson is helping us make that... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS After years of working in the corporate world, Mo Sloan saw a need. Online ordering systems that were available to restaurants had a glaring problem. They do not integrate with the restaurant’s... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSSWhat single Louisville company is part of the same fraternity as Airbnb and Dropbox? It’s a company called WeatherCheck, and they now are an alumnus of the prestigious Silicon Valley accelerator... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS Since the very beginning, MetroStart (formerly Metro Startup Launcher) has worked to make it easier for startup companies in our area to raise capital and get started. With a lot of trial and error,... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSSPatrick Henshaw came to Louisville about 4 months ago to lead the Louisville Entrepreneurship Acceleration Partnership (LEAP) as CEO. If you’re part of our entrepreneurial community, you’ve... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSSRebah Wheeling was a successful insurance claims adjuster. One emotional day while meeting with a hurricane victim lead to the founding of her fast growing local company – Schedule It. In this... read more
Three of the nations experts in equity crowdfunding discuss what’s working and what’s not working. This is one of the best summaries I’ve heard. Learn what kind of companies are best for equity crowdfunding, how to prepare for an equity crowdfund,... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS What’s the most effective way to raise capital for your startup? How do most companies actually raise capital for their startup in our area? What changes in SEC law have made it easier to reach a lot... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS The “Sharing Economy” has been an amazing driver of wealth and convenience for the world. Companies like Uber, Lyft, and, Airbnb have dramatically changed the way we get from one place to... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS Increasing the number of local angel investors has been the goal of Metro Startup Launcher from the very beginning. We’ve done a lot of blogs, emails, and podcasts, and now we’ve participated... read more
(This is an email from Steven Kotler, author of The Rise of Superman. I highly recommend this book!) What’s Up Good People! Bringing you your monthly dose of high-performance counsel as we leave summer behind and lean in to fall. This one’s on... read more
Two Louisville crowdfunding projects are rolling right along, and here’s the latest on how you can invest: Cuddle Clones The Cuddle Clones® story began when Founder Jennifer Williams was lying down with her best pal in the world, her Great Dane Rufus. Jennifer... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS Jennifer Williams of Cuddle Clones is making Louisville startup history! Cuddle Clones already made world history by creating the only scalable company that allows you to order online and create a lifelike... read more
This is a big deal! I’m one of those entrepreneurs who is always overly optimistic and excited about new things. But, in this case, there’s no hype. THIS TRULY IS A BIG, BIG DEAL! Why? Because, this is the turning point of making it easier for local... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSSWhat a week we had recently for local entrepreneurs! I hope you had a chance to attend some of the Kentucky Startup events. With Endeavor’s International Selection Panel and Steve Case’s Rise of... read more
Check out the latest edition of 1804’s Onward with Raechelle Gray and Alan Grosheider. Learn how Metro Startup Launcher is working to make “micro-angel” investing a reality in the Louisville area. How will this accelerate startups in our area? How... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS Alli Truttmann just celebrated a HUGE milestone for any business: the 10-year anniversary of her company, Wicked Sheets. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 20% of businesses fail... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Android | RSS MobileServe is a fast-growing mobile app company that helps organizations track and encourage participation in volunteer activities: tracking, managing, and reporting their social impact. They’re a... read more
I’ve been starting and building companies for 24 years. During that time, I’ve also participated in and studied angel and venture capital investments. For the past year and a half, I’ve been writing Metro Startup Launcher articles and taking a deep... read more
Did you know that the average angel investor in the United States makes a return on their investment of 27%, including losses? How could that be? Everyone says that people who invest in startup companies lose all their money. Tell that to the first guys to invest in... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Android | RSS Artificial intelligence is quickly affecting more and more of our lives, like it or not. I personally look forward to the day that lots of “bots” do all my busy work and leave me free to be... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Android | RSS In the latest edition of the Metro Startup Launcher podcast, I interview Ted Smith, CEO of Revon Systems, Inc. Ted has been a major influencer of our startup community in many ways for quite a while. ... read more
We’ve been slowly gearing up for equity crowdfunding projects for quite a while in order to build our audience, and we’re finally getting the party started! To access our crowdfunding projects: CLICK HERE As you’ll notice on the... read more
Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Android | RSS One thing that makes a startup investment in Kentucky extremely attractive is the Kentucky Angel Investment Tax Credit. If you’re an accredited investor and a Kentucky resident, you can get an... read more
Anyone who is interested in accelerating our startup community should listen to Episode #157 of Kevin Bupp’s podcast. (Hopefully, Kevin Bupp won’t mind us using his picture and promoting his podcast.) CLICK HERE FOR THE PODCAST This episode is... read more
An opinion post by Bill Huston, CEO of Our Crowd Rocks (https://ourcrowdrocks.com): An Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Louisville Steve Case pointed out that the playing field is not level regarding investing. In 2016, 70 percent of venture capital funding went to... read more
Wow, way to go Louisville! A couple weeks ago, we posted a message from Tommy Wallace from PNC Bank requesting everyone in the city to go to the Rise of the Rest website and vote for Louisville in the Bring Back the Bus contest. I also saw many posts, emails, and... read more
To all our friends in the Louisville area, In June of 2016, PNC’s Regional President, Chuck Denny, was instrumental in bringing Steve Case to Louisville during his “Rise of the Rest” tour. Case is the founder of AOL and started Rise of the Rest to highlight... read more
