Todd Goldstein co-founded LaunchHouse as a response to the entrepreneurial potential he recognized in Northeast Ohio. Goldstein knew that while not typically seen as a center for new businesses, the region held the quality resources needed for businesses to grow and hoped to transform the Cleveland area into a hub for thriving start-ups.
By fostering an entrepreneur-focused culture, LaunchHouse drives businesses to succeed through seed funding, mentoring, education and business development services. The company’s goals focus on helping entrepreneurs excel by accelerating the start-up process, improving success rates of companies and offering the expertise and guidance that will push business leaders to adopt a collaborative, innovative energy.
In September 2010, LaunchHouse announced a public-private partnership with the city of Shaker Heights, and although seemingly unconventional, this partnership has allowed LaunchHouse to offset the cost of operations and solidify its role within the community. Goldstein has created a “community of entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs,” and LaunchHouse utilizes this valuable human capital to hold educational workshops, entrepreneurial showcases and internship programs, all which draw aspiring business leaders into the Cleveland area.
One of LaunchHouse’s central goals has been to bring Silicon Valley and Boulder to Cleveland. Following a $200,000 grant received from the ONEFund Accelerator Program, LaunchHouse has taken the traditional business accelerator program and approached it from a new angle. The company will invest in 10 teams to participate in an extensive accelerator program, but it will push participants to understand customer needs.
While most programs focus on internal processes, the LaunchHouse program methodology forces entrepreneurs to develop a customer-centric focus and build a variety of important skills sets.
Since its inception, Goldstein’s vision has helped LaunchHouse grow and restructure Cleveland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. By recognizing the need in an area where such a culture did not exist, Goldstein was able to embark into an entirely new terrain, and the possibilities continue to be limitless.
How to reach: LaunchHouse, @LnchHouse, www.launchhouse.com or (216) 255-3070
