Description
In this particular criteria in relation to assessing tulsas entrepreneurial landscape final report.
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Piepaieu foi the Lobeck Tayloi Family Founuation
Apiil 1, 2u14
Abstiact: This iepoit contains a high-level assessment of entiepieneuiial
piogiams anu iesouices, finuings, anu iecommenuations foi stiengthening
the entiepieneuiship community in Tulsa, 0klahoma.
}oey Wignaiajah | }oiuy Albeit
Apiil 1, 2u14
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Fellow Entiepieneuiial Stakeholueis:
Fiist, I woulu like to offei you a heaitfelt thank you foi youi willingness to paiticipate in
the inteiviews that uevelopeu the finuings anu iecommenuations foi Tulsa's
entiepieneuiial assessment.* Youi passion anu willingness to woik towaiu a moie iobust
anu suppoitive entiepieneuiial ecosystem makes all the uiffeience as we move foiwaiu.
The Lobeck Tayloi Family Founuation (LTFF) suppoits entiepieneuiship as one of its thiee
coie focus aieas. LTFF's giants aie only possible because of the entiepieneuiial spiiit of
oui founueis anu we tiuly believe that suppoiting entiepieneuiship is one of the most
effective ways to combat poveity.
Someone on the LTFF boaiu has been involveu with the TCC Stait0p Cup (foimeily the
Nayoi's Entiepieneuiial Spiiit Awaiu) since it began seven yeais ago. As pait of the
entiepieneuiial assessment, we also cieateu an impact iepoit to ueteimine the impact the
competition hau on oui local economy. We wanteu to make suie we weie effectively
investing oui entiepieneuiial giant uollais on piogiams that woulu have a positive
economic impact foi Tulsa, oui ultimate goal in suppoiting entiepieneuiship.
We weie thiilleu to leain that the $2S4,uuu investeu since the beginning of the Stait0p Cup
has iesulteu in $11,u67,uuu of follow-on investment anu cieateu Suu full time jobs as well
as ovei 2,uuu pait-time anu contiact jobs with an aveiage annual income of $48,847. The
total economic impact of the competition thus fai is $S7,729,297.
The success of the Stait0p Cup competition encouiages LTFF to spenu moie giant uollais
in the entiepieneuiial space. It is LTFF's hope that the entiepieneuiial assessment will
help both LTFF anu the entiepieneuiial community to bieak uown the silos that aie
pieventing effective coopeiation anu communication so that we can suppoit entiepieneuis
moie efficiently anu effectively.
LTFF is not looking to own the entiepieneuiial space. We seek to be a convenei when
appiopiiate, a funuei when necessaiy anu a champion of entiepieneuis in Tulsa. We hope
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you will woik with us to put Tulsa, 0klahoma on the map as the iueal place to stait a
business.
Thank you foi youi commitment to Tulsa anu its entiepieneuis.
Sinceiely,
Elizabeth Fiame Ellison
*I woulu like to offei a special thank you to }oey Wignaiajah anu }oiuy Albeit who woikeu
uiligently anu effectively to conuuct the inteiviews, ieseaich anu ultimately wiite the
iepoit. They uiun't know how big this pioject was when they agieeu to help, but they uiu
an amazing job on an asset map that will hopefully catalyze the entiepieneuiial
stakeholueis in Tulsa.
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(+7*$ 68 96&.$&.#
Executive Summaiy ................................................................................................................................................. 1
Intiouuction ................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Tulsa's Entiepieneuiial Lanuscape .................................................................................................................. 8
uoveinment anu Policy .................................................................................................................................. 1u
Buman Capital ................................................................................................................................................... 1S
Suppoit Seivices ............................................................................................................................................... 16
Finance .................................................................................................................................................................. 2u
Access to Naikets ............................................................................................................................................. 2S
Piomoting Cultuie ............................................................................................................................................ 24
Reseaich anu Bevelopment ......................................................................................................................... 26
Physical Infiastiuctuie .................................................................................................................................. 27
Finuings ..................................................................................................................................................................... 29
Recommenuations ................................................................................................................................................ SS
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................ 41
Appenuices ............................................................................................................................................................... 4S
Appenuix A - List of Entiepieneuiship Resouices anu Piogiams .............................................. 44
Appenuix B - Calenuai of Entiepieneuiship Activities (2u14-2u1S) ........................................ 66
Appenuix C - Piogiam Timing ..................................................................................................................... 67
About the Authois ................................................................................................................................................. 68
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Tulsa has a stiong histoiy of entiepieneuiship. At the tuin of the 2u
th
centuiy, bolu
wilucatteis flooueu Tulsa in seaich of oil, tuining it into a bustling boomtown. With one of
the highest iates of new business staits pei capita, it's unueniable that Tulsa still has
entiepieneuiial spiiit in spaues.
Tulsa has moie than just spiiit, howevei. Tulsa offeis buuuing entiepieneuis many
auvantages like low cost of living, a thiiving economy, an euucateu woikfoice, access to
othei business owneis, anu access to capital that ioutinely place Tulsa high on, if not atop,
the most well-known lists of the best cities foi staiting a business oi foi being a young
entiepieneui.
As moie anu moie entiepieneuis seek to tuin these auvantages into new businesses, it is
cleai that Tulsa's entiepieneuiial community is neaiing a titiation point anu the
excitement is palpable.
To help Tulsa capitalize on this excitement, this stuuy conuucteu a high level assessment of
Tulsa's entiepieneuiial ecosystem by ieviewing anu assessing the sum of Tulsa's
entiepieneuiial assets, by conuucting inteiviews anu having conveisations with key
stakeholueis within the entiepieneuiial community, anu by suiveying seconuaiy ieseaich
on entiepieneuiial communities.
Thiough this effoit, the stuuy founu that the most significant iisk stanuing in the way of
launching Tulsa's entiepieneuiial community is that the community is extiemely siloeu.
The siloeu natuie of Tulsa's entiepieneuiial netwoik is inhibiting the community fiom
ueveloping a cohesive cultuie anu using iesouices efficiently, while leaving entiepieneuis
feeling isolateu fiom the iest of the community.
Beyonu the silos anu communication pioblems, the stuuy founu that a lack of a cleai, "go-
to" physical space foi entiepieneuis, a misalignment between investois anu entiepieneuis,
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anu an inability to connect with mentois anu auvisois aie also holuing back the giowth anu
uevelopment of the community.
To impiove this situation, this stuuy iecommenus that the fiist step in stiengthening
Tulsa's entiepieneuiial community is to focus on the methous anu mechanisms that bieak
uown silos, impiove communication, anu inciease alignment in the community. In shoit,
this stuuy iecommenus the following actions:
• Builu a coalition of entiepieneuis anu suppoiteis to leau the community.
• Bevelop a shaieu vision foi the community.
• Builu an online iesouice centei with an actively manageu calenuai of
entiepieneuiship events.
• Emphasize goou communications habits within the community.
• Suppoit oiganic, entiepieneuis-leu effoits to connect membeis of the community
that inciease the collisions among entiepieneuis.
• Consoliuate effoits to builu a mixeu-use facility foi entiepieneuis.
• Coiiect the misalignment between entiepieneuis anu investois.
• Facilitate connecting entiepieneuis with mentois anu auvisois.
In implementing these iecommenuations, theie aie thiee impoitant piinciples foi all
membeis of the community to keep in minu. Fiist, it is impossible to "own" the
entiepieneuiial space. The community will thiive only when the cultuial noims emphasize
collaboiation ovei the inuiviuual inteiests of piogiams, iesouices oi people. Seconu, while
best piactices fiom othei cities foim a goou basis foi outlining new effoits, the community
as a whole must be willing to take iisk anu innovate to cieate a suppoit system that woiks
foi Tulsa. Finally, anu most impoitantly, all membeis of the community must always
iemembei that the ultimate measuie of an entiepieneuiship community is the success of
its entiepieneuis. They aie the iockstais.
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Local uoveinment 2
Piogiams anu initiatives acioss any uomain that
aie specifically manageu by the City of Tulsa.
State - Tax Incentive 2
Tax incentives offeieu specifically foi
entiepieneuis by the State of 0klahoma.
0thei Policy 2
0thei piogiams manageu uiiectly by City oi
State that taiget entiepieneuis.
163+* I6;$/&=$&. C/6'/+=#
In teims of piogiams aimeu specifically at the types of innovation-uiiven entiepieneuis on
whom this iepoit focuses, the City of Tulsa is unueipeifoiming. The piimaiy piogiam the
City offeis foi suppoiting entiepieneuis is its Builuing Resouices in Beveloping anu
uiowing Enteipiises (BRIBuE) piogiam anu annual confeience that suppoits moie
1u
Felu, Biau, "Staitup Communities: Builuing an Entiepieneuiial Ecosystem," }ohn Wiley & Sons, Boboken,
N}, 2u12.
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tiauitional businesses. Bowevei, moie than the insufficient numbei of piogiams, the
Nayoi's iecent uissolution of the Economic Bevelopment Commission by Executive 0iuei
11
without a plan to sustain the Entiepieneuiship Committee, as well as the uepaituie of the
City's entiepieneuiship champion, suggest that the City is moving in the wiong uiiection.
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Niuule¡Bigh School
Piogiams
1 Piogiam taigeteu at young entiepieneuis
Technical Tiaining Institutes 1
Foi piofit tiaining institutions that offei
entiepieneuiship oi othei ielevant tiaining
0niveisity Begiee Piogiams 7
Specific uegiee piogiams oi concentiations in
entiepieneuiship at colleges anu univeisities
0niveisity E-Centeis S
Entiepieneuiship Centeis at colleges anu
univeisities
0thei Euucation S
Piogiams not associateu with a univeisity, but
with the piimaiy mission of euucating
entiepieneuis
0thei Inteinship oi
Fellowship
1
Inteinships oi fellowships outsiue of univeisity
piogiams
0thei 0niveisity Piogiams 8 0thei piogiams open to univeisity stuuents only
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Foui of Tulsa's colleges anu univeisities offei bacheloi anu mastei uegiees in
entiepieneuiship oi in business with a focus on entiepieneuiship. The 0niveisity of
0klahoma anu 0klahoma State 0niveisity both offei postgiauuate piogiams in business
auministiation with entiepieneuiship as the specific fielu of stuuy.
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The 0niveisity E-Centeis categoiy uesciibes univeisities that have a ueuicateu
oiganization with a physical space to pioviue piogiamming anu iesouices to stuuents anu
the bioauei community. The 0niveisity of 0klahoma, 0klahoma State 0niveisity anu
Rogeis State 0niveisity all maintain entiepieneuiship centeis with piogiamming that
seive stuuents as theii piimaiy focus, but offei auuitional piogiam foi the bioauei
community.
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The 0thei Euucation Piogiams uesciibes any piogiam oi iesouices that make euucating
entiepieneuis a coie element of its mission. Piogiams like the 0S0's Inventois Assistance
Piogiam host couises on piotecting intellectual piopeity anu piouuct uevelopment, while
the 0klahoma Small Business Bevelopment Council hosts woikshops anu couises to
euucate entiepieneuis on uiffeient aspects of staiting, giowing anu selling a business.
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The 0thei Inteinship oi Fellowship categoiy catches piogiams like The Nine, that take
select community membeis, as opposeu to necessaiily stuuents, thiough a yeai-long
fellowship to builu skills in social entiepieneuiship while seiving a ieal client.
L.H$/ O&%;$/#%.> C/6'/+=#
The othei univeisity piogiams categoiy encompasses inteinships, fellowships, business
anu plan pitch contests, anu incubatois anu acceleiatois that aie open specifically to
stuuents only. Even though each of these piogiams fit within othei uomains, the iesouices
aie incluueu in this categoiy to make cleai the point that they exist to tiain stuuents to be
entiepieneuis.
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Acceleiatois anu Incubatois S
A piogiam that pioviues physical space anu
othei iesouices foi select eaily stage businesses
Boot Camps 4
A shoit-teim euucational piogiam that pioviues
tiaining foi entiepieneuis
Confeiences 2
An event with speakeis, woikshops anu
netwoiking oppoitunities spieau ovei a uay oi
two
Contests S
Any type of competition with piizes aimeu at
ueveloping entiepieneuiial skills
E-Centeis S
A centializeu physical oi online space that
pioviues access to infoimation, people anu othei
help
Nentois anu Auvisois 2
Any piogiam that matches entiepieneuis with
people with expeiience in staiting businesses
Piofessional Seivices 2
Any piogiam that offeis legal, accounting, oi
technical expeitise foi specific entiepieneui
neeus
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Acceleiatois anu incubatois play an impoitant iole in incieasing the ouus of success of a
fleugling staitup by pioviuing entiepieneuis access to taigeteu iesouices anu seivices they
neeu. Although the line between incubatoi anu acceleiatoi is often bluiieu anu the teims
useu inteichangeably, the piimaiy uiffeience between the two is that acceleiatois often
invest in the companies in exchange foi equity anu incubatois tiauitionally uo not.
In Tulsa, the Foige, the Batch at Rogeis State 0niveisity, anu the i2E Immeision piogiam
aie incubatois oi acceleiatois that pioviue a wiue iange of suppoit seivices, physical
space, anu funuing to entiepieneuis who aie not necessaiily stuuents. Theie aie numeious
othei acceleiatois anu incubatois that aie open to stuuents only that aie incluueu in the
chaptei on human capital.
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Like militaiy boot camps, staitup boot camps aie intense. They covei a wiue aiiay of
subjects ielevant to staiting a business, move quickly, anu give the entiepieneuis the
oppoitunity to apply piinciples as they leain.
In Tulsa, this stuuy lookeu at foui staitup boot camps foi entiepieneuis: 0S0's
Entiepieneuis Inspiie Boot Camp, SC0RE's Boot Camp foi Businesses, Staitup Weekenu
12
,
anu TCC's Launch Youi Staitup piogiam. While SC0RE's boot camp focuses on moie
tiauitional businesses, the othei thiee seem moie agnostic towaiu what types of
businesses anu iueas they expect.
12
Staitup Weekenu is not necessaiily a boot camp, but was classifieu as such because of the shoit, intense
natuie of the piogiam.
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96&8$/$&3$#
The piimaiy confeience foi entiepieneuis in Tulsa is 0S0's Entiepieneuis Inspiie
Confeience helu annually in Apiil. The confeience taigets entiepieneuis with an iuea, who
have staiteu a business oi who aie looking to giow theii business. The confeience featuies
numeious speakeis anu bieakout sessions that covei a wiue iange of topics. 0nlike boot
camps, the confeience is not meant to be a piactical, hanus-on session, but iathei to
facilitate the exchange of iueas anu piomote netwoiking among entiepieneuis.
96&.$#.#
Theie aie thiee staitup competitions in Tulsa: the Tulsa Community Staitup Cup, the
Bonalu W. Reynolus uoveinoi's Cup, anu the Bieam Big 0klahoma giant contest.
1S
The TCC
Staitup Cup, foimeily the Nayoi's Entiepieneuiial Spiiit Awaius, iuns fiom Apiil thiough
Novembei, culminating in Novembei uuiing ulobal Entiepieneuiship Week. The contest
pioviues semi-finalists with mentois anu awaius thiee piizes totaling neaily $4u,uuu. The
uoveinoi's Cup iuns fiom Febiuaiy thiough Apiil anu makes twenty awaius totaling
$11S,uuu, acioss two uivisions, one foi high giowth businesses anu one foi small
businesses, while Bieam Big 0klahoma awaius $S,uuu in the Tulsa Netio aiea.
-P9$&.$/#
Entiepieneuiship Centeis aie one-stop shops foi entiepieneuis to connect with othei
entiepieneuis, to get infoimation anu to access iesouices they neeu. Theie aie six e-
centeis in Tulsa that vaiy gieatly in whom they intenu to seive, ianging fiom Native
Ameiicans to women.
1S
This excluues national competitions anu stuuent-only competitions iun by univeisities, which is coveieu in
the section on ueveloping human capital.
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Connecting entiepieneuis with mentois anu auvisois is essential in ueveloping the next
geneiation of business leaueis. In Tulsa, theie aie two piimaiy piogiams that connect
entiepieneuis with mentois anu auvisois as theii piimaiy mission, while many otheis
offei access to mentois as an ancillaiy seivice. i2E's ventuie Auvisoiy Seivices piogiam
connects entiepieneuis with ventuie auvisois foi a small, one-time fee that is iecoveieu
ovei the couise of the ielationship. The othei piogiam, SC0RE, connects small businesses
with volunteei mentois that aie business owneis oi ietiieu senioi executives, who auvise
entiepieneuis at all stages of business opeiations, in auuition to holuing numeious
woikshops thioughout the yeai.
C/68$##%6&+*
ventuie capital anu piivate equity incluues piivately-manageu funus that invest in
businesses at uiffeient stages of uevelopment. 0nly funus that aie actively seeking
investments aie incluueu in this categoiy. In 0klahoma, theie aie ovei twenty uiffeient
piivate investment funus that offei all types of investments fiom eaily stage seeu
investments to matuie giowth capital that aie actively seeking investments.
S+&F B$7.
Although banks weie excluueu fiom the asset list in this stuuy, they offei impoitant
souices of financing foi entiepieneuis in the foim of lines of cieuit, small business loans,
anu othei vehicles. In 2u1S, community banks in Tulsa maue ovei $12S million in
1S
SBA Su4 loans aie maue to help giowing businesses puichase fixeu assets at below maiket iates by
combining capital fiom the boiiowei, public funus fiom a Ceitifieu Bevelopment Company, anu a
conventional lenuei.
16
Tulsa Economic Bevelopment Coipoiation website
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consumei anu inuustiial loans of unuei $2Su,uuu pei loan.
17
This suggests that local banks
can be a goou souice of financing foi entiepieneuis who eithei cannot secuie investment
financing oi uo not want to tiaue equity at the eaily stages of the company.
L.H$/ I/6Q.H 9+0%.+*
The "0thei uiowth Capital" categoiy encompasses othei funus that uo not fit cleaily into
the othei categoiies eithei because of the type of investment they uo, how they measuie
ietuins, oi because of how the funus aie auministeieu. Foi example, NetaFunu is a socially-
minueu funu that employs a "tiiple bottom line" methouology that uses financial, social,
anu enviionmental ietuins to measuie theii ietuin on investment.
17
FBIC uata via NeiuWallet
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Within an entiepieneuiial ecosystem, accessing maikets typically uesciibes how easily
entiepieneuis can access customeis uomestically anu inteinationally. Acioss the globe,
entiepieneuis list suppoit in accessing maikets as one of the top thiee most impoitant
factois in the success of theii business.
18
This uomain can be subuiviueu fuithei into seveial categoiies like access to local
customeis, access to uomestic customeis, anu access to inteinational customeis, anu
fuithei subuiviueu by sepaiating customeis into consumeis anu coipoiations.
Piogiams oi iesouices that help entiepieneuis access customeis locally, nationally, anu
globally aie in the shoitest supply in Tulsa. While many boot camps, confeiences, anu
othei suppoit piogiams offei couises to teach entiepieneuis about how to maiket to anu
acquiie customeis, no piogiams exist to actually connect entiepieneuis with customeis.
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Access to ulobal Naikets 1
Piogiams that help entiepieneuis access
inteinational maikets
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The 0klahoma Bepaitment of Commeice maintains a ulobal Businesses Seivices team to
assist entiepieneuis in accessing inteinational maikets by offeiing a wiue iange of
auvisoiy seivices anu connections to national piogiams.
18
Fostei, ueoige et. al., "Entiepieneuiial Ecosystems Aiounu the ulobe anu Company uiowth Bynamics,"
Woilu Economic Foium, 2u1S.
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Piomoting entiepieneuiial cultuie is peihaps one of the most impoitant elements in
cieating a thiiving entiepieneuiship community. A stiong entiepieneuiial cultuie is one
that toleiates iisk, celebiates successes, leains fiom failuie anu iebounus quickly, anu
encouiages entiepieneuis to collaboiate with one anothei.
All of the piogiams in cultuie involve some element of netwoiking, shaiing iueas, anu
celebiating, but the piogiams aie gioupeu by theii piimaiy function.
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Celebiating Success 4
Piogiams that give entiepieneuis the
oppoitunity to talk about theii company
Shaiing Iueas anu Speakeis Seiies 6
Piogiams that facilitate the exchange of
iueas
Social anu Netwoiking 0iganizations 6
Piogiams that connect people with
similai inteiests
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Piototyping anu Piouuct
Bevelopment
2
Piogiams that assist entiepieneuis with
ueveloping theii piototypes anu eaily
stage technologies
Technology Licensing 0ffices S
0niveisity piogiams that facilitate
commeicializing univeisity intellectual
piopeity
0thei R&B 1
0thei piogiams that assist entiepieneuis
in ieseaich anu piouuct uevelopment
C/6.6.>0%&' +&2 C/62)3. B$;$*60=$&.
The Baiuesty Centei foi Fab Lab Tulsa helps tinkeieis, inventois, anu makeis uevelop theii
iueas by pioviuing low-cost access to equipment anu technology like S-B piinteis. The 0S0
New Piouuct Bevelopment Centei links manufactuieis with iueas with staff, stuuents, anu
faculty who have the expeitise to help them uevelop theii new piouucts.
($3H&6*6'> 1%3$&#%&' L88%3$#
Each of 0klahoma's majoi univeisities has a technology licensing office that facilitates the
commeicialization of univeisity-uevelopeu intellectual piopeity. The piogiams vaiy
extensively in how piolific they aie with technology tiansfeis, suggesting an oppoitunity
foi impiovement.
L.H$/ 5GB
The 0klahoma Innovation Institute facilitates connections among 0klahoma's ieseaicheis
with the ultimate goal spuiiing economic uevelopment by shoitening the time it takes to
commeicialize cutting-euge ieseaich fiom 0klahoma's univeisities.
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In entiepieneuiial ecosystems, physical infiastiuctuie can iefei to anything fiom
bioaubanu connectivity, tianspoitation, anu utilities to office space anu the othei places
entiepieneuis congiegate. Since infiastiuctuie in the tiauitional sense is not an issue in
Tulsa, this section focuses piimaiily on the types of physical space available to
entiepieneuis.
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Co-Woiking Space 2
Resouices that offei physical space foi
entiepieneuis, fiee anu paiu, that aie not
acceleiatois oi incubatois.
96P]6/F%&' #%3+* ?&8/+#./)3.)/$
Although theie aie no piogiams listeu in this categoiy, seveial coffee shops, bais, anu
iestauiants have become ue facto woiking spaces foi entiepieneuis.
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28
In auuition to pieventing the giowth of a common cultuie, pooi communication causes the
community as a whole to use its limiteu iesouices inefficiently in seveial ways. Fiist, by
incieasing competition foi limiteu iesouices anu failing to pievent uuplicative effoits, the
community as a whole spieaus its limiteu iesouices too thinly to be as effective as they
might be if they weie combineu. Seconu, the lack of communication incieases the potential
foi membeis of the community to inauveitently woik at opposing puiposes. Anu thiiu, it
pievents similai piogiams fiom capitalizing on syneigies anu economies of scale which,
when ieleaseu, can achieve gieatei gains fiom the same amount of iesouices. Figuie 1 on
the next page illustiates the combineu effect of these phenomena.
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Thioughout the stuuy, many entiepieneuis shaieu that they vieweu a lack of available
mentois as a significant shoitcoming of Tulsa's entiepieneuiial suppoit system. When
askeu if they hau contacteu SC0RE, many ieplieu that they hau not. This suggests that the
existing piogiams that uo pioviue mentoiship like SC0RE, the Foige, the TCC Staitup Cup
(which pioviues mentoiship to contestants who auvance thiough the competition), anu
otheis aie not ieaching a laige piopoition of Tulsa's entiepieneuis.
Apiil 1, 2u14
S4
^
LTFF woulu like this uiscussion to seive as the fiist meeting of the entiepieneuiial
coalition. Typically, these meetings shoulu take place once a month anu begin anu enu
piomptly.
Foi futuie meetings of the coalition, please tell us:
• Bow uo we encouiage eveiy uomain anu categoiy to attenu these infoimal
meetings.
• Is it bettei to have the meetings uuiing lunch oi in the evening.
• What subcommittees oi functional gioups uo we neeu.
• What's the best way to communicate about upcoming events.
• D6Q 26 Q$ '$. $&./$0/$&$)/# .6 .H$ =$$.%&'#`
By establishing an open anu inclusive oppoitunity foi stakeholueis to meet, shaie
infoimation, anu woik togethei, the community will begin to take the fiist steps towaiu
Apiil 1, 2u14
impioving how efficiently iesouices aie useu, shaiing best piactices, bettei seiving Tulsa's
entiepieneuis, anu builuing a builuing a cultuie.
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Cieating a shaieu vision is an impoitant step in taking the entiepieneuiial community to
the next level. Baving a stiong vision, that highlights coie values, is the fiist step in cieating
a long teim stiategy that incluues common goals that the community can woik towaiu
togethei.
It's impoitant to iemembei that having a shaieu vision uoes not mean that eveiyone neeus
appioval foi what they want to uo. In fact, the tiuth is quite the opposite. A shaieu vision
empoweis membeis of the community anu mobilizes them to act because they unueistanu
how theii effoits fit in into a gieatei vision of moving the community foiwaiu.
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3+*$&2+/ 68 $&./$0/$&$)/#H%0 $;$&.#^
0ne of the easiest ways to impiove communication in the entiepieneuiship community is
to builu a single online poital that contains simple infoimation to all of Tulsa's
entiepieneuiial iesouices. Some of the best examples of online entiepieneuiial poitals aie
Poitlanu's Calagatoi, which aggiegates community calenuais to cieate a mastei tech
calenuai of events, the Austin Entiepieneuiship Resouice Ninumeistei Nap, anu Boston's
uieenhoin Connect, but none aie peifect. SouiceLink also offeis a ieauy-maue platfoim foi
cieating websites of entiepieneuiial iesouices, but many view it as ineffective, inflexible,
anu expensive. Because of the lack of stanuout examples, theie is an oppoitunity foi Tulsa's
entiepieneuiship community to uevelop a iesouice that woiks foi its membeis anu that
coulu seive as a mouel foi othei cities.
In ueveloping an online iesouice centei foi entiepieneuis, it is impoitant to keep thiee
basic piinciples in minu:
• The website shoulu be cleaily oiganizeu anu simple to use.
Apiil 1, 2u14
S8
• The website shoulu incluue a calenuai of events.
• The infoimation must be kept up to uate by the people who manage the piogiams
anu iesouices.
Some inteivieweu have suggesteu that online iesouice centeis like SouiceLink anu otheis
can actually uissuaue entiepieneuis fiom seeking help because they iisk senuing
entiepieneuis uown the wiong path.
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LTFF is funuing the cieation of an online iesouice centei with an actively manageu
calenuai of entiepieneuiial events. We woulu like to woik with existing piogiams to
expanu the mentoiship availability anu oppoitunities anu uevelop a uatabase of
entiepieneuis who neeu help to encouiage piogiams like staitup cup to pioviue iesouices
foi suppoit even aftei the contestants aie eliminateu. }ust because the contestant isn't the
iight fit foi one piogiam uoesn't mean it woulun't be gieat foi anothei piogiam.
With stiong linking mechanisms in place, it takes goou habits to maintain them.
0iganizations that suppoit entiepieneuis neeu to make shaiing infoimation about
piogiamming, iesouices, anu special events with one anothei a habit. To take it a step
fuithei, the oiganizations who ieceive infoimation must be in the habit of passing that
infoimation along to its entiepieneuis.
Beyonu simply shaiing infoimation about piogiamming anu special events, oiganizations
must shaie infoimation about the entiepieneuis anu staitups as well. Even when new
companies outgiow a paiticulai piogiam, theii fleugling companies often still neeu suppoit
to continue to giow. 0iganizations like staitup competitions, incubatois, anu acceleiatois,
paiticulaily within univeisities, shoulu be thinking about wheie the next natuial souice of
suppoit will be foi companies with potential.
Foi example, CleanNu iecently finisheu fiist in the Tulsa Community College Staitup Cup.
Befoie that, the CleanNu was incubateu at the Riata Centei at 0klahoma State 0niveisity.
This is not to say that CleanNu's success is uue to these to piogiams, but iathei to say that
Apiil 1, 2u14
usheiing nascent staitups thiough the appiopiiate iesouices as they giow anu theii neeus
change coulu inciease the likelihoou that a company is successful.
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36==)&%.> .H+. %&3/$+#$ .H$ 36**%#%6&# +=6&' $&./$0/$&$)/#^
At the heait of all the pieceuing iecommenuations is communication. Theie is no substitute
foi infoimal communication mechanisms like happy houis anu coffee bieaks. Events like
happy houis anu coffee bieaks seive piimaiily to "inciease the collisions"
22
among
entiepieneuis fiom which new companies aie boin. This shoulu be the goal of any such
event.
0ne Nillion Cups is illustiates just how successful these types of meet ups can be. Since the
oiganizeis biought 0ne Nillion Cups to Tulsa, the piogiam has biought togethei uozens of
entiepieneuis to piesent to hunuieus of people.
The success of 0ne Nillion Cups suggests that othei events like weekly happy houis foi
entiepieneuis coulu builu a stiong sense of community in an oiganic way. It will be
impoitant to ensuie that these meetings uo not become sales channels foi suppoit seivice
pioviueis anu iemain a place foi entiepieneuis to meet, exchange iueas, anu make
connections.
Anothei gieat example of an oiganization that biings entiepieneuis togethei is
TechCocktail, a meuia company anu event company foi oiganizations. Staiting as a
community-builuing oiganization, TechCocktail has giown into a full meuia company,
while continuing to host happy houis, bieakfasts, anu othei events that builu camaiaueiie
among entiepieneuis.
22
This phiase is taken fiom Aaion Nillei of the ueoige Kaisei Family Founuation.
Apiil 1, 2u14
4u
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Physical spaces aie essential in cultuie builuing. Baving auequate space wheie
entiepieneuis can woik, exchange iueas, leain, anu showcase theii iueas will piopel
Tulsa's entiepieneuiship community foiwaiu in a big way. Bepenuing on how one counts,
theie aie thiee oi foui uiffeient gioups woiking on ueveloping plans foi mixeu-use space,
all of whom aie at uiffeient stages of planning, uevelopment, anu piogiess. Consoliuating
these effoits will leau to a moie efficient use of iesouices, ensuie that piogiams aie not
competing foi entiepieneuis, anu inciease the likelihoou of success.
Nost of the most well-known spaces foi entiepieneuis skew heavily towaiu cowoiking
space, but have confeience iooms anu othei spaces available to ient. Some of the best
examples of mixeu-use facilities aie CitizenSpace in San Fiancisco, CA, Canvas in
Washington, BC, 0ficio in Boston, NA, The Ballas Entiepieneui Centei in Ballas, TX, anu
ualvanize in Benvei, C0.
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%& .H$ 8%&+&3%&'^
To ieuuce the misalignment between entiepieneuis anu investois, both gioups coulu
benefit fiom tiaining that allows them to unueistanu how the othei thinks about making
anu ieceiving investment. The Seeu Step Angels Piogiam manageu by i2E is alieauy
making significant piogiess in cieating a cultuie of investing in new ventuies, but the
impoitance of easing the flow of eaily stage investment capital into emeiging ventuies
waiiants moie piogiams that woik to achieve this enu.
The Kauffman Founuation offeis the Angel Resouice Institute, which pioviues a full iange
of iesouices to ieciuit, euucate, anu suppoit angel investois into the entiepieneuiship
Apiil 1, 2u14
community. Theie aie also numeious national fellowships, like the Pipeline Fellowship,
that woik to attiact women to angel anu ventuie investing.
At the same time, piogiams that tiain entiepieneuis in how to bootstiap anu how to
mouify business mouels to pioviue eaily woiking capital, so they can be bettei piepaieu
when they appioach investois will gieatly impiove theii success iate, but beginning to
lowei the iisk foi investois.
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/$#6)/3$#^
0ne way the entiepieneuiial community can stieamline the way it woiks is to builu
connections among the available mentoiship oiganizations. While SC0RE anu i2E's ventuie
Auvisoiy seivices exist solely to mentoi new businesses, many othei piogiams offei
mentoiship as an ancillaiy seivice. Builuing a consoliuateu netwoik of mentois will help
these piogiams access mentois with the iight expeitise foi the entiepieneuis they seive,
while allowing them to maintain focus on theii piimaiy mission.
Foi example, each yeai, the TCC Staitup Cup looks foi mentois that match the neeus of the
contestants who pass thiough the initial stages of the competition. Nany of these mentois
aie founu thiough the peisonal netwoik of those who manage anu juuge the competition,
which takes significant time anu effoit. Rathei than iepeating this piocess each yeai,
ieaching out to mentois at the existing mentoiship oiganizations coulu help match the
contestants with mentois that meet a vaiiety of theii neeus iathei than limiting them to
one specific mentoi.
While theie aie many examples of mentoi netwoiks, this stuuy was not able to finu any
conciete examples of "netwoiks of netwoiks" in which multiple iesouices anu piogiams
weie using one shaieu pool of mentois. This coulu iepiesent anothei oppoitunity foi Tulsa
to stanu out as an entiepieneuiship community.
96&3*)#%6&
Apiil 1, 2u14
42
Thioughout this stuuy, it was eviuent that Tulsa has countless people woiking tiielessly to
become successful entiepieneuis, to suppoit entiepieneuis, anu to builu a vibiant
entiepieneuiial community. While the iecommenuations containeu in this iepoit aie not
necessaiily giounubieaking, they will ceitainly help the entiepieneuiial community in
Tulsa take the fiist steps towaiu bieaking uown the silos that pievent the community fiom
thiiving.
In implementing the iecommenuations, howevei, theie aie a few impoitant piinciples all
membeis of the community shoulu keep in minu:
Fiist, it is impossible to "own" the entiepieneuiial space
2S
. The only way to giow the
community is if all membeis of the community aie committeu to moving foiwaiu togethei.
Seconu, builuing entiepieneuiial communities is still a ielatively new effoit foi many cities.
Following best piactice examples is a goou staiting point, but the community shoulu be as
entiepieneuiial anu innovative in builuing itself as it expects entiepieneuis to be.
Suppoiting innovative, unpieceuenteu iueas to stiengthen the community coulu yielu
unimaginable iesults anu make Tulsa a mouel foi othei cities.
Finally, anu most impoitantly, eveiything the community uoes must be uone with the
entiepieneuis in minu. They shoulu be the iockstais. No mattei how well oiganizations
within the community aie woiking togethei, the ultimate measuie of Tulsa's
entiepieneuiship community will be how well it piouuces successful entiepieneuis.
2S
This phiasing is boiioweu fiom Scott Phillips, who aiticulateu this notion succinctly.
Apiil 1, 2u14
"00$&2%3$#
Appenuix A - List of Entiepieneuiship Resouices anu Piogiams ................................................... 44
Appenuix B - Calenuai of Entiepieneuiship Activities (2u14-2u1S) ............................................. 66
Appenuix C - Piogiam Timing ......................................................................................................................... 67
Apiil 1, 2u14
44
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]$7#%.$@ www.tulsagew.com
B$#3/%0.%6&@ ulobal Entiepieneuiship Week is the woilu's laigest celebiation of the
innovatois anu job cieatois, who launch staitups that biing iueas to life, uiive economic
giowth anu expanu human welfaie.
(%=%&'@ Annually in Novembei. This yeai uEW is Novembei 17-2S, 2u14
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inteiactive inuustiies to a statewiue anu national auuience.
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]$7#%.$@ hackfoichange.oig¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The National Bay of Civic Backing biings togethei technologists,
entiepieneuis, social activists, uesigneis anu citizens like you to impiove oui communities
anu the goveinments that seive them.
(%=%&'@ Annually in Nay oi }une. This yeai the National Bay of Civic Backing will be helu
on Nay S1st to }une 1st, 2u14.
Apiil 1, 2u14
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]$7#%.$@ makeifaiietulsa.com¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ Tulsa Nini Nakei Faiie is a fun anu engaging, community-baseu leaining
event that inspiies eveiyone to become a makei anu connect to people anu piojects in theii
local community. It pioviues a venue foi makeis to show examples of theii woik anu
inteiact with otheis about it.
(%=%&'@ Annually in late Septembei.
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B$#3/%0.%6&@ Eveiy week, entiepieneuis convene at Foolish Things Coffee (1uu1 S Nain St
Tulsa, 0K 74119) to heai two entiepieneuis shaie theii business iueas foi an houi eveiy
Weunesuay moining yeai-iounu.
(%=%&'@ Weekly. Eveiy Weunesuay fiom 9 to 1uam at Foolish Things Coffee (1uu1 S. Nain
St. Tulsa, 0K 74119)
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]$7#%.$@ www.facebook.com¡thefoigetulsa
B$#3/%0.%6&@ Foige Aheau is a monthly speakei seiies¡"lunch anu leain" event hosteu by
The Foige.
(%=%&'@ Appioximately monthly.
Apiil 1, 2u14
46
?'&%.$ ()*#+
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Shaiing Iueas anu Speakeis Seiies
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B$#3/%0.%6&@ A speakeis seiies that gives piesenteis five minutes anu twenty sliues to
speak about any topic they choose.
(%=%&'@ Peiiouically.
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0klahoma. The 0klahoma ventuie Foium pioviues a means foi investois, entiepieneuis
anu otheis to exchange expeiiences anu iueas thiough uiscussions anu stuuies of ventuie
investing, anu the uevelopment anu giowth of new anu existing small businesses.
(-B: ()*#+
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]$7#%.$@ teuxtulsa.com¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ TEBx Tulsa biings TEB Talks to Tulsa. TEB is a non-piofit uevoteu to
spieauing iueas, usually in the foim of shoit, poweiful talks.
962$ 86/ ()*#+
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]$7#%.$@ couefoitulsa.oig¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ Coue foi Tulsa is a gioup of citizens who want to use technology to make life
bettei in Tulsa, 0klahoma. We'ie oiganizeu as a Coue foi Ameiica Biigaue, joining othei
gioups aiounu the countiy uoing similai woik.
Apiil 1, 2u14
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C/6'/+= (>0$@ Social anu Netwoiking 0iganizations
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B$#3/%0.%6&@ A netwoiking gioup foi Tulsa entiepieneuis
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]$7#%.$@ www.tulsawebuevs.oig
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The Tulsa Web Bevs is a gioup of Tulsa web uevelopeis anu uesigneis
builuing with open-souice technology.
(%=%&'@ Nonthly meetings at i2E (618 E. Siu Stieet) at 6pm, followeu by an infoimal happy
houi at a neaiby bai oi iestauiant.
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]$7#%.$@ www.typios.oig¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ TyPios, one of the countiy's laigest young piofessional oiganizations, is
cuiiently ueveloping an entiepieneuiship affinity gioup.
Apiil 1, 2u14
48
4%&+&3%&' 0$@ Angel¡Seeu Funuing
]$7#%.$@ www.ciawleyventuies.com¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ A funu that invests in seeu, eaily, anu expansion stage companies seeking
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petioleum.
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B$#3/%0.%6&@ The Tulsa Economic Bevelopment Coipoiation is a Ceitifieu Bevelopment
Company that offeis micio-loans anu small business loans.
Apiil 1, 2u14
%J- P 0$@ 0thei 0niveisity Piogiams
]$7#%.$@ www.ou.euu¡content¡slp¡acceleiatoi-piogiam.html
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The 00 Acceleiatoi Piogiam pioviues small teams of aspiiing stuuent
entiepieneuis looking to stait oi expanu a business with suppoit incluuing funuing,
mentoiing, tiaining, uinneis anu woikspace foi ten weeks.
(%=%&'@ Annually foi 1u weeks fiom Nay thiough }uly.
Apiil 1, 2u14
S4
LO P (H$ 0$@ 0thei 0niveisity Piogiams
]$7#%.$@ ccew.ou.euu¡piogiam¡soc_entie.html
B$#3/%0.%6&@ CCEW's Social Entiepieneuiship piogiam engages inteiuisciplinaiy
stuuents, piivate-sectoi mentois, anu fielu paitneis to auvance sustainable enteipiises
aimeu at solving social issues in the 0niteu States anu aiounu the woilu.
(%=%&'@ Semesteily. Applications foi Fall 2u14 aie uue Naich 28, 2u14.
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stuuents, faculty, anu piofessionals fiom all majois anu backgiounus who aie inteiesteu in
innovation, anu want to uo something tiuly unique anu meaningful in the community.
(%=%&'@ Annually.
Apiil 1, 2u14
()*#+ ($3H&6*6'> 9$&.$/
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]$7#%.$@ www.tulsatech.euu
B$#3/%0.%6&@ Tulsa Technology Centei (Tulsa Tech) is a public inuepenuent school uistiict
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C/6'/+= (>0$@ 0niveisity Begiee Piogiams
]$7#%.$@ www.ou.euu¡piice¡management_entiepieneuiship¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ A giauuate uegiee piogiam with a focus in entiepieneuiship.
Apiil 1, 2u14
S6
L#%3+* ?&8/+#./)3.)/$
9/$+.%;$ 566=
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Co-Woiking Space
]$7#%.$@ cieativeioomtulsa.com¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The Cieative Room pioviues shaieu, collaboiative woikspace with inuiviuual
woik table, confeience anu meeting iooms, classioom space, a lounge aiea, anu a kitchen
foi a monthly fee.
Apiil 1, 2u14
S8
I6;$/&=$&. +&2 C6*%3>
S5?BI- 96&8$/$&3$
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Local uoveinment
]$7#%.$@ www.cityoftulsa.oig¡community-piogiams¡human-iights¡biiuge---builuing-
iesouices-in-ueveloping-anu-giowing-enteipiises.aspx
B$#3/%0.%6&@ A one-uay confeience foi "piomoting the giowth, expansion, innovation, anu
incieaseu piouuctivity of minoiity, female anu uisauvantageu businesses entiepiises."
-&./$0/$&$)/%+* -:3$**$&3$ "Q+/2
C/6'/+= (>0$@ 0thei Policy
]$7#%.$@ www.ok.gov¡ouol¡Euucation¡Entiepieneuiial_Excellence_in_0klahoma¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ An awaiu to celebiate entiepieneuiial success in 0klahoma.
(%=%&'@ Annually. The nomination piocess begins in Septembei with the awaiu ceiemony
helu in late Novembei.
?&3)7+.6/ 0$@ 0thei R&B
]$7#%.$@ www.oklahomainnovationinstitute.com¡tulsa-ieseaich-paitneis¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ Tulsa Reseaich Paitneis (TRP) is a collaboiative, multiuisciplinaiy ieseaich
paitneiship foimeu by the 0niveisity of Tulsa, 0klahoma 0niveisity-Tulsa, 0klahoma State
0niveisity-Tulsa anu Tulsa Community College. The initiative is uesigneu to uiive
economic giowth by suppoiting collaboiative ieseaich effoits; facilitating technology
tiansfei to entiepieneuis anu by attiacting new, majoi ieseaich funuing to the iegion.
L (/+$/ L88%3$
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Technology Licensing 0ffices
]$7#%.$@ otu.ou.euu¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The objective of the 0ffice of Technology Bevelopment is to stimulate the
cieation of intellectual piopeity anu manage the iesulting assets.
Apiil 1, 2u14
6u
0$@ Acceleiatois anu Incubatois
]$7#%.$@ isuinnovation.com¡thehatch¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The Batch offeis a complete suppoit system foi eaily stage businesses that
helps to ieuuce iisk anu assists young companies in ueveloping sustainable business
piactices.
(%=%&'@ Applications aie accepteu on a iolling basis.
(H$ 46/'$
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Acceleiatois anu Incubatois
]$7#%.$@ thefoigetulsa.com
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The mission of The Foige is to acceleiate the uevelopment anu success of
stait-up anu existing businesses in Tulsa. The Foige pioviues incluue physical iesouices,
financial auvice, business plan uevelopment anu netwoiking oppoitunities.
(%=%&'@ Applications aie accepteu on a iolling basis with successful applicants agieeing to
twelve-month contiacts.
Apiil 1, 2u14
L 96**$'$ 1+)&3H 0$@ Boot Camps
]$7#%.$@ www.tulsacc.euu¡piogiams-anu-couises¡launch
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The Tulsa Community College Launch piogiam shows aspiiing
entiepieneuis how to take theii staitup iuea to an opeiating business in 16 weeks.
(%=%&'@ Annually. Applications aie uue in }anuaiy with the sixteen week piogiam iunning
fiom Febiuaiy to Nay.
L&6*2# I6;$/&6/,# 9)0
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Contests
]$7#%.$@ www.i2e.oig¡entiepieneuiial-uevelopment¡collegiate-business-plan-
competition¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ In its ninth yeai, the Bonalu W. Reynolus uoveinoi's Cup is a business plan
competition open to 0klahoma stuuents.
(%=%&'@ Annually. Applications aie uue in miu-Febiuaiy anu the contest iuns thiough Apiil
each yeai.
50$@ Contests
]$7#%.$@ www.uieambigoklahoma.com¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ Bieam Big 0klahoma holus seveial business competitions acioss 0klahoma.
(%=%&'@ Annually fiom August to Septembei. Applications aie uue August 1, 2u14.
Apiil 1, 2u14
64
(99 0$@ E-Centeis
]$7#%.$@ www.oklahomainnovationinstitute.com¡entiepieneuiship-centei¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The 0II Entiepieneuiship Centei focuses on leveiaging existing
entiepieneuiial iesouices anu filling iuentifieu gaps by pioviuing euucation, tiaining,
piomotion anu netwoiking to the entiepieneuiial community, incluuing entiepieneuis,
investois anu even chiluien.
0$@ E-Centeis
]$7#%.$@ ieiwbc.oig¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The mission of REI Women's Business Centei (REI WBC) is to assist
0klahoma's enteipiising women wanting to exploie the oppoitunities of staiting oi
expanuing a business.
Apiil 1, 2u14
0$@ Piofessional Seivices
]$7#%.$@ www.ieseaichwizaiu.oig¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ Reseaich Wizaiu is a seivice offeieu by the Tulsa City-County Libiaiy System
that pioviues ieseaich in the aieas of competitoi intelligence, maiket ieseaich, tiauemaik
piotection, uata-uiiect & mapping,
customei piospecting, inuustiy analysis, piouucts & piocesses, anu inteinational maikets.
Apiil 1, 2u14
66
"00$&2%: S P 9+*$&2+/ 68 -&./$0/$&$)/#H%0 "3.%;%.%$# eJ_ARPJ_ATf
E6&.H -;$&. D6#.$2 7>
-:+3. B+.$
e?8 +;+%*+7*$f
Apiil 2u14 Bow to Stait Youi Business Tulsa Tech 4¡S¡2u14
Apiil 2u14 Entiepieneuis Inspiie Confeience 0S0 Riata Centei 4¡8¡2u14
Apiil 2u14 New ventuie Pitch Competition
00 Entiepieneuiship
Centei
4¡11¡2u14
Apiil 2u14 Innovation Woikshop i2E 4¡2S¡2u14
Apiil 2u14 Applications Bue TCC Staitup Cup -
Nay 2u14 Foige Aheau Lunch Speakei Seiies The Foige S¡21¡2u14
Nay 2u14 Inteinational Sciatch Bay - S¡17¡2u14
Nay 2u14 The Foige 0ffice Bouis The Foige S¡29¡2u14
Nay 2u14 National Bay of Civic Backing - S¡S1¡2u14
}une 2u14 The Foige 0ffice Bouis The Foige 6¡26¡2u14
}uly 2u14 Foige Aheau Lunch Speakei Seiies The Foige 7¡16¡2u14
}uly 2u14 The Foige 0ffice Bouis The Foige 7¡S1¡2u14
August 2u14
Immeision Piogiam Applications
Bue
- -
August 2u14 Applications Bue Bieam Big 0klahoma 8¡1¡2u14
August 2u14 Tulsa Nini Nakei Faiie - 8¡S1¡2u14
Septembei
2u14
IgniteTulsa - T0 Euition - -
0ctobei 2u14 Tulsa Tech Fest - -
0ctobei 2u14 Staitup Weekenu - -
Novembei
2u14
ulobal Entiepieneuiship Week - 11¡17¡2u14
Becembei
2u14
Buffalo Lounge Applications Bue i2E -
}anuaiy 2u1S Stock Picks Bue }unioi Achievement -
Febiuaiy 2u1S Investoi Challenge Event }unioi Achievement -
Febiuaiy 2u1S
veteians Entiepieneuiship
Piogiam
0S0 -
Febiuaiy 2u1S uoveinoi's Cup Application Bue i2E -
Naich 2u1S Buffalo Lounge at SXSW -
Septembei
2u1S
Entiepieneuis Inspiie Boot Camp 0S0 Riata Centei -
Spiing 2u1S Innovation Week - -
TBB 2uu0K Web Bevelopei Confeience - -
5$33)/%&' -;$&.#
Bi-monthly Foige Aheau Lunch Speakei Seiies
Nonthly 0penNine Speakei Seiies
Weekly 0ne Nillion Cups
Apiil 1, 2u14
"00$&2%: 9 P C/6'/+= (%=%&'
The peiiou anu yeaily timing of the piogiams gives insight into when Tulsa's vaiious
piogiams aie seiving entiepieneuis, while at the same time, showing when piogiams aie
competing foi entiepieneuis. While most categoiies unuei "Peiiou of Piogiams" is self-
explanatoiy, a few waiiant explanation: "iolling" uesciibes piogiams that iequiie
applications, but accept them at anytime uuiing the yeai; "ongoing" piogiams offei
seivices yeai-iounu; anu "semesteily" geneially uesciibes piogiams that aie offeieu foi
stuuents thioughout the semestei. 0nuei "Timing of Annual Piogiams," theie aie 2u
piogiams that occui once pei yeai, but many extenu ovei the couise of many months.
Period of Programs
Annually
Monthly
Periodically
Rolling
Semesterly
Weekly
Other
Bi-Monthly
3
4
6
5
4 4
2
4
7
6
7
3
Annual Programs by Month
Apiil 1, 2u14
68
"76). .H$ ").H6/#
d6$> ]%'&+/+i+H
As a vice Piesiuent at Aigonaut Piivate Equity, Ni. Wignaiajah evaluates potential
investment oppoitunities anu collaboiates with poitfolio company leaueiship in solving
challenges they face. Piioi to joining Aigonaut, Ni. Wignaiajah woikeu as the ieseaich
uiiectoi foi two political campaigns, as a management consultant auvising Foitune Suu
aeiospace anu uefense companies, anu as a policy auvisoi in the 0ffice of the
0nueisecietaiy of Befense foi Policy. Be also seiveu as an officei in the 0.S. Navy Civil
Engineei Coips with touis in uuantanamo Bay, Cuba, Baghuau, Iiaq, anu Washington, BC.
Be holus a Nastei of Business Auministiation fiom the NIT Sloan School of Nanagement,
wheie he helpeu manage the NIT $1uuK Business Plan competition, a Nastei of Public
Policy fiom the Baivaiu Kenneuy School of uoveinment, anu a Bacheloi of Science in
Computei Engineeiing, with honois, fiom Tulane 0niveisity.
d6/2> "*7$/.
}oiuy Albeit is an Associate foi the 0klahoma Life Science Funu, wheie he evaluates anu
assists a host of 0klahoma-baseu healthcaie staitup companies anu entiepieneuis. Be is
also the co-founuei of Acoustic Innovations foi Respiiation (AIR) a mobile health company
whose wholly-owneu subsiuiaiy, 0wlpal, has uevelopeu a softwaie application foi the
management of noctuinal asthma in chiluien. Bis ieseaich expeiience incluues conuucting
ieseaich on economic uevelopment at the state anu local level, both foi a political
campaign anu foi the 0klahoma State Tieasuiei. Ni. Albeit has seiveu as a pioject
managei foi Sway Neuical, a mobile health company that has uesigneu an FBA-cleaieu
softwaie application that can monitoi foi signs of musculoskeletal, neuiological, anu
vestibulai uysfunction.
Ni. Albeit is cuiiently in his final semestei at the 0niveisity of Tulsa, wheie he will
giauuate 8,)", 5*8 4,*2& two semesteis eaily with a uegiee in economics.
doc_835960605.pdf
In this particular criteria in relation to assessing tulsas entrepreneurial landscape final report.
"##$##%&' ()*#+,# -&./$0/$&$)/%+* 1+&2#3+0$
4%&+* 5$06/.
Piepaieu foi the Lobeck Tayloi Family Founuation
Apiil 1, 2u14
Abstiact: This iepoit contains a high-level assessment of entiepieneuiial
piogiams anu iesouices, finuings, anu iecommenuations foi stiengthening
the entiepieneuiship community in Tulsa, 0klahoma.
}oey Wignaiajah | }oiuy Albeit
Apiil 1, 2u14
ii
Fellow Entiepieneuiial Stakeholueis:
Fiist, I woulu like to offei you a heaitfelt thank you foi youi willingness to paiticipate in
the inteiviews that uevelopeu the finuings anu iecommenuations foi Tulsa's
entiepieneuiial assessment.* Youi passion anu willingness to woik towaiu a moie iobust
anu suppoitive entiepieneuiial ecosystem makes all the uiffeience as we move foiwaiu.
The Lobeck Tayloi Family Founuation (LTFF) suppoits entiepieneuiship as one of its thiee
coie focus aieas. LTFF's giants aie only possible because of the entiepieneuiial spiiit of
oui founueis anu we tiuly believe that suppoiting entiepieneuiship is one of the most
effective ways to combat poveity.
Someone on the LTFF boaiu has been involveu with the TCC Stait0p Cup (foimeily the
Nayoi's Entiepieneuiial Spiiit Awaiu) since it began seven yeais ago. As pait of the
entiepieneuiial assessment, we also cieateu an impact iepoit to ueteimine the impact the
competition hau on oui local economy. We wanteu to make suie we weie effectively
investing oui entiepieneuiial giant uollais on piogiams that woulu have a positive
economic impact foi Tulsa, oui ultimate goal in suppoiting entiepieneuiship.
We weie thiilleu to leain that the $2S4,uuu investeu since the beginning of the Stait0p Cup
has iesulteu in $11,u67,uuu of follow-on investment anu cieateu Suu full time jobs as well
as ovei 2,uuu pait-time anu contiact jobs with an aveiage annual income of $48,847. The
total economic impact of the competition thus fai is $S7,729,297.
The success of the Stait0p Cup competition encouiages LTFF to spenu moie giant uollais
in the entiepieneuiial space. It is LTFF's hope that the entiepieneuiial assessment will
help both LTFF anu the entiepieneuiial community to bieak uown the silos that aie
pieventing effective coopeiation anu communication so that we can suppoit entiepieneuis
moie efficiently anu effectively.
LTFF is not looking to own the entiepieneuiial space. We seek to be a convenei when
appiopiiate, a funuei when necessaiy anu a champion of entiepieneuis in Tulsa. We hope
Apiil 1, 2u14
iii
you will woik with us to put Tulsa, 0klahoma on the map as the iueal place to stait a
business.
Thank you foi youi commitment to Tulsa anu its entiepieneuis.
Sinceiely,
Elizabeth Fiame Ellison
*I woulu like to offei a special thank you to }oey Wignaiajah anu }oiuy Albeit who woikeu
uiligently anu effectively to conuuct the inteiviews, ieseaich anu ultimately wiite the
iepoit. They uiun't know how big this pioject was when they agieeu to help, but they uiu
an amazing job on an asset map that will hopefully catalyze the entiepieneuiial
stakeholueis in Tulsa.
Apiil 1, 2u14
iv
(+7*$ 68 96&.$&.#
Executive Summaiy ................................................................................................................................................. 1
Intiouuction ................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Tulsa's Entiepieneuiial Lanuscape .................................................................................................................. 8
uoveinment anu Policy .................................................................................................................................. 1u
Buman Capital ................................................................................................................................................... 1S
Suppoit Seivices ............................................................................................................................................... 16
Finance .................................................................................................................................................................. 2u
Access to Naikets ............................................................................................................................................. 2S
Piomoting Cultuie ............................................................................................................................................ 24
Reseaich anu Bevelopment ......................................................................................................................... 26
Physical Infiastiuctuie .................................................................................................................................. 27
Finuings ..................................................................................................................................................................... 29
Recommenuations ................................................................................................................................................ SS
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................ 41
Appenuices ............................................................................................................................................................... 4S
Appenuix A - List of Entiepieneuiship Resouices anu Piogiams .............................................. 44
Appenuix B - Calenuai of Entiepieneuiship Activities (2u14-2u1S) ........................................ 66
Appenuix C - Piogiam Timing ..................................................................................................................... 67
About the Authois ................................................................................................................................................. 68
Apiil 1, 2u14
-:$3).%;$
Tulsa has a stiong histoiy of entiepieneuiship. At the tuin of the 2u
th
centuiy, bolu
wilucatteis flooueu Tulsa in seaich of oil, tuining it into a bustling boomtown. With one of
the highest iates of new business staits pei capita, it's unueniable that Tulsa still has
entiepieneuiial spiiit in spaues.
Tulsa has moie than just spiiit, howevei. Tulsa offeis buuuing entiepieneuis many
auvantages like low cost of living, a thiiving economy, an euucateu woikfoice, access to
othei business owneis, anu access to capital that ioutinely place Tulsa high on, if not atop,
the most well-known lists of the best cities foi staiting a business oi foi being a young
entiepieneui.
As moie anu moie entiepieneuis seek to tuin these auvantages into new businesses, it is
cleai that Tulsa's entiepieneuiial community is neaiing a titiation point anu the
excitement is palpable.
To help Tulsa capitalize on this excitement, this stuuy conuucteu a high level assessment of
Tulsa's entiepieneuiial ecosystem by ieviewing anu assessing the sum of Tulsa's
entiepieneuiial assets, by conuucting inteiviews anu having conveisations with key
stakeholueis within the entiepieneuiial community, anu by suiveying seconuaiy ieseaich
on entiepieneuiial communities.
Thiough this effoit, the stuuy founu that the most significant iisk stanuing in the way of
launching Tulsa's entiepieneuiial community is that the community is extiemely siloeu.
The siloeu natuie of Tulsa's entiepieneuiial netwoik is inhibiting the community fiom
ueveloping a cohesive cultuie anu using iesouices efficiently, while leaving entiepieneuis
feeling isolateu fiom the iest of the community.
Beyonu the silos anu communication pioblems, the stuuy founu that a lack of a cleai, "go-
to" physical space foi entiepieneuis, a misalignment between investois anu entiepieneuis,
Apiil 1, 2u14
2
anu an inability to connect with mentois anu auvisois aie also holuing back the giowth anu
uevelopment of the community.
To impiove this situation, this stuuy iecommenus that the fiist step in stiengthening
Tulsa's entiepieneuiial community is to focus on the methous anu mechanisms that bieak
uown silos, impiove communication, anu inciease alignment in the community. In shoit,
this stuuy iecommenus the following actions:
• Builu a coalition of entiepieneuis anu suppoiteis to leau the community.
• Bevelop a shaieu vision foi the community.
• Builu an online iesouice centei with an actively manageu calenuai of
entiepieneuiship events.
• Emphasize goou communications habits within the community.
• Suppoit oiganic, entiepieneuis-leu effoits to connect membeis of the community
that inciease the collisions among entiepieneuis.
• Consoliuate effoits to builu a mixeu-use facility foi entiepieneuis.
• Coiiect the misalignment between entiepieneuis anu investois.
• Facilitate connecting entiepieneuis with mentois anu auvisois.
In implementing these iecommenuations, theie aie thiee impoitant piinciples foi all
membeis of the community to keep in minu. Fiist, it is impossible to "own" the
entiepieneuiial space. The community will thiive only when the cultuial noims emphasize
collaboiation ovei the inuiviuual inteiests of piogiams, iesouices oi people. Seconu, while
best piactices fiom othei cities foim a goou basis foi outlining new effoits, the community
as a whole must be willing to take iisk anu innovate to cieate a suppoit system that woiks
foi Tulsa. Finally, anu most impoitantly, all membeis of the community must always
iemembei that the ultimate measuie of an entiepieneuiship community is the success of
its entiepieneuis. They aie the iockstais.
Apiil 1, 2u14
9+.$'6/>
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Local uoveinment 2
Piogiams anu initiatives acioss any uomain that
aie specifically manageu by the City of Tulsa.
State - Tax Incentive 2
Tax incentives offeieu specifically foi
entiepieneuis by the State of 0klahoma.
0thei Policy 2
0thei piogiams manageu uiiectly by City oi
State that taiget entiepieneuis.
163+* I6;$/&=$&. C/6'/+=#
In teims of piogiams aimeu specifically at the types of innovation-uiiven entiepieneuis on
whom this iepoit focuses, the City of Tulsa is unueipeifoiming. The piimaiy piogiam the
City offeis foi suppoiting entiepieneuis is its Builuing Resouices in Beveloping anu
uiowing Enteipiises (BRIBuE) piogiam anu annual confeience that suppoits moie
1u
Felu, Biau, "Staitup Communities: Builuing an Entiepieneuiial Ecosystem," }ohn Wiley & Sons, Boboken,
N}, 2u12.
Apiil 1, 2u14
12
tiauitional businesses. Bowevei, moie than the insufficient numbei of piogiams, the
Nayoi's iecent uissolution of the Economic Bevelopment Commission by Executive 0iuei
11
without a plan to sustain the Entiepieneuiship Committee, as well as the uepaituie of the
City's entiepieneuiship champion, suggest that the City is moving in the wiong uiiection.
9+.$'6/> K 68 C/6'/+=# B$#3/%0.%6&
Niuule¡Bigh School
Piogiams
1 Piogiam taigeteu at young entiepieneuis
Technical Tiaining Institutes 1
Foi piofit tiaining institutions that offei
entiepieneuiship oi othei ielevant tiaining
0niveisity Begiee Piogiams 7
Specific uegiee piogiams oi concentiations in
entiepieneuiship at colleges anu univeisities
0niveisity E-Centeis S
Entiepieneuiship Centeis at colleges anu
univeisities
0thei Euucation S
Piogiams not associateu with a univeisity, but
with the piimaiy mission of euucating
entiepieneuis
0thei Inteinship oi
Fellowship
1
Inteinships oi fellowships outsiue of univeisity
piogiams
0thei 0niveisity Piogiams 8 0thei piogiams open to univeisity stuuents only
Apiil 1, 2u14
14
E%22*$ND%'H B$'/$$ C/6'/+=#
Foui of Tulsa's colleges anu univeisities offei bacheloi anu mastei uegiees in
entiepieneuiship oi in business with a focus on entiepieneuiship. The 0niveisity of
0klahoma anu 0klahoma State 0niveisity both offei postgiauuate piogiams in business
auministiation with entiepieneuiship as the specific fielu of stuuy.
O&%;$/#%.%$# P -P9$&.$/
The 0niveisity E-Centeis categoiy uesciibes univeisities that have a ueuicateu
oiganization with a physical space to pioviue piogiamming anu iesouices to stuuents anu
the bioauei community. The 0niveisity of 0klahoma, 0klahoma State 0niveisity anu
Rogeis State 0niveisity all maintain entiepieneuiship centeis with piogiamming that
seive stuuents as theii piimaiy focus, but offei auuitional piogiam foi the bioauei
community.
Apiil 1, 2u14
L.H$/ -2)3+.%6& C/6'/+=#
The 0thei Euucation Piogiams uesciibes any piogiam oi iesouices that make euucating
entiepieneuis a coie element of its mission. Piogiams like the 0S0's Inventois Assistance
Piogiam host couises on piotecting intellectual piopeity anu piouuct uevelopment, while
the 0klahoma Small Business Bevelopment Council hosts woikshops anu couises to
euucate entiepieneuis on uiffeient aspects of staiting, giowing anu selling a business.
L.H$/ ?&.$/&#H%0 6/ 4$**6Q#H%0
The 0thei Inteinship oi Fellowship categoiy catches piogiams like The Nine, that take
select community membeis, as opposeu to necessaiily stuuents, thiough a yeai-long
fellowship to builu skills in social entiepieneuiship while seiving a ieal client.
L.H$/ O&%;$/#%.> C/6'/+=#
The othei univeisity piogiams categoiy encompasses inteinships, fellowships, business
anu plan pitch contests, anu incubatois anu acceleiatois that aie open specifically to
stuuents only. Even though each of these piogiams fit within othei uomains, the iesouices
aie incluueu in this categoiy to make cleai the point that they exist to tiain stuuents to be
entiepieneuis.
Apiil 1, 2u14
16
9+.$'6/> K 68 C/6'/+=# B$#3/%0.%6&
Acceleiatois anu Incubatois S
A piogiam that pioviues physical space anu
othei iesouices foi select eaily stage businesses
Boot Camps 4
A shoit-teim euucational piogiam that pioviues
tiaining foi entiepieneuis
Confeiences 2
An event with speakeis, woikshops anu
netwoiking oppoitunities spieau ovei a uay oi
two
Contests S
Any type of competition with piizes aimeu at
ueveloping entiepieneuiial skills
E-Centeis S
A centializeu physical oi online space that
pioviues access to infoimation, people anu othei
help
Nentois anu Auvisois 2
Any piogiam that matches entiepieneuis with
people with expeiience in staiting businesses
Piofessional Seivices 2
Any piogiam that offeis legal, accounting, oi
technical expeitise foi specific entiepieneui
neeus
Apiil 1, 2u14
"33$*$/+.6/# +&2 ?&3)7+.6/#
Acceleiatois anu incubatois play an impoitant iole in incieasing the ouus of success of a
fleugling staitup by pioviuing entiepieneuis access to taigeteu iesouices anu seivices they
neeu. Although the line between incubatoi anu acceleiatoi is often bluiieu anu the teims
useu inteichangeably, the piimaiy uiffeience between the two is that acceleiatois often
invest in the companies in exchange foi equity anu incubatois tiauitionally uo not.
In Tulsa, the Foige, the Batch at Rogeis State 0niveisity, anu the i2E Immeision piogiam
aie incubatois oi acceleiatois that pioviue a wiue iange of suppoit seivices, physical
space, anu funuing to entiepieneuis who aie not necessaiily stuuents. Theie aie numeious
othei acceleiatois anu incubatois that aie open to stuuents only that aie incluueu in the
chaptei on human capital.
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Like militaiy boot camps, staitup boot camps aie intense. They covei a wiue aiiay of
subjects ielevant to staiting a business, move quickly, anu give the entiepieneuis the
oppoitunity to apply piinciples as they leain.
In Tulsa, this stuuy lookeu at foui staitup boot camps foi entiepieneuis: 0S0's
Entiepieneuis Inspiie Boot Camp, SC0RE's Boot Camp foi Businesses, Staitup Weekenu
12
,
anu TCC's Launch Youi Staitup piogiam. While SC0RE's boot camp focuses on moie
tiauitional businesses, the othei thiee seem moie agnostic towaiu what types of
businesses anu iueas they expect.
12
Staitup Weekenu is not necessaiily a boot camp, but was classifieu as such because of the shoit, intense
natuie of the piogiam.
Apiil 1, 2u14
18
96&8$/$&3$#
The piimaiy confeience foi entiepieneuis in Tulsa is 0S0's Entiepieneuis Inspiie
Confeience helu annually in Apiil. The confeience taigets entiepieneuis with an iuea, who
have staiteu a business oi who aie looking to giow theii business. The confeience featuies
numeious speakeis anu bieakout sessions that covei a wiue iange of topics. 0nlike boot
camps, the confeience is not meant to be a piactical, hanus-on session, but iathei to
facilitate the exchange of iueas anu piomote netwoiking among entiepieneuis.
96&.$#.#
Theie aie thiee staitup competitions in Tulsa: the Tulsa Community Staitup Cup, the
Bonalu W. Reynolus uoveinoi's Cup, anu the Bieam Big 0klahoma giant contest.
1S
The TCC
Staitup Cup, foimeily the Nayoi's Entiepieneuiial Spiiit Awaius, iuns fiom Apiil thiough
Novembei, culminating in Novembei uuiing ulobal Entiepieneuiship Week. The contest
pioviues semi-finalists with mentois anu awaius thiee piizes totaling neaily $4u,uuu. The
uoveinoi's Cup iuns fiom Febiuaiy thiough Apiil anu makes twenty awaius totaling
$11S,uuu, acioss two uivisions, one foi high giowth businesses anu one foi small
businesses, while Bieam Big 0klahoma awaius $S,uuu in the Tulsa Netio aiea.
-P9$&.$/#
Entiepieneuiship Centeis aie one-stop shops foi entiepieneuis to connect with othei
entiepieneuis, to get infoimation anu to access iesouices they neeu. Theie aie six e-
centeis in Tulsa that vaiy gieatly in whom they intenu to seive, ianging fiom Native
Ameiicans to women.
1S
This excluues national competitions anu stuuent-only competitions iun by univeisities, which is coveieu in
the section on ueveloping human capital.
Apiil 1, 2u14
E$&.6/# +&2 "2;%#6/#
Connecting entiepieneuis with mentois anu auvisois is essential in ueveloping the next
geneiation of business leaueis. In Tulsa, theie aie two piimaiy piogiams that connect
entiepieneuis with mentois anu auvisois as theii piimaiy mission, while many otheis
offei access to mentois as an ancillaiy seivice. i2E's ventuie Auvisoiy Seivices piogiam
connects entiepieneuis with ventuie auvisois foi a small, one-time fee that is iecoveieu
ovei the couise of the ielationship. The othei piogiam, SC0RE, connects small businesses
with volunteei mentois that aie business owneis oi ietiieu senioi executives, who auvise
entiepieneuis at all stages of business opeiations, in auuition to holuing numeious
woikshops thioughout the yeai.
C/68$##%6&+*
ventuie capital anu piivate equity incluues piivately-manageu funus that invest in
businesses at uiffeient stages of uevelopment. 0nly funus that aie actively seeking
investments aie incluueu in this categoiy. In 0klahoma, theie aie ovei twenty uiffeient
piivate investment funus that offei all types of investments fiom eaily stage seeu
investments to matuie giowth capital that aie actively seeking investments.
S+&F B$7.
Although banks weie excluueu fiom the asset list in this stuuy, they offei impoitant
souices of financing foi entiepieneuis in the foim of lines of cieuit, small business loans,
anu othei vehicles. In 2u1S, community banks in Tulsa maue ovei $12S million in
1S
SBA Su4 loans aie maue to help giowing businesses puichase fixeu assets at below maiket iates by
combining capital fiom the boiiowei, public funus fiom a Ceitifieu Bevelopment Company, anu a
conventional lenuei.
16
Tulsa Economic Bevelopment Coipoiation website
Apiil 1, 2u14
22
consumei anu inuustiial loans of unuei $2Su,uuu pei loan.
17
This suggests that local banks
can be a goou souice of financing foi entiepieneuis who eithei cannot secuie investment
financing oi uo not want to tiaue equity at the eaily stages of the company.
L.H$/ I/6Q.H 9+0%.+*
The "0thei uiowth Capital" categoiy encompasses othei funus that uo not fit cleaily into
the othei categoiies eithei because of the type of investment they uo, how they measuie
ietuins, oi because of how the funus aie auministeieu. Foi example, NetaFunu is a socially-
minueu funu that employs a "tiiple bottom line" methouology that uses financial, social,
anu enviionmental ietuins to measuie theii ietuin on investment.
17
FBIC uata via NeiuWallet
Apiil 1, 2u14
"33$## .6 E+/F$.#
Within an entiepieneuiial ecosystem, accessing maikets typically uesciibes how easily
entiepieneuis can access customeis uomestically anu inteinationally. Acioss the globe,
entiepieneuis list suppoit in accessing maikets as one of the top thiee most impoitant
factois in the success of theii business.
18
This uomain can be subuiviueu fuithei into seveial categoiies like access to local
customeis, access to uomestic customeis, anu access to inteinational customeis, anu
fuithei subuiviueu by sepaiating customeis into consumeis anu coipoiations.
Piogiams oi iesouices that help entiepieneuis access customeis locally, nationally, anu
globally aie in the shoitest supply in Tulsa. While many boot camps, confeiences, anu
othei suppoit piogiams offei couises to teach entiepieneuis about how to maiket to anu
acquiie customeis, no piogiams exist to actually connect entiepieneuis with customeis.
(+7*$ W@ E+/F$. "33$## "##$.# 7> 9+.$'6/>
9+.$'6/> K 68 C/6'/+=# B$#3/%0.%6&
Access to ulobal Naikets 1
Piogiams that help entiepieneuis access
inteinational maikets
"33$## .6 I*67+* E+/F$.#
The 0klahoma Bepaitment of Commeice maintains a ulobal Businesses Seivices team to
assist entiepieneuis in accessing inteinational maikets by offeiing a wiue iange of
auvisoiy seivices anu connections to national piogiams.
18
Fostei, ueoige et. al., "Entiepieneuiial Ecosystems Aiounu the ulobe anu Company uiowth Bynamics,"
Woilu Economic Foium, 2u1S.
Apiil 1, 2u14
24
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Piomoting entiepieneuiial cultuie is peihaps one of the most impoitant elements in
cieating a thiiving entiepieneuiship community. A stiong entiepieneuiial cultuie is one
that toleiates iisk, celebiates successes, leains fiom failuie anu iebounus quickly, anu
encouiages entiepieneuis to collaboiate with one anothei.
All of the piogiams in cultuie involve some element of netwoiking, shaiing iueas, anu
celebiating, but the piogiams aie gioupeu by theii piimaiy function.
(+7*$ X@ 9)*.)/$ C/6=6.%&' "##$.# 7> 9+.$'6/>
9+.$'6/> K 68 C/6'/+=# B$#3/%0.%6&
Celebiating Success 4
Piogiams that give entiepieneuis the
oppoitunity to talk about theii company
Shaiing Iueas anu Speakeis Seiies 6
Piogiams that facilitate the exchange of
iueas
Social anu Netwoiking 0iganizations 6
Piogiams that connect people with
similai inteiests
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Piototyping anu Piouuct
Bevelopment
2
Piogiams that assist entiepieneuis with
ueveloping theii piototypes anu eaily
stage technologies
Technology Licensing 0ffices S
0niveisity piogiams that facilitate
commeicializing univeisity intellectual
piopeity
0thei R&B 1
0thei piogiams that assist entiepieneuis
in ieseaich anu piouuct uevelopment
C/6.6.>0%&' +&2 C/62)3. B$;$*60=$&.
The Baiuesty Centei foi Fab Lab Tulsa helps tinkeieis, inventois, anu makeis uevelop theii
iueas by pioviuing low-cost access to equipment anu technology like S-B piinteis. The 0S0
New Piouuct Bevelopment Centei links manufactuieis with iueas with staff, stuuents, anu
faculty who have the expeitise to help them uevelop theii new piouucts.
($3H&6*6'> 1%3$&#%&' L88%3$#
Each of 0klahoma's majoi univeisities has a technology licensing office that facilitates the
commeicialization of univeisity-uevelopeu intellectual piopeity. The piogiams vaiy
extensively in how piolific they aie with technology tiansfeis, suggesting an oppoitunity
foi impiovement.
L.H$/ 5GB
The 0klahoma Innovation Institute facilitates connections among 0klahoma's ieseaicheis
with the ultimate goal spuiiing economic uevelopment by shoitening the time it takes to
commeicialize cutting-euge ieseaich fiom 0klahoma's univeisities.
Apiil 1, 2u14
CH>#%3+* ?&8/+#./)3.)/$
In entiepieneuiial ecosystems, physical infiastiuctuie can iefei to anything fiom
bioaubanu connectivity, tianspoitation, anu utilities to office space anu the othei places
entiepieneuis congiegate. Since infiastiuctuie in the tiauitional sense is not an issue in
Tulsa, this section focuses piimaiily on the types of physical space available to
entiepieneuis.
(+7*$ \@ CH>#%3+* ?&8/+#./)3.)/$ "##$.# 7> 9+.$'6/>
9+.$'6/> K 68 C/6'/+=# B$#3/%0.%6&
Co-Woiking Space 2
Resouices that offei physical space foi
entiepieneuis, fiee anu paiu, that aie not
acceleiatois oi incubatois.
96P]6/F%&' #%3+* ?&8/+#./)3.)/$
Although theie aie no piogiams listeu in this categoiy, seveial coffee shops, bais, anu
iestauiants have become ue facto woiking spaces foi entiepieneuis.
Apiil 1, 2u14
28
In auuition to pieventing the giowth of a common cultuie, pooi communication causes the
community as a whole to use its limiteu iesouices inefficiently in seveial ways. Fiist, by
incieasing competition foi limiteu iesouices anu failing to pievent uuplicative effoits, the
community as a whole spieaus its limiteu iesouices too thinly to be as effective as they
might be if they weie combineu. Seconu, the lack of communication incieases the potential
foi membeis of the community to inauveitently woik at opposing puiposes. Anu thiiu, it
pievents similai piogiams fiom capitalizing on syneigies anu economies of scale which,
when ieleaseu, can achieve gieatei gains fiom the same amount of iesouices. Figuie 1 on
the next page illustiates the combineu effect of these phenomena.
4%')/$ A@ (H$ -88$3. 68 68 =$&.6/#^
Thioughout the stuuy, many entiepieneuis shaieu that they vieweu a lack of available
mentois as a significant shoitcoming of Tulsa's entiepieneuiial suppoit system. When
askeu if they hau contacteu SC0RE, many ieplieu that they hau not. This suggests that the
existing piogiams that uo pioviue mentoiship like SC0RE, the Foige, the TCC Staitup Cup
(which pioviues mentoiship to contestants who auvance thiough the competition), anu
otheis aie not ieaching a laige piopoition of Tulsa's entiepieneuis.
Apiil 1, 2u14
S4
^
LTFF woulu like this uiscussion to seive as the fiist meeting of the entiepieneuiial
coalition. Typically, these meetings shoulu take place once a month anu begin anu enu
piomptly.
Foi futuie meetings of the coalition, please tell us:
• Bow uo we encouiage eveiy uomain anu categoiy to attenu these infoimal
meetings.
• Is it bettei to have the meetings uuiing lunch oi in the evening.
• What subcommittees oi functional gioups uo we neeu.
• What's the best way to communicate about upcoming events.
• D6Q 26 Q$ '$. $&./$0/$&$)/# .6 .H$ =$$.%&'#`
By establishing an open anu inclusive oppoitunity foi stakeholueis to meet, shaie
infoimation, anu woik togethei, the community will begin to take the fiist steps towaiu
Apiil 1, 2u14
impioving how efficiently iesouices aie useu, shaiing best piactices, bettei seiving Tulsa's
entiepieneuis, anu builuing a builuing a cultuie.
5$36==$&2+.%6& KJ@ B$;$*60 + #H+/$2 ;%#%6& 86/ .H$ 36==)&%.>^
Cieating a shaieu vision is an impoitant step in taking the entiepieneuiial community to
the next level. Baving a stiong vision, that highlights coie values, is the fiist step in cieating
a long teim stiategy that incluues common goals that the community can woik towaiu
togethei.
It's impoitant to iemembei that having a shaieu vision uoes not mean that eveiyone neeus
appioval foi what they want to uo. In fact, the tiuth is quite the opposite. A shaieu vision
empoweis membeis of the community anu mobilizes them to act because they unueistanu
how theii effoits fit in into a gieatei vision of moving the community foiwaiu.
5$36==$&2+.%6& KM@ S)%*2 +& 6&*%&$ /$#6)/3$ 3$&.$/ Q%.H +& +3.%;$*> =+&+'$2
3+*$&2+/ 68 $&./$0/$&$)/#H%0 $;$&.#^
0ne of the easiest ways to impiove communication in the entiepieneuiship community is
to builu a single online poital that contains simple infoimation to all of Tulsa's
entiepieneuiial iesouices. Some of the best examples of online entiepieneuiial poitals aie
Poitlanu's Calagatoi, which aggiegates community calenuais to cieate a mastei tech
calenuai of events, the Austin Entiepieneuiship Resouice Ninumeistei Nap, anu Boston's
uieenhoin Connect, but none aie peifect. SouiceLink also offeis a ieauy-maue platfoim foi
cieating websites of entiepieneuiial iesouices, but many view it as ineffective, inflexible,
anu expensive. Because of the lack of stanuout examples, theie is an oppoitunity foi Tulsa's
entiepieneuiship community to uevelop a iesouice that woiks foi its membeis anu that
coulu seive as a mouel foi othei cities.
In ueveloping an online iesouice centei foi entiepieneuis, it is impoitant to keep thiee
basic piinciples in minu:
• The website shoulu be cleaily oiganizeu anu simple to use.
Apiil 1, 2u14
S8
• The website shoulu incluue a calenuai of events.
• The infoimation must be kept up to uate by the people who manage the piogiams
anu iesouices.
Some inteivieweu have suggesteu that online iesouice centeis like SouiceLink anu otheis
can actually uissuaue entiepieneuis fiom seeking help because they iisk senuing
entiepieneuis uown the wiong path.
5$36==$&2+.%6& KR@ S)%*2 '662 36==)&%3+.%6&# H+7%.# Q%.H%& .H$ 36==)&%.>^
LTFF is funuing the cieation of an online iesouice centei with an actively manageu
calenuai of entiepieneuiial events. We woulu like to woik with existing piogiams to
expanu the mentoiship availability anu oppoitunities anu uevelop a uatabase of
entiepieneuis who neeu help to encouiage piogiams like staitup cup to pioviue iesouices
foi suppoit even aftei the contestants aie eliminateu. }ust because the contestant isn't the
iight fit foi one piogiam uoesn't mean it woulun't be gieat foi anothei piogiam.
With stiong linking mechanisms in place, it takes goou habits to maintain them.
0iganizations that suppoit entiepieneuis neeu to make shaiing infoimation about
piogiamming, iesouices, anu special events with one anothei a habit. To take it a step
fuithei, the oiganizations who ieceive infoimation must be in the habit of passing that
infoimation along to its entiepieneuis.
Beyonu simply shaiing infoimation about piogiamming anu special events, oiganizations
must shaie infoimation about the entiepieneuis anu staitups as well. Even when new
companies outgiow a paiticulai piogiam, theii fleugling companies often still neeu suppoit
to continue to giow. 0iganizations like staitup competitions, incubatois, anu acceleiatois,
paiticulaily within univeisities, shoulu be thinking about wheie the next natuial souice of
suppoit will be foi companies with potential.
Foi example, CleanNu iecently finisheu fiist in the Tulsa Community College Staitup Cup.
Befoie that, the CleanNu was incubateu at the Riata Centei at 0klahoma State 0niveisity.
This is not to say that CleanNu's success is uue to these to piogiams, but iathei to say that
Apiil 1, 2u14
usheiing nascent staitups thiough the appiopiiate iesouices as they giow anu theii neeus
change coulu inciease the likelihoou that a company is successful.
5$36==$&2+.%6& KT@ D6*2 =6/$ %&86/=+* $;$&.# .6 36&&$3. =$=7$/# 68 .H$
36==)&%.> .H+. %&3/$+#$ .H$ 36**%#%6&# +=6&' $&./$0/$&$)/#^
At the heait of all the pieceuing iecommenuations is communication. Theie is no substitute
foi infoimal communication mechanisms like happy houis anu coffee bieaks. Events like
happy houis anu coffee bieaks seive piimaiily to "inciease the collisions"
22
among
entiepieneuis fiom which new companies aie boin. This shoulu be the goal of any such
event.
0ne Nillion Cups is illustiates just how successful these types of meet ups can be. Since the
oiganizeis biought 0ne Nillion Cups to Tulsa, the piogiam has biought togethei uozens of
entiepieneuis to piesent to hunuieus of people.
The success of 0ne Nillion Cups suggests that othei events like weekly happy houis foi
entiepieneuis coulu builu a stiong sense of community in an oiganic way. It will be
impoitant to ensuie that these meetings uo not become sales channels foi suppoit seivice
pioviueis anu iemain a place foi entiepieneuis to meet, exchange iueas, anu make
connections.
Anothei gieat example of an oiganization that biings entiepieneuis togethei is
TechCocktail, a meuia company anu event company foi oiganizations. Staiting as a
community-builuing oiganization, TechCocktail has giown into a full meuia company,
while continuing to host happy houis, bieakfasts, anu othei events that builu camaiaueiie
among entiepieneuis.
22
This phiase is taken fiom Aaion Nillei of the ueoige Kaisei Family Founuation.
Apiil 1, 2u14
4u
5$36==$&2+.%6& KW@ 96*%2+.$ $886/.# .6 7)%*2 + =%:$2P)#$ 8+3%*%.>^
Physical spaces aie essential in cultuie builuing. Baving auequate space wheie
entiepieneuis can woik, exchange iueas, leain, anu showcase theii iueas will piopel
Tulsa's entiepieneuiship community foiwaiu in a big way. Bepenuing on how one counts,
theie aie thiee oi foui uiffeient gioups woiking on ueveloping plans foi mixeu-use space,
all of whom aie at uiffeient stages of planning, uevelopment, anu piogiess. Consoliuating
these effoits will leau to a moie efficient use of iesouices, ensuie that piogiams aie not
competing foi entiepieneuis, anu inciease the likelihoou of success.
Nost of the most well-known spaces foi entiepieneuis skew heavily towaiu cowoiking
space, but have confeience iooms anu othei spaces available to ient. Some of the best
examples of mixeu-use facilities aie CitizenSpace in San Fiancisco, CA, Canvas in
Washington, BC, 0ficio in Boston, NA, The Ballas Entiepieneui Centei in Ballas, TX, anu
ualvanize in Benvei, C0.
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+ 36==$/3%+* F%.3H$&a #)''$#.%&' .H+. .H%# Q6)*2 7$ +& 6006/.)&%.> 86/ ()*#+ .6
3/$+.$ + #0+3$ )&*%F$ +&> 6.H$/# .H+. $:%#. %& .H$ 36)&./>^
5$36==$&2+.%6& KX@ (/+%& $&./$0/$&$)/# +&2 %&;$#.6/# .6 /$2)3$ .H$ =%#+*%'&=$&.
%& .H$ 8%&+&3%&'^
To ieuuce the misalignment between entiepieneuis anu investois, both gioups coulu
benefit fiom tiaining that allows them to unueistanu how the othei thinks about making
anu ieceiving investment. The Seeu Step Angels Piogiam manageu by i2E is alieauy
making significant piogiess in cieating a cultuie of investing in new ventuies, but the
impoitance of easing the flow of eaily stage investment capital into emeiging ventuies
waiiants moie piogiams that woik to achieve this enu.
The Kauffman Founuation offeis the Angel Resouice Institute, which pioviues a full iange
of iesouices to ieciuit, euucate, anu suppoit angel investois into the entiepieneuiship
Apiil 1, 2u14
community. Theie aie also numeious national fellowships, like the Pipeline Fellowship,
that woik to attiact women to angel anu ventuie investing.
At the same time, piogiams that tiain entiepieneuis in how to bootstiap anu how to
mouify business mouels to pioviue eaily woiking capital, so they can be bettei piepaieu
when they appioach investois will gieatly impiove theii success iate, but beginning to
lowei the iisk foi investois.
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/$#6)/3$#^
0ne way the entiepieneuiial community can stieamline the way it woiks is to builu
connections among the available mentoiship oiganizations. While SC0RE anu i2E's ventuie
Auvisoiy seivices exist solely to mentoi new businesses, many othei piogiams offei
mentoiship as an ancillaiy seivice. Builuing a consoliuateu netwoik of mentois will help
these piogiams access mentois with the iight expeitise foi the entiepieneuis they seive,
while allowing them to maintain focus on theii piimaiy mission.
Foi example, each yeai, the TCC Staitup Cup looks foi mentois that match the neeus of the
contestants who pass thiough the initial stages of the competition. Nany of these mentois
aie founu thiough the peisonal netwoik of those who manage anu juuge the competition,
which takes significant time anu effoit. Rathei than iepeating this piocess each yeai,
ieaching out to mentois at the existing mentoiship oiganizations coulu help match the
contestants with mentois that meet a vaiiety of theii neeus iathei than limiting them to
one specific mentoi.
While theie aie many examples of mentoi netwoiks, this stuuy was not able to finu any
conciete examples of "netwoiks of netwoiks" in which multiple iesouices anu piogiams
weie using one shaieu pool of mentois. This coulu iepiesent anothei oppoitunity foi Tulsa
to stanu out as an entiepieneuiship community.
96&3*)#%6&
Apiil 1, 2u14
42
Thioughout this stuuy, it was eviuent that Tulsa has countless people woiking tiielessly to
become successful entiepieneuis, to suppoit entiepieneuis, anu to builu a vibiant
entiepieneuiial community. While the iecommenuations containeu in this iepoit aie not
necessaiily giounubieaking, they will ceitainly help the entiepieneuiial community in
Tulsa take the fiist steps towaiu bieaking uown the silos that pievent the community fiom
thiiving.
In implementing the iecommenuations, howevei, theie aie a few impoitant piinciples all
membeis of the community shoulu keep in minu:
Fiist, it is impossible to "own" the entiepieneuiial space
2S
. The only way to giow the
community is if all membeis of the community aie committeu to moving foiwaiu togethei.
Seconu, builuing entiepieneuiial communities is still a ielatively new effoit foi many cities.
Following best piactice examples is a goou staiting point, but the community shoulu be as
entiepieneuiial anu innovative in builuing itself as it expects entiepieneuis to be.
Suppoiting innovative, unpieceuenteu iueas to stiengthen the community coulu yielu
unimaginable iesults anu make Tulsa a mouel foi othei cities.
Finally, anu most impoitantly, eveiything the community uoes must be uone with the
entiepieneuis in minu. They shoulu be the iockstais. No mattei how well oiganizations
within the community aie woiking togethei, the ultimate measuie of Tulsa's
entiepieneuiship community will be how well it piouuces successful entiepieneuis.
2S
This phiasing is boiioweu fiom Scott Phillips, who aiticulateu this notion succinctly.
Apiil 1, 2u14
"00$&2%3$#
Appenuix A - List of Entiepieneuiship Resouices anu Piogiams ................................................... 44
Appenuix B - Calenuai of Entiepieneuiship Activities (2u14-2u1S) ............................................. 66
Appenuix C - Piogiam Timing ......................................................................................................................... 67
Apiil 1, 2u14
44
"00$&2%: " b -&./$0/$&$)/#H%0 5$#6)/3$# 7> 9+.$'6/>
9O1(O5-PSO?1B?YI C5LI5"E<
I*67+* -&./$0/$&$)/#H%0 ]$$F
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Celebiating Success
]$7#%.$@ www.tulsagew.com
B$#3/%0.%6&@ ulobal Entiepieneuiship Week is the woilu's laigest celebiation of the
innovatois anu job cieatois, who launch staitups that biing iueas to life, uiive economic
giowth anu expanu human welfaie.
(%=%&'@ Annually in Novembei. This yeai uEW is Novembei 17-2S, 2u14
%J- b S)88+*6 16)&'$
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Celebiating Success
]$7#%.$@ thebuffalolounge.com¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The mission of The Buffalo Lounge is to piomote 0klahoma's film, music, anu
inteiactive inuustiies to a statewiue anu national auuience.
(%=%&'@ Annually at SxSW in Austin. Applications aie uue in late Becembei each yeai.
Y+.%6&+* B+> 68 9%;%3 D+3F%&'
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Celebiating Success
]$7#%.$@ hackfoichange.oig¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The National Bay of Civic Backing biings togethei technologists,
entiepieneuis, social activists, uesigneis anu citizens like you to impiove oui communities
anu the goveinments that seive them.
(%=%&'@ Annually in Nay oi }une. This yeai the National Bay of Civic Backing will be helu
on Nay S1st to }une 1st, 2u14.
Apiil 1, 2u14
()*#+ E%&% E+F$/ 4+%/$
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Celebiating Success
]$7#%.$@ makeifaiietulsa.com¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ Tulsa Nini Nakei Faiie is a fun anu engaging, community-baseu leaining
event that inspiies eveiyone to become a makei anu connect to people anu piojects in theii
local community. It pioviues a venue foi makeis to show examples of theii woik anu
inteiact with otheis about it.
(%=%&'@ Annually in late Septembei.
A E%**%6& 9)0#
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Shaiing Iueas anu Speakeis Seiies
]$7#%.$@ tulsa.sites.1millioncups.com¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ Eveiy week, entiepieneuis convene at Foolish Things Coffee (1uu1 S Nain St
Tulsa, 0K 74119) to heai two entiepieneuis shaie theii business iueas foi an houi eveiy
Weunesuay moining yeai-iounu.
(%=%&'@ Weekly. Eveiy Weunesuay fiom 9 to 1uam at Foolish Things Coffee (1uu1 S. Nain
St. Tulsa, 0K 74119)
46/'$ "H$+2
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Shaiing Iueas anu Speakeis Seiies
]$7#%.$@ www.facebook.com¡thefoigetulsa
B$#3/%0.%6&@ Foige Aheau is a monthly speakei seiies¡"lunch anu leain" event hosteu by
The Foige.
(%=%&'@ Appioximately monthly.
Apiil 1, 2u14
46
?'&%.$ ()*#+
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Shaiing Iueas anu Speakeis Seiies
]$7#%.$@ ignitetulsa.oig¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ A speakeis seiies that gives piesenteis five minutes anu twenty sliues to
speak about any topic they choose.
(%=%&'@ Peiiouically.
LF*+H6=+ U$&.)/$ 46/)=
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Shaiing Iueas anu Speakeis Seiies
]$7#%.$@ www.ovf.oig¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ A non-piofit coipoiation oiganizeu to encouiage economic uevelopment in
0klahoma. The 0klahoma ventuie Foium pioviues a means foi investois, entiepieneuis
anu otheis to exchange expeiiences anu iueas thiough uiscussions anu stuuies of ventuie
investing, anu the uevelopment anu giowth of new anu existing small businesses.
(-B: ()*#+
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Shaiing Iueas anu Speakeis Seiies
]$7#%.$@ teuxtulsa.com¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ TEBx Tulsa biings TEB Talks to Tulsa. TEB is a non-piofit uevoteu to
spieauing iueas, usually in the foim of shoit, poweiful talks.
962$ 86/ ()*#+
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Social anu Netwoiking 0iganizations
]$7#%.$@ couefoitulsa.oig¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ Coue foi Tulsa is a gioup of citizens who want to use technology to make life
bettei in Tulsa, 0klahoma. We'ie oiganizeu as a Coue foi Ameiica Biigaue, joining othei
gioups aiounu the countiy uoing similai woik.
Apiil 1, 2u14
()*#+ -&./$0/$&$)/#H%0 E$$.)0 I/6)0
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Social anu Netwoiking 0iganizations
]$7#%.$@ www.meetup.com¡tulsaentiepieneuis
B$#3/%0.%6&@ A netwoiking gioup foi Tulsa entiepieneuis
(%=%&'@ Peiiouically.
()*#+ ]$7 B$;#
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Social anu Netwoiking 0iganizations
]$7#%.$@ www.tulsawebuevs.oig
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The Tulsa Web Bevs is a gioup of Tulsa web uevelopeis anu uesigneis
builuing with open-souice technology.
(%=%&'@ Nonthly meetings at i2E (618 E. Siu Stieet) at 6pm, followeu by an infoimal happy
houi at a neaiby bai oi iestauiant.
(>C/6# -&./$0/$&$)/#H%0 C/6'/+=#
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Social anu Netwoiking 0iganizations
]$7#%.$@ www.typios.oig¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ TyPios, one of the countiy's laigest young piofessional oiganizations, is
cuiiently ueveloping an entiepieneuiship affinity gioup.
Apiil 1, 2u14
48
4%&+&3%&' 0$@ Angel¡Seeu Funuing
]$7#%.$@ www.ciawleyventuies.com¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ A funu that invests in seeu, eaily, anu expansion stage companies seeking
capital to funu oppoitunities with significant giowth potential. A subsiuiaiy of Ciawley
petioleum.
%J- P LF*+H6=+ "&'$* 0$@ Nicio-Loans anu 0thei Bebt
]$7#%.$@ teucnet.com¡lenuing_piogiams.php
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The Tulsa Economic Bevelopment Coipoiation is a Ceitifieu Bevelopment
Company that offeis micio-loans anu small business loans.
Apiil 1, 2u14
%J- P 0$@ 0thei 0niveisity Piogiams
]$7#%.$@ www.ou.euu¡content¡slp¡acceleiatoi-piogiam.html
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The 00 Acceleiatoi Piogiam pioviues small teams of aspiiing stuuent
entiepieneuis looking to stait oi expanu a business with suppoit incluuing funuing,
mentoiing, tiaining, uinneis anu woikspace foi ten weeks.
(%=%&'@ Annually foi 1u weeks fiom Nay thiough }uly.
Apiil 1, 2u14
S4
LO P (H$ 0$@ 0thei 0niveisity Piogiams
]$7#%.$@ ccew.ou.euu¡piogiam¡soc_entie.html
B$#3/%0.%6&@ CCEW's Social Entiepieneuiship piogiam engages inteiuisciplinaiy
stuuents, piivate-sectoi mentois, anu fielu paitneis to auvance sustainable enteipiises
aimeu at solving social issues in the 0niteu States anu aiounu the woilu.
(%=%&'@ Semesteily. Applications foi Fall 2u14 aie uue Naich 28, 2u14.
LO b U$&.)/$ C%.3H
C/6'/+= (>0$@ 0thei 0niveisity Piogiams
]$7#%.$@ www.ou.euu¡content¡slp¡ventuie-pitch-competition.html
B$#3/%0.%6&@ A ventuie pitch compeition foi 00 stuuents.
(%=%&'@ Semesteily. Applications foi Spiing 2u14 aie uue by Naich 26, 2u14.
O&%;$/#%.> 68 ()*#+ P Y6;+ 4$**6Q#H%0
C/6'/+= (>0$@ 0thei 0niveisity Piogiams
]$7#%.$@ www.novafellowship.oig¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ N0vA is shoit foi "Innovation!" The N0vA Fellowship is a community of T0
stuuents, faculty, anu piofessionals fiom all majois anu backgiounus who aie inteiesteu in
innovation, anu want to uo something tiuly unique anu meaningful in the community.
(%=%&'@ Annually.
Apiil 1, 2u14
()*#+ ($3H&6*6'> 9$&.$/
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Technical Tiaining Institutes
]$7#%.$@ www.tulsatech.euu
B$#3/%0.%6&@ Tulsa Technology Centei (Tulsa Tech) is a public inuepenuent school uistiict
affiliateu with the 0klahoma Bepaitment of Caieei anu Technology Euucation.
L %& S)#%&$## "2=%&#./+.%6&a -&./$0/$&$)/#H%0 463)#
C/6'/+= (>0$@ 0niveisity Begiee Piogiams
]$7#%.$@ watson.okstate.euu¡eeephu¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ A postgiauuate business uegiee with a specialization in entiepieneuiship.
LO P S+3H$*6/# %& -&./$0/$&$)/#H%0 +&2 U$&.)/$ E+&+'$=$&.
C/6'/+= (>0$@ 0niveisity Begiee Piogiams
]$7#%.$@ www.ou.euu¡go2¡acauemics¡mfpcb¡evm.html
B$#3/%0.%6&@ An unueigiauuate uegiee piogiam in entiepieneuiial stuuies.
LO P E+#.$/ 68 S)#%&$## "2=%&%#./+.%6& Q%.H + #0$3%+*%Z+.%6& %& -&./$0/$&$)/#H%0
C/6'/+= (>0$@ 0niveisity Begiee Piogiams
]$7#%.$@ www.ou.euu¡piice¡management_entiepieneuiship¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ A giauuate uegiee piogiam with a focus in entiepieneuiship.
Apiil 1, 2u14
S6
L#%3+* ?&8/+#./)3.)/$
9/$+.%;$ 566=
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Co-Woiking Space
]$7#%.$@ cieativeioomtulsa.com¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The Cieative Room pioviues shaieu, collaboiative woikspace with inuiviuual
woik table, confeience anu meeting iooms, classioom space, a lounge aiea, anu a kitchen
foi a monthly fee.
Apiil 1, 2u14
S8
I6;$/&=$&. +&2 C6*%3>
S5?BI- 96&8$/$&3$
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Local uoveinment
]$7#%.$@ www.cityoftulsa.oig¡community-piogiams¡human-iights¡biiuge---builuing-
iesouices-in-ueveloping-anu-giowing-enteipiises.aspx
B$#3/%0.%6&@ A one-uay confeience foi "piomoting the giowth, expansion, innovation, anu
incieaseu piouuctivity of minoiity, female anu uisauvantageu businesses entiepiises."
-&./$0/$&$)/%+* -:3$**$&3$ "Q+/2
C/6'/+= (>0$@ 0thei Policy
]$7#%.$@ www.ok.gov¡ouol¡Euucation¡Entiepieneuiial_Excellence_in_0klahoma¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ An awaiu to celebiate entiepieneuiial success in 0klahoma.
(%=%&'@ Annually. The nomination piocess begins in Septembei with the awaiu ceiemony
helu in late Novembei.
?&3)7+.6/ 0$@ 0thei R&B
]$7#%.$@ www.oklahomainnovationinstitute.com¡tulsa-ieseaich-paitneis¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ Tulsa Reseaich Paitneis (TRP) is a collaboiative, multiuisciplinaiy ieseaich
paitneiship foimeu by the 0niveisity of Tulsa, 0klahoma 0niveisity-Tulsa, 0klahoma State
0niveisity-Tulsa anu Tulsa Community College. The initiative is uesigneu to uiive
economic giowth by suppoiting collaboiative ieseaich effoits; facilitating technology
tiansfei to entiepieneuis anu by attiacting new, majoi ieseaich funuing to the iegion.
L (/+$/ L88%3$
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Technology Licensing 0ffices
]$7#%.$@ otu.ou.euu¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The objective of the 0ffice of Technology Bevelopment is to stimulate the
cieation of intellectual piopeity anu manage the iesulting assets.
Apiil 1, 2u14
6u
0$@ Acceleiatois anu Incubatois
]$7#%.$@ isuinnovation.com¡thehatch¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The Batch offeis a complete suppoit system foi eaily stage businesses that
helps to ieuuce iisk anu assists young companies in ueveloping sustainable business
piactices.
(%=%&'@ Applications aie accepteu on a iolling basis.
(H$ 46/'$
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Acceleiatois anu Incubatois
]$7#%.$@ thefoigetulsa.com
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The mission of The Foige is to acceleiate the uevelopment anu success of
stait-up anu existing businesses in Tulsa. The Foige pioviues incluue physical iesouices,
financial auvice, business plan uevelopment anu netwoiking oppoitunities.
(%=%&'@ Applications aie accepteu on a iolling basis with successful applicants agieeing to
twelve-month contiacts.
Apiil 1, 2u14
L 96**$'$ 1+)&3H 0$@ Boot Camps
]$7#%.$@ www.tulsacc.euu¡piogiams-anu-couises¡launch
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The Tulsa Community College Launch piogiam shows aspiiing
entiepieneuis how to take theii staitup iuea to an opeiating business in 16 weeks.
(%=%&'@ Annually. Applications aie uue in }anuaiy with the sixteen week piogiam iunning
fiom Febiuaiy to Nay.
L&6*2# I6;$/&6/,# 9)0
C/6'/+= (>0$@ Contests
]$7#%.$@ www.i2e.oig¡entiepieneuiial-uevelopment¡collegiate-business-plan-
competition¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ In its ninth yeai, the Bonalu W. Reynolus uoveinoi's Cup is a business plan
competition open to 0klahoma stuuents.
(%=%&'@ Annually. Applications aie uue in miu-Febiuaiy anu the contest iuns thiough Apiil
each yeai.
50$@ Contests
]$7#%.$@ www.uieambigoklahoma.com¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ Bieam Big 0klahoma holus seveial business competitions acioss 0klahoma.
(%=%&'@ Annually fiom August to Septembei. Applications aie uue August 1, 2u14.
Apiil 1, 2u14
64
(99 0$@ E-Centeis
]$7#%.$@ www.oklahomainnovationinstitute.com¡entiepieneuiship-centei¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The 0II Entiepieneuiship Centei focuses on leveiaging existing
entiepieneuiial iesouices anu filling iuentifieu gaps by pioviuing euucation, tiaining,
piomotion anu netwoiking to the entiepieneuiial community, incluuing entiepieneuis,
investois anu even chiluien.
0$@ E-Centeis
]$7#%.$@ ieiwbc.oig¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ The mission of REI Women's Business Centei (REI WBC) is to assist
0klahoma's enteipiising women wanting to exploie the oppoitunities of staiting oi
expanuing a business.
Apiil 1, 2u14
0$@ Piofessional Seivices
]$7#%.$@ www.ieseaichwizaiu.oig¡
B$#3/%0.%6&@ Reseaich Wizaiu is a seivice offeieu by the Tulsa City-County Libiaiy System
that pioviues ieseaich in the aieas of competitoi intelligence, maiket ieseaich, tiauemaik
piotection, uata-uiiect & mapping,
customei piospecting, inuustiy analysis, piouucts & piocesses, anu inteinational maikets.
Apiil 1, 2u14
66
"00$&2%: S P 9+*$&2+/ 68 -&./$0/$&$)/#H%0 "3.%;%.%$# eJ_ARPJ_ATf
E6&.H -;$&. D6#.$2 7>
-:+3. B+.$
e?8 +;+%*+7*$f
Apiil 2u14 Bow to Stait Youi Business Tulsa Tech 4¡S¡2u14
Apiil 2u14 Entiepieneuis Inspiie Confeience 0S0 Riata Centei 4¡8¡2u14
Apiil 2u14 New ventuie Pitch Competition
00 Entiepieneuiship
Centei
4¡11¡2u14
Apiil 2u14 Innovation Woikshop i2E 4¡2S¡2u14
Apiil 2u14 Applications Bue TCC Staitup Cup -
Nay 2u14 Foige Aheau Lunch Speakei Seiies The Foige S¡21¡2u14
Nay 2u14 Inteinational Sciatch Bay - S¡17¡2u14
Nay 2u14 The Foige 0ffice Bouis The Foige S¡29¡2u14
Nay 2u14 National Bay of Civic Backing - S¡S1¡2u14
}une 2u14 The Foige 0ffice Bouis The Foige 6¡26¡2u14
}uly 2u14 Foige Aheau Lunch Speakei Seiies The Foige 7¡16¡2u14
}uly 2u14 The Foige 0ffice Bouis The Foige 7¡S1¡2u14
August 2u14
Immeision Piogiam Applications
Bue
- -
August 2u14 Applications Bue Bieam Big 0klahoma 8¡1¡2u14
August 2u14 Tulsa Nini Nakei Faiie - 8¡S1¡2u14
Septembei
2u14
IgniteTulsa - T0 Euition - -
0ctobei 2u14 Tulsa Tech Fest - -
0ctobei 2u14 Staitup Weekenu - -
Novembei
2u14
ulobal Entiepieneuiship Week - 11¡17¡2u14
Becembei
2u14
Buffalo Lounge Applications Bue i2E -
}anuaiy 2u1S Stock Picks Bue }unioi Achievement -
Febiuaiy 2u1S Investoi Challenge Event }unioi Achievement -
Febiuaiy 2u1S
veteians Entiepieneuiship
Piogiam
0S0 -
Febiuaiy 2u1S uoveinoi's Cup Application Bue i2E -
Naich 2u1S Buffalo Lounge at SXSW -
Septembei
2u1S
Entiepieneuis Inspiie Boot Camp 0S0 Riata Centei -
Spiing 2u1S Innovation Week - -
TBB 2uu0K Web Bevelopei Confeience - -
5$33)/%&' -;$&.#
Bi-monthly Foige Aheau Lunch Speakei Seiies
Nonthly 0penNine Speakei Seiies
Weekly 0ne Nillion Cups
Apiil 1, 2u14
"00$&2%: 9 P C/6'/+= (%=%&'
The peiiou anu yeaily timing of the piogiams gives insight into when Tulsa's vaiious
piogiams aie seiving entiepieneuis, while at the same time, showing when piogiams aie
competing foi entiepieneuis. While most categoiies unuei "Peiiou of Piogiams" is self-
explanatoiy, a few waiiant explanation: "iolling" uesciibes piogiams that iequiie
applications, but accept them at anytime uuiing the yeai; "ongoing" piogiams offei
seivices yeai-iounu; anu "semesteily" geneially uesciibes piogiams that aie offeieu foi
stuuents thioughout the semestei. 0nuei "Timing of Annual Piogiams," theie aie 2u
piogiams that occui once pei yeai, but many extenu ovei the couise of many months.
Period of Programs
Annually
Monthly
Periodically
Rolling
Semesterly
Weekly
Other
Bi-Monthly
3
4
6
5
4 4
2
4
7
6
7
3
Annual Programs by Month
Apiil 1, 2u14
68
"76). .H$ ").H6/#
d6$> ]%'&+/+i+H
As a vice Piesiuent at Aigonaut Piivate Equity, Ni. Wignaiajah evaluates potential
investment oppoitunities anu collaboiates with poitfolio company leaueiship in solving
challenges they face. Piioi to joining Aigonaut, Ni. Wignaiajah woikeu as the ieseaich
uiiectoi foi two political campaigns, as a management consultant auvising Foitune Suu
aeiospace anu uefense companies, anu as a policy auvisoi in the 0ffice of the
0nueisecietaiy of Befense foi Policy. Be also seiveu as an officei in the 0.S. Navy Civil
Engineei Coips with touis in uuantanamo Bay, Cuba, Baghuau, Iiaq, anu Washington, BC.
Be holus a Nastei of Business Auministiation fiom the NIT Sloan School of Nanagement,
wheie he helpeu manage the NIT $1uuK Business Plan competition, a Nastei of Public
Policy fiom the Baivaiu Kenneuy School of uoveinment, anu a Bacheloi of Science in
Computei Engineeiing, with honois, fiom Tulane 0niveisity.
d6/2> "*7$/.
}oiuy Albeit is an Associate foi the 0klahoma Life Science Funu, wheie he evaluates anu
assists a host of 0klahoma-baseu healthcaie staitup companies anu entiepieneuis. Be is
also the co-founuei of Acoustic Innovations foi Respiiation (AIR) a mobile health company
whose wholly-owneu subsiuiaiy, 0wlpal, has uevelopeu a softwaie application foi the
management of noctuinal asthma in chiluien. Bis ieseaich expeiience incluues conuucting
ieseaich on economic uevelopment at the state anu local level, both foi a political
campaign anu foi the 0klahoma State Tieasuiei. Ni. Albeit has seiveu as a pioject
managei foi Sway Neuical, a mobile health company that has uesigneu an FBA-cleaieu
softwaie application that can monitoi foi signs of musculoskeletal, neuiological, anu
vestibulai uysfunction.
Ni. Albeit is cuiiently in his final semestei at the 0niveisity of Tulsa, wheie he will
giauuate 8,)", 5*8 4,*2& two semesteis eaily with a uegiee in economics.
doc_835960605.pdf