Description
With this brief file regarding grant from blackstone charitable foundation to support entrepreneurship and innovation.
NEWS RELEASE
Launch NY ? Center for Excellence ? 701 Ellicott Street ? Buffalo, New York 14203
Visit us at www.launchny.org
Launch NY Awarded $125,000 Grant from Blackstone Charitable Foundation
to Support Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Upstate New York, February 7, 2014 - The Blackstone Charitable Foundation today awarded Launch
New York (Launch NY) a grant of $125,000 to fund The Entrepreneur Institute. The grant is one of 17
being made through the second annual Blackstone Organizational Grants Program, which targets
organizations that focus on entrepreneurship and innovation. A total of $1.6 million is being awarded in
2014. Through this competitive program, The Blackstone Charitable Foundation is helping innovative
organizations that directly support entrepreneurs to pilot, expand or replicate projects or programs that
will catalyze the growth of successful businesses, industries, and communities.
The Launch NY Entrepreneur Institute will help develop the entrepreneurial ecosystem by building and
enhancing relationships between existing resource providers in Upstate New York and by collaborating
with and supporting activities that expand the reach and effectiveness of their resources and services.
“At Blackstone, we believe that a robust global economy depends upon a pipeline of creative, talented,
and inspired entrepreneurs,” said Amy Stursberg, Executive Director of the Blackstone Charitable
Foundation. “Through this program, we are able to direct the Foundation’s resources towards helping
entrepreneurship flourish across the nation and globally, and support entrepreneurs on a path toward
innovation and discovery.”
“Launch NY is proud that The Blackstone Charitable Foundation recognized the innovative approach
Upstate New York leaders developed to support and improve the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,”
said Al Culliton, Interim CEO of Launch NY. “Blackstone’s support of the Entrepreneur Institute will
help Launch NY leverage our region’s resources, sponsor new outreach initiatives, and bolster the Upstate
New York entrepreneurial network.”
“Our goal is to identify and support potential high growth, high impact start-up companies and help them
access the coaching, tools, services and other supports available in our region for their ultimate success,”
said Chris Dunstan, Chairman of the Launch NY Board of Directors. “Upstate New York already
produces a number of high-potential start-ups, the Blackstone grant will help improve our ability to make
sure they get the assistance they need to grow, create jobs, and become a part of the Upstate economy.”
The Entrepreneur Institute will connect entrepreneurs, resource providers, and investors; evaluate,
promote, and expand the best existing programs and services; create new programs and services where
appropriate; increase entrepreneur participation in those programs & services by expanding access and
improving marketing; and increase the participation of women, minorities and other underserved
populations in entrepreneurship. Launch NY has already unveiled a website
(www.upstatenyresources.org) to serve as a resource for entrepreneurs that is being run in partnership
with the Innovation Hub (iHub) Accelerator – which operates under the auspices of the University at
Buffalo Center for Industrial Effectiveness.
(more)
Launch NY ? Center for Excellence ? 701 Ellicott Street ? Buffalo, New York 14203
Visit us at www.launchny.org
The Entrepreneur Institute will take advantage of Launch NY Entrepreneurs–in-Residence (EIR’s) that
are located strategically across the region. Each EIR has substantial business experience starting and
growing new businesses and are highly-engaged within their communities. Acting as Launch NY’s boots
on the ground, each EIR is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with local agencies and
providers, in addition to maintaining an active portfolio of prospect and supported companies. They meet
with entrepreneurs regularly, taking an active interest in helping them navigate the start-up process, and
are the primary Launch NY representatives at regional events and activities, some of which Launch NY
has taken a sponsoring role.
The grantees were selected through a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued by the Blackstone Charitable
Foundation as part of its 5-year, $50 million Entrepreneurship Initiative.
About The Blackstone Charitable Foundation
The Blackstone Charitable Foundation was founded at the time of The Blackstone Group’s Initial Public
Offering in 2007 with substantial commitments from the Firm’s employees. Influenced by the
enterprising heritage of the firm and its founders, The Blackstone Charitable Foundation is directing its
resources and applying the intellectual capital of the firm to foster entrepreneurship in areas hardest hit by
the global economic crisis. Through its investment expertise across several asset classes and geographies,
Blackstone has a unique perspective on the global economy and a heightened understanding of how
entrepreneurial activity is often the crucial catalyst in the growth of successful businesses, industries and
communities. (For more information, see www.blackstone.com/CharitableFoundation.htm)
About Launch New York
The mission of Launch New York, Inc. (Launch NY) is to identify, support and invest in high-growth,
high-impact companies and catalyze the entrepreneurial culture in the 27 counties comprising Upstate
New York through regional collaboration with ecosystem partners and through direct contact with
individual entrepreneurial start-ups. Launch NY is a new 501(c)(3) non-profit venture development
organization that promotes economic development activities and uses best-practices, proven activities of
experienced business mentoring, and pre-venture capital investing in order to create venture capital-ready
(deal-ready) companies which have the promise to create significant economic wealth and jobs for our
region. (For more information, see www.launchny.org)
Launch NY was formed as a result of a collaboration between stakeholders and regional economic
development leaders in Upstate New York to create successful, sustainable strategies that would foster
entrepreneurial success across the entire 27-county area and break down silos between organizations and
cities. Launch NY was created to implement the resulting Upstate New York Regional Entrepreneurship
Action Plan (REAP)
Contact:
Launch NY
Al Culliton, Interim CEO
(716) 479-4292
[email protected]
Chris Dunstan, Chairman
(585) 261-1994
[email protected]
Michael Benzin, Development Director
(716) 316-1090
[email protected]
Blackstone
Oriane Schwartzman
(212) 390-2250
[email protected]
doc_157671950.pdf
With this brief file regarding grant from blackstone charitable foundation to support entrepreneurship and innovation.
NEWS RELEASE
Launch NY ? Center for Excellence ? 701 Ellicott Street ? Buffalo, New York 14203
Visit us at www.launchny.org
Launch NY Awarded $125,000 Grant from Blackstone Charitable Foundation
to Support Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Upstate New York, February 7, 2014 - The Blackstone Charitable Foundation today awarded Launch
New York (Launch NY) a grant of $125,000 to fund The Entrepreneur Institute. The grant is one of 17
being made through the second annual Blackstone Organizational Grants Program, which targets
organizations that focus on entrepreneurship and innovation. A total of $1.6 million is being awarded in
2014. Through this competitive program, The Blackstone Charitable Foundation is helping innovative
organizations that directly support entrepreneurs to pilot, expand or replicate projects or programs that
will catalyze the growth of successful businesses, industries, and communities.
The Launch NY Entrepreneur Institute will help develop the entrepreneurial ecosystem by building and
enhancing relationships between existing resource providers in Upstate New York and by collaborating
with and supporting activities that expand the reach and effectiveness of their resources and services.
“At Blackstone, we believe that a robust global economy depends upon a pipeline of creative, talented,
and inspired entrepreneurs,” said Amy Stursberg, Executive Director of the Blackstone Charitable
Foundation. “Through this program, we are able to direct the Foundation’s resources towards helping
entrepreneurship flourish across the nation and globally, and support entrepreneurs on a path toward
innovation and discovery.”
“Launch NY is proud that The Blackstone Charitable Foundation recognized the innovative approach
Upstate New York leaders developed to support and improve the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,”
said Al Culliton, Interim CEO of Launch NY. “Blackstone’s support of the Entrepreneur Institute will
help Launch NY leverage our region’s resources, sponsor new outreach initiatives, and bolster the Upstate
New York entrepreneurial network.”
“Our goal is to identify and support potential high growth, high impact start-up companies and help them
access the coaching, tools, services and other supports available in our region for their ultimate success,”
said Chris Dunstan, Chairman of the Launch NY Board of Directors. “Upstate New York already
produces a number of high-potential start-ups, the Blackstone grant will help improve our ability to make
sure they get the assistance they need to grow, create jobs, and become a part of the Upstate economy.”
The Entrepreneur Institute will connect entrepreneurs, resource providers, and investors; evaluate,
promote, and expand the best existing programs and services; create new programs and services where
appropriate; increase entrepreneur participation in those programs & services by expanding access and
improving marketing; and increase the participation of women, minorities and other underserved
populations in entrepreneurship. Launch NY has already unveiled a website
(www.upstatenyresources.org) to serve as a resource for entrepreneurs that is being run in partnership
with the Innovation Hub (iHub) Accelerator – which operates under the auspices of the University at
Buffalo Center for Industrial Effectiveness.
(more)
Launch NY ? Center for Excellence ? 701 Ellicott Street ? Buffalo, New York 14203
Visit us at www.launchny.org
The Entrepreneur Institute will take advantage of Launch NY Entrepreneurs–in-Residence (EIR’s) that
are located strategically across the region. Each EIR has substantial business experience starting and
growing new businesses and are highly-engaged within their communities. Acting as Launch NY’s boots
on the ground, each EIR is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with local agencies and
providers, in addition to maintaining an active portfolio of prospect and supported companies. They meet
with entrepreneurs regularly, taking an active interest in helping them navigate the start-up process, and
are the primary Launch NY representatives at regional events and activities, some of which Launch NY
has taken a sponsoring role.
The grantees were selected through a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued by the Blackstone Charitable
Foundation as part of its 5-year, $50 million Entrepreneurship Initiative.
About The Blackstone Charitable Foundation
The Blackstone Charitable Foundation was founded at the time of The Blackstone Group’s Initial Public
Offering in 2007 with substantial commitments from the Firm’s employees. Influenced by the
enterprising heritage of the firm and its founders, The Blackstone Charitable Foundation is directing its
resources and applying the intellectual capital of the firm to foster entrepreneurship in areas hardest hit by
the global economic crisis. Through its investment expertise across several asset classes and geographies,
Blackstone has a unique perspective on the global economy and a heightened understanding of how
entrepreneurial activity is often the crucial catalyst in the growth of successful businesses, industries and
communities. (For more information, see www.blackstone.com/CharitableFoundation.htm)
About Launch New York
The mission of Launch New York, Inc. (Launch NY) is to identify, support and invest in high-growth,
high-impact companies and catalyze the entrepreneurial culture in the 27 counties comprising Upstate
New York through regional collaboration with ecosystem partners and through direct contact with
individual entrepreneurial start-ups. Launch NY is a new 501(c)(3) non-profit venture development
organization that promotes economic development activities and uses best-practices, proven activities of
experienced business mentoring, and pre-venture capital investing in order to create venture capital-ready
(deal-ready) companies which have the promise to create significant economic wealth and jobs for our
region. (For more information, see www.launchny.org)
Launch NY was formed as a result of a collaboration between stakeholders and regional economic
development leaders in Upstate New York to create successful, sustainable strategies that would foster
entrepreneurial success across the entire 27-county area and break down silos between organizations and
cities. Launch NY was created to implement the resulting Upstate New York Regional Entrepreneurship
Action Plan (REAP)
Contact:
Launch NY
Al Culliton, Interim CEO
(716) 479-4292
[email protected]
Chris Dunstan, Chairman
(585) 261-1994
[email protected]
Michael Benzin, Development Director
(716) 316-1090
[email protected]
Blackstone
Oriane Schwartzman
(212) 390-2250
[email protected]
doc_157671950.pdf