Innovation & Job News: New strategic alliance aims to build on CLE's immigrant culture in high-tech world
Published on February 20, 2017, on Freshwater.com, by Douglas J. Guth
Startup accelerator Flashstarts has partnered with Global Cleveland in an effort to add international flair to Cleveland's entrepreneurial scene.
The new strategic alliance combines Flashstarts' expertise in startup and innovation with Global Cleveland's talent attraction endeavors. Officials backing the new venture also expect to deliver solutions for international entrepreneurs struggling with their immigration status.
"Global Cleveland is spreading the word about the city, while we're recruiting the best entrepreneurs we can find," says Charles Stack, CEO of Flashstarts, a technology/software accelerator and venture fund. "This program will allow us to draw talent from anywhere in the world”
The partnership also acts as a stepping stone for formation of a Flashstarts Global Entrepreneur-In-Residence (GEIR) program with Northeast Ohio universities, says Stack. Immigrant founders who apply to the program through Flashstarts will be chosen through a competitive selection process. Successful applicants then link up with a partner university in exchange for a cap-exempt H-1B visa, splitting work between the school and their startup.
"We'll offer them a spot in our accelerator program and give them $50,000 in exchange for equity," Stack says. "At a university they could be supporting an entrepreneur program, or recruiting students to the school from their home country."
Uncertainly over the Trump administration's immigration policy makes the partnership with Flashstarts a necessity, notes Jessica Whale, Global Cleveland's director of global talent and development.
"Getting proper visa status can be challenging," Whale said in a press release. "This program aligns perfectly with our vision of transforming Cleveland into an international hub of innovation.”
Proponents believe the collaboration can grow the region's job base and build wealth. Stack says the newly minted affiliation is especially unique due to Global Cleveland's robust links to immigrant brainpower.
"They have ties to countries and marketing opportunities all over the world," he says. "That's going to make what we're doing stand out."
Pending strong outcomes, the partners aim to expand their effort to universities throughout the region. Even one successful startup can create hundreds of jobs, a numbers game that heavily relies on the attraction of new talent.
"If we want to grow our employment base as a region, the way to do it is with startups," says Stack.
"Cleveland has always been a great city for immigrants. We want to continue that trend."
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February 20, 2017
Crain's editorial: Global edge
Published on February 19, 2017, on Crain's Cleveland Business
It's no secret Global Cleveland has grappled with relevance in recent years. In fact, before Joe Cimperman took the helm, dysfunction might have been the more appropriate term to describe the talent attraction nonprofit. Last week, however, a new initiative brought forth by Global Cleveland and the Flashstarts business accelerator is just the sort of entrepreneurial thinking we need more of in Northeast Ohio. The two organizations announced they're working together to create what will be…
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February 19, 2017
With H-1B visas, Flashstarts and Global Cleveland aim to lure foreign entrepreneurs to Northeast Ohio
Published on February 14, 2017, on Crain's Cleveland Business, by Chuck Soder
How will the Flashstarts business accelerator and Global Cleveland convince foreign entrepreneurs to move to Northeast Ohio? By dangling a particularly tasty carrot in front of them: an H-1B visa — one that isn't affected by a cap that limits how many of them are given out each year. The two organizations are working together to create what will be called the Flashstarts Global Entrepreneur-In-Residence program. They aim to recruit foreign entrepreneurs who would be interested in…
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February 14, 2017
Flashstarts Announces Partnership With Global Cleveland
Flashstarts, Cleveland’s startup accelerator has entered into a new partnership with Global Cleveland. Together, the two organizations which support innovation and entrepreneurship in one of Ohio’s biggest cities, hope to attract more international talent to the area.
The partnership meshes each organizations natural talent to form a more robust strategic plan to attract entrepreneurs.
Both organizations are looking to utilize the H-1B Visa as a tool to attract entrepreneurs from anywhere in the world. Right now though, they need to secure a partnership with a major university. As the H-1b Visa stands, the US State Department can issue a maximum of 65,000 H-1B visas per year to immigrants in the workforce. They can issue another 20,000 for people with advanced degrees. Last year there were 236,000 applicants for those visas. Those capped numbers don’t apply to colleges and universities.
Flashstarts and Global Cleveland are looking to create a global Entrepreneur In Residence Program. That person or persons would work for and train at the university for 20 hours a week and spend the rest of their time at Flashstarts. The Global Entrepreneur In Residence Program “aligns perfectly with Global Cleveland’s vision of transforming Cleveland into an international hub of innovation,” Jessica Whale, director of Global Talent and Economic Development at Global Cleveland, stated in the news release.
Time is running out for Flashstarts, Global Cleveland and any other organization be it public, private or corporate, that’s looking to use the H-1B visa as a tool. President Donald Trump has already drafted an executive order to mandate hiring first in the US before resorting to seeking out immigrants through the H-1B program. That order is only a draft at this time.
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February 14, 2017
