Blue North

Join us tomorrow, November 19th at 10 am for KY Innovation's Monthly Startup Resource Series! At this session: "Manufacturing Resources for Early-Stage Companies", Scott Broughton, executive director, will discuss the Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership (KY-MEP) and its new Catalyst Equipment Program. Plus, hear Emily Wehrle, director of operations at Awesome Inc., present updates from their innovation hub. Register now using the QR code or this link https://lnkd.in/gCaNBfTt KY-MEP is a statewide, nonprofit organization that offers assistance and training to help manufacturers of all sizes expand, enhance their manufacturing and business strategies, adopt advanced technologies, boost productivity, reduce costs, and improve competitiveness. Discover how their expertise and bridge capital can help your startup clients save both time and money. Join us each month for informative updates and conversations about what is happening in the entrepreneurial ecosystem across Kentucky. KY Innovation, in partnership with KSTC, and six regional KY Innovation Hubs, will share timely information on resources available to entrepreneurial service providers and their clients, as well as upcoming events and other ways to stay active in the ecosystem. The webinar will provide time for a Q&A. #startups #kentucky #kyinnovation

A little over two years ago, Blue North helped incubate a concept around Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) for our region. Fast forward to today and CincyETA (Entrepreneurship through Acquisition) has nearly 150 members interested in the concept of purchasing a small business. If that concept intrigues you, join us on December 4th at Braxton Brewing Cincinnati for our first Rolodex Event. #StartupCincy #KYInnovation #ETA #NewKentuckyHome

Our next NKY small business highlight of our Shop Local in November series is Better Blend! Better Blend is a company focused on wellness and changing how people eat healthily with nutritionally complete smoothies. Isaac founded Better Blend in 2018, setting out to offer its community fast, healthy options, that taste good but are nutrient-rich and made with clean ingredients. Much of Better Blend’s success is attributed to a strong internal culture. It’s about building a culture where the team operates with empathy. Better Blend received a grant from the NKY Entrepreneur Fund in 2023 which helped to fuel their Ambassador Program and feed hundreds of people while also giving them the opportunity to create inspiring content that helps their neighbors also eat healthy. Better Blend is opening its Highland Heights location (2885 Alexandria Way, Highland Heights, KY 41076) this Saturday, November 16th! You can also find Better Blend at multiple locations across Kentucky and Ohio! Here are a few you can visit in NKY: - Fort Mitchell (2510 Dixie Hwy, Fort Mitchell, KY 41017) - Florence (8181 Mall Road, Florence, KY 41042) - Independence (2044 Harris Pike, Independence, KY 41051) - Hebron (1990 N Bend Road, Hebron, KY 41048) Check out their website to find more locations! #ShopLocal Aviatra Accelerators INCUBATOR KITCHEN COLLECTIVE CO Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Kentucky Small Business Development Center U.S. Small Business Administration Better Blend Isaac Hamlin

We’re excited to highlight some of Northern Kentucky’s incredible small businesses during our Shop Local in November campaign, in partnership with Northern Kentucky business resource organizations Aviatra Accelerators, Incubator Kitchen Collective, the NKY Chamber of Commerce, and the Kentucky Small Business Development Center. Our first small business highlight is Golden Gelato! Golden Gelato is a small business located in Covington that makes all of its ice creams from scratch. Their gelatos are 100% natural and sorbets are 100% natural and vegan. Golden Gelato received a grant from the NKY Entrepreneur Fund in 2023 to purchase a new authentic Italian gelato cart for events and catering. Visit Golden Gelato in Covington to support NKY small businesses this November! Whether you’re holiday shopping or enjoying a night out, remember that every dollar spent locally makes a difference—did you know that 68% of money spent at small businesses stays within the community? Support businesses owned, operated, and fueled by our neighbors! Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Kentucky Small Business Development Center Aviatra Accelerators INCUBATOR KITCHEN COLLECTIVE CO #ShopLocal

Honoring the brave men and women who have served our country. Thank you, veterans, for your courage, sacrifice, and unwavering dedication. We are forever grateful for your service. @[DAV (Disabled American Veterans)](urn:li:organization:48969) @[Hiring Our Heroes](urn:li:organization:12628931) @[Alexander (Alex) Mumma](urn:li:person:Ix_JEh6NGQ) @[DAV Patriot Boot Camp](urn:li:organization:9303459) #thankyouveterans

Did you know that next week is National Veteran Small Business Week? We want to spread the word about the vast network of local resources available for our nation’s veteran and military entrepreneurs. Check out all the exciting resources for military entrepreneurs at https://lnkd.in/eZxXGcS. #VetBiz #NVSBW24 #NVSBW U.S. Small Business Administration

Reminder to RSVP for DAV’s Patriot’s Pitch Contest, presented by T-Mobile, and join us at 2:00 p.m. (Eastern) this Thursday, November 14, for an exciting competition between veterans. Three business owners will have a chance to pitch their business idea to a panel of judges for a chance to win funding for their ventures. RSVP: https://dav.la/40BdQPq. Listed below are the pitch competitors from the DAV Patriot Boot Camp Fall 2024 cohort and the businesses that they represent. Ché Houston – Che'Rene' Macarons & More Frederick Griffin (PMP) & Anna Maria Griffin - Ebony Tree Farms Rebecca Edmondson – Priority Medical Group

October is IP Month in Kentucky! Help us celebrate with the Kentucky Intellectual Property Alliance (KYIPA) the recent proclamation designating October 2024 as Kentucky Intellectual Property Month, signed by Governor Andy Beshear. KYIPA is a community of professionals, attorneys, educators, and inventors who collaborate to promote ideation and IP. We have decided to highlight a few of our NKY Entrepreneurs who have Intellectual Property, however, there are many more in our community with IP. -Savewave Tech has both trademark and copywrite IP, as well as provisional patents on the design and utility of the Safewave Band. -Narratize AI has a trademark on both their name and logo -Flamel.ai has copywrite -Ecoshell LLC is in the process of trademarking the name Ecoshell. They have exclusive representation for the patented material and process their company works with. They are also in the process of developing a new material that they will patent -- a plastic compound made from eggshells, recycled plastic, and sunflower seeds as a natural dye. Want to know more about Kentucky IP? Visit kyipa.org Know any other NKY companies with IP? List them in the comments below! Kentucky Intellectual Property Alliance (KYIPA) Kentucky Commercialization Ventures Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation (KSTC) Flamel.ai Narratize Ecoshell LLC Safewave Technology #IPMonth #kyinovation

Don't forget to register and attend the online presentation of the Kentucky Innovation Hubs Quarterly Update, TODAY at 10 am! Join us for an online presentation of the 1st Quarter Fiscal Year 2025 summary results from Blue North and the other five Kentucky Innovation Hubs. You'll hear from Hub leaders as they share some of their amazing results and the impact each group has on Kentucky's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Register using the QR code or this link https://lnkd.in/gMYp5_Ad