WE ARE ALL IN FOR ST. LOUIS Arch Grants Entrepreneurs Photogragh by Barbi Macon AND YOU MAKE IT POSSIBLE 2014 Annual Report JANUARY 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2014 Arch Grants creates an entrepreneurial culture and infrastructure to build successful companies in St. Louis. WHAT Your generosity accelerates economic development and community revitalization by providing $50,000 equity-free grants and pro bono support services to entrepreneurs willing to locate their early-stage businesses in St. Louis. HOW Your financial support funds Arch Grants’ rigorously competitive Global Startup Competition which retains and attracts the most innovative entrepreneurs to the St. Louis region. WHY This program is an aggressive effort to inspire the next generation of employers, civic leaders, and philanthropists for St. Louis. THANK YOU You make our work possible, and we are so grateful for your support. MISSION ALL IN for ST. LOUIS “Arch Grants is a game- changer. It’s transforming our entrepreneur scene and attracting international attention for the jobs startups create, the revenue they generate, and the follow-on capital they attract. With Arch Grants, I know St. Louis will continue to grow as a hub of innovation by attracting and retaining companies we have never seen before. ” FRANCIS G. SLAY, MAYOR OF ST. LOUIS , St. Louis was founded by entrepreneurs and immigrants. This Annual Report celebrates you, our donors, and the next generation of entrepreneurs and immigrants who are, once again, defining our region’s future. In 2014, your generosity enabled Arch Grants to host its third Global Startup Competition. At the same time, St. Louis observed its 250th Anniversary. This publication celebrates two of our region’s longest traditions: entrepreneurship and philanthropy. Arch Grants leverages both traditions to retain and attract talented entrepreneurs committed to building their businesses in St. Louis. Auguste Choteau and Pierre Laclede established the City of St. Louis for the fur trade when fur trading dominated the Western U.S. economy. Adam Lemp and Adolphus Busch used St. Louis’ geology and geography to their advantage as pioneers who put American brewing on the map. 33% , Annie Malone was a chemist who became the mother of the African American beauty industry, America’s first black female millionaire, and Founder of Poro College. She did all of this before women had the right to vote! And Samuel Cupples leveraged St. Louis’ central location to revolutionize the shipping industry. In so doing, he amassed a fortune that helped build the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. These historic entrepreneurs are among many who underwrote the expansion of rail, industry, and philanthropy throughout St. Louis. They were all civic leaders, and their businesses made St. Louis a hub of innovation and the Gateway to the West. To this day, St. Louis bears the stamp of their business success and generosity: Laclede’s Landing, Chouteau Avenue, the Lemp Mansion, Anheuser-Busch, the Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center, Cupples Station, and Samuel Cupples Hall at Washington University in St. Louis. You are helping St. Louis attract a new generation of philanthropists and civic leaders to our region. Thank you for being “all in” for St. Louis. archgrants.org | WE ARE ALL IN 1 St. Louis University Launched its Center for Entrepreneurship “Upon graduating, young alumni are making decisions about where they want to begin their careers. Many recent graduates are choosing cities with vibrant, successful entrepreneurial communities – which includes St. Louis. Retaining these young people provides numerous and broad-ranging benefits – economic, cultural, social – paying dividends to everyone in our region.” FRED P. PESTELLO, Ph.D., PRESIDENT OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY 1994 The Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC) Founded 1998 The Center for Emerging Technologies (CET) Founded 1998 The Danforth Plant Science Center Founded Washington University Launched the Skandalaris Center in Partnership with the Kauffman Foundation “Truly exceptional institutions attract and grow some of the best talent that the world has to offer. The potential for those individuals to impact the local community is immense. Engaging and retaining our best minds from institutions like Washington University requires a partnership with organizations like Arch Grants to underscore what we all believe – St. Louis is one of the best places in the world to build and grow.” MARK WRIGHTON, Ph.D., CHANCELLOR OF WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS ALL IN as a COMMUNITY The presence of tech accelerators is essential to the stability and growth of our startup community. A terrific local example is Capital Innovators, which is ranked 6th overall among the nation’s 40 top accelerator programs by TechCrunch. BioGenerator Launched “Arch Grants is an important part of the new, vibrant St. Louis technology startup ecosystem. It is performing a valuable role in providing early funding and support for exciting, high quality, innovative companies for the St. Louis of the future. Arch Grants is a clarion call for our region to become a leader in leveraging 21st Century technologies to build the foundation for robust growth in a future-oriented economy.” JOHN MCDONNELL, CHAIRMAN OF BIOSTL Innovate St. Louis Launched by the St. Louis Regional Chamber ITEN Launched “ITEN is proud to partner with Arch Grants in providing mentorship and programming to tech companies receiving their funding. The collaboration between our organizations is but one example of why St. Louis continues to show up on national lists as a great place to locate a growing company. “ FRANCIS CHMELIR, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS OF ITEN 2 archgrants.org | JANUARY 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2014 Arch Grants Founded “The founding vision of Arch Grants is to be a game changing program for St. Louis. It arose out of a desire to create a new narrative about St. Louis as a center of innovation and opportunity where entrepreneurs can build great companies to compete in the global economy. JEROME J. SCHLICHTER, CHAIRMAN AND CO-FOUNDER OF ARCH GRANTS FOUNDING AND MANAGING PARTNER OF SCHLICHTER BOGARD AND DENTON LLP T-REX Founded In addition to a robust network of accelerators, we need an equally robust network of affordable co-working spaces. T-REX houses Arch Grants, Capital Innovators, Cultivation Capital, ITEN, Prosper Women Entrepreneurs Startup Accelerator, SixThirty, and over 100 startup companies in an affordable office environment and supportive community specifically designed for early stage companies. Capital Innovators Launched “The St. Louis startup community continues to grow because of the joint effort of amazing organizations in the region. It’s a tight network that facilitates the growth of new companies. The connections and expertise that Arch Grants provides are fundamental in continuing to attract high quality companies to the area.” BRIAN DIXON, PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL INNOVATORS Startup Weekend Launched StartLouis Launched Missouri IDEA Funds Launched “New and young companies are the primary source of job creation in America. Companies that are less than one-yearold have created an average of 1.5 million jobs per year over the past three-decades. Furthermore, new businesses account for nearly all net new job creation and almost 20% of gross job creation.” THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUNG FIRMS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, JASON WIENS AND CHRIS JACKSON, THE KAUFFMAN FOUNDATION, 9/25/2014 Cultivation Capital Formed Tech Fund Cultivation Capital is among the 12 “Big Money Venture Players” in the Midwest as ranked by Forbes. The fact Forbes ranks venture capital firms in the Midwest validates what Cultivation Capital already knows – Missouri and the Midwest are more than flyover country. For investors, Missouri and the Midwest are emerging markets. League of Independent Workspaces Founded Cambridge Innovation Center Expands to St. Louis St. Louis is the first point of expansion for Cambridge Innovation Center outside of Boston. CIC has a record of housing incredibly successful tech startups. Companies originally headquartered at CIC have raised $2B in venture capital and strategic investment since 2001. These same companies have created between $3.5B and $4.3B in publicly disclosed exit value since 2001. archgrants.org | WE ARE ALL IN 3 $14,700,000 in revenue generated by Arch Grants startups 234 jobs retained in Missouri by Arch Grants startups in St. Louis $45,800,000 in follow on funding attracted by Arch Grants startups as of 12/31/2014 This is the Show Me State! Arch Grants Entrepreneurs are creating jobs, generating revenue, and attracting follow-on capital. Since 2012, $3.1 million in grants have been awarded to 55 startups. Of those, 50 are still in business. Of the 50 still in business, 47 remain in the St. Louis region. 4 archgrants.org | JANUARY 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2014 How This Company Is Looking to Rebrand a Whole City By Melanie Spring W hile helping startups succeed has been rewarding for Arch Grants, helping rebrand the city of St. Louis as an entrepreneurial ecosystem may have been its biggest accomplishment. ALL IN for RESULTS February 2014 Businessweek Wanted: More Startups in St. Louis Reward: $50,000 By Nick Lieber A rch Grants gets the money into the company’s hands at a very, very early stage in a city where entrepreneurs get more for their money in rent and employee salaries, compared to higher-cost cities such as San Francisco or New York. December 2013 Arch Grants: Transforming St. Louis Into America’s Next Startup City By Brent Beshore A rch Grants networks its entrepreneurs within St. Louis groups that are relevant to their businesses. It also offers a robust portfolio of pro bono service providers in legal, accounting, marketing, and IT support. January 2014 archgrants.org | WE ARE ALL IN 5 ALL IN for COLLABORATION to ensure SUCCESS Arch Grants Entrepreneurs make the most of St. Louis’ growing network of entrepreneur support organizations, accelerators, and funding sources. GRAEMATTER ----- Melissa Walker ----2012 Arch Grants Entrepreneur ROVERTOWN ----- Jeffry Harrison --------- Mike Philip --------- Michael Rzeznik ----- 2013 Arch Grants Entrepreneurs Arch Grants Entrepreneurs are contributing to a positive narrative about St. Louis that advances St. Louis’ traditions of entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and innovation. 6 archgrants.org | JANUARY 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2014 IMMUNOPHOTONICS ---------------- Lu Alleruzzo------------------------------- Tomas Hode---------------2013 Arch Grants Entrepreneurs JURISTAT ----- Drew Winship ----- 2013 Arch Grants Entrepreneur St. Louis’ startup community is creating a resurgent metropolis: a city of innovation and cutting-edge ideas. The region’s network of entrepreneur support organizations work together to ensure new companies can compete in the global economy, and put St. Louis on the international map as a great place to build a business. MATERIAL MIX ------ Allison Carmen -----2012 Arch Grants Entrepreneur The money that Arch Grants provides, in the form of equity-free grants, is one strategy to fuel the development of innovative technologies and new ways of doing things. The quality of the entrepreneurs retained and attracted by Arch Grants is most important, and they are “all in” for the future of St. Louis. archgrants.org | WE ARE ALL IN 7 ALL IN for the OPPORTUNITY YOU PROVIDE Your generosity is shaping the future of St. Louis. The following pages highlight a few of the Arch Grants Entrepreneurs who are in St. Louis in part because of your support. You are helping to transform St. Louis into a hub of innovation through entrepreneurship and philanthropy. Arch Grants’ portfolio of In 2014, Arch Grant Since 2012, donors like you startups is diverse and inclusive. Entrepreneurs came from have enabled Arch Grants to Of the total number of startups England, Colombia, Boston, award $3.1 million in grants. funded since 2012, 40% are San Francisco, Milwaukee, Over 1,600 applicants from minority-led, 29% are womenMinneapolis, Chicago, 40 states and 20 countries led, and 29% are immigrant-led.* and Missouri. have applied. * Arch Grants defines minority, women, and immigrant-led companies as businesses where at least one owner and at least one member of the management team is a minority, woman, or immigrant. ALL IN for DESIGN THINKING “T his is the coolest greeting card you’ll ever send.” BRIT+CO “A simple, easy, and very adorable way to say ‘I’m thinking of you.’” REAL SIMPLE “Greetabl puts cards back into the center of the celebration.” FAST COMPANY Joe Fischer and Zoë Scharf, co-founders of greetabl, have forever changed how we will send a greeting card in the mail. Even Martha Stewart’s team noticed when they selected greetabl as a 2014 Finalist in the Martha Stewart American Made Contest. 8 archgrants.org KANSAS CITY HAS HALLMARK, ST. LOUIS HAS GREETABL Greetabl is a greeting card that is guaranteed to make you smile. It is a fun and memorable way to connect with the important people in your life, and greetabl complements all types of gifts from the silly to the sincere. The secret is in the packaging. | JANUARY 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2014 Scharf and Fischer have perfected the blend of greeting card and gift box into one clever product that can be personalized with a custom message. “Greetabl appeals to a lot of people because it is real handwriting with a fun gift and thoughtful message that is artfully packaged,” says Scharf. Photograph by Rebecca Barr, Tu Square Studio The Arch Grants opportunity, with all of the professional support and the funding, was a huge turning point for greetabl. “It boosted us from ‘that cute little box company’ to a real player in the startup scene,” says Scharf. Apparently, the press agrees! 2014 ARCH GRANTS STARTUPS Artifox theartifox.com Artifox is a product development company on a mission to create quality goods adapted for the modern world. The team’s first product, the tech-ready Desk 01, launched in 2014 to widespread acclaim. Shipments have now gone international and additional products will be released in the summer of 2015. benjamin (formerly ephecom) benjaminapp.co With benjamin, the end-user receives targeted discounts on the products that they love and sixty seconds to decide whether to buy or pass. This direct access is an innovative way for vendors to move unsold inventory in a more effective and efficient way while maintaining product margins. The native mobile applications release on iOS and Android in 2015. Betaversity betaversity.com Betaversity offers BetaBox, a maker lab in a shipping container, and Atlas, a job-matching tool targeted at engineers used by companies including Texas Instruments and IBM. Betaversity’s clients include over 25 universities across the country, including Duke, UC Davis, and Washington University in St. Louis. Blue Line Security Solutions bluelinesecuritysolutions.com Blue Line Security Solutions is a software company founded by former military and police professionals who are integrating proven crime prevention methods with new technologies to overcome some of today’s most challenging security issues. The First Line Facial Recognition System provides an affordable threat detection and access control solution for schools, businesses, and law enforcement. Blue Line Security Solutions received the St. Louis County Port Authority Arch Grant through the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. Cast castapp.co Cast is a free iPhone app that allows people to create questions and gather answers from an audience in real-time. It’s an immersive experience for friends and families that want to settle a debate, or companies that want to receive structured input from their core demographic. Cast is an engaging way to create public or private questions, and receive real-time answers from friends while on the go. Dabble dabble.co Dabble is an online marketplace for classes in the community. The platform enables users to find, teach, and host classes across a broad range of subjects. Dabble currently connects over 30,000 users in cities around the world helping lifelong learners meet new people and try new things. Everyone in St. Louis seems to want you to succeed and is willing to help you do so. From huge corporations to industry mentors, we’ve received a level of support that we hadn’t experienced prior to moving to St. Louis. TY BENEFIEL, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND CO-FOUNDER OF METERGENIUS archgrants.org | WE ARE ALL IN 9 CODE RED IS GOING INTERNATIONAL! Currently, Code Red’s curriculum is available in the U.S., India, and Nigeria. More international expansion is anticipated following a report from the European Commission warning that a lack of basic coding skills could result in Europe facing a shortage of up to 900,000 information and communications technology professionals by 2020. Computer Weekly July 2014 Combating the Computer Science Education Gap In the U.S., 9 out of 10 high schools do not offer computer science classes. Additionally, in 33 of 50 states, computer science classes do not count towards high school math or science graduation requirements. Code.org and U.S. News and World Report December 2013 The Need for Coders Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show, that by 2020, there will be 1.4 million new computer science jobs, but only 400,000 computer science students. The number of computer science jobs is growing at a pace two times the national average for job growth. Code.org Code Red’s curriculum will be in over 115 schools in 2015 - up from 62 in 2014. 10 archgrants.org | JANUARY 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2014 “O ur young people need access to career training in fields that pay a living wage, and Code Red’s curriculum is an important workforce development tool because it pairs coding with essential job readiness training. As a former teacher, Michael Palmer is especially adept at teaching faculty how to deliver technical lessons in a way that opens up career opportunities for students regardless of family income or zip code.” K ATHY OSBORN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE REGIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL ALL IN for WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TEACHING LOCAL STUDENTS HOW TO CODE Today’s high school graduates typically see only one track toward success— college, debt, and no guarantee of a job,” says Michael Palmer of Code Red. “Code Red aims to make it possible for both high school and college graduates to work anywhere.” Michael Palmer, a former teacher in the FergusonFlorissant School District, began using his knowledge of HTML code to help students better connect with their coursework. His experience in the classroom led him to found Code Red. enables teachers to provide computer language and coding instruction to students in grades K-12. The program fosters the logical reasoning and technical proficiency required to pursue tech careers upon graduation from high school. “When I showed my students the basics of coding, they felt so confident,” he says. “These kids, and others like them, were going to need jobs after high school. They had the interest and ability to learn how to write code. I wanted to provide all of them with career options whether they were college bound or not.” Code Red’s curriculum Code Red provides ongoing teacher training to ensure students demonstrate progress year-over-year, and currently serves 62 schools including the St. Louis Public Schools. Code Red’s partnership with SLPS is made possible in part with funding provided by the Regional Business Council through the St. Louis Public Schools Foundation. “There is going to be a shortage of about one million programmers in the next five years,” says Palmer. “By developing human capital in St. Louis, we create a pool of talented programmers for our business community.” Palmer emphasizes “our.” Palmer, a native of St. Louis, is very happy to have launched Code Red in his hometown. “Arch Grants kept us here. The equity-free grant and network are invaluable, and this community has bent over backwards to push the connections we need.” archgrants.org Photograph by Rebecca Barr, Tu Square Studio | WE ARE ALL IN 11 2014 ARCH GRANTS STARTUPS FreightGrid freightgrid.com FreightGrid helps shippers and trucking companies automate some of the most time-consuming aspects of running their businesses. FreightGrid enables trucking companies to leverage state of the art web technology to speed up billing processes and provide their customers access to rates, tracking and historical data. For shippers, FreightGrid software provides unprecedented access to rate comparisons, BOL creation, consignee communications and reporting. Jolt joltsensor.com Jolt makes a wearable multi-sport head impact sensor. The sensor provides immediate feedback to athletes, keeping them aware of head impacts as they happen. And the connected mobile app enables parents, coaches, and trainers to track their athletes’ impacts in real time. Less Annoying CRM lessannoyingcrm.com greetabl greetabl.com At greetabl, we help people make people smile by sending fun sentiments for any occasion. Our patented greeting box elevates a personal message into a surprising and delightful gift that pairs perfectly with gift cards and small treats. The team at greetabl can help you create customized greeting boxes for special occasions and events; or branded themes for your company, all made with recycled materials in Missouri. Less Annoying CRM is a customer relationship management software designed specifically for the small business market. The software focuses on simplicity and ease-of-use so that businesses without IT resources can easily manage contacts, calendar, leads, and more in a single web-based system. Less Annoying CRM received the Peabody Energy Arch Grant. Lifepack papelyco.com Hyde hydesportswear.com Hyde is a sporting equipment manufacturer and the developer of the Wingman, a first of its kind inflation vest for paddlers, surfers, and triathletes. The Wingman allows for full mobility and offers the user peace of mind. PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF 2012 & 2013 ARCH GRANTS ENTREPRENEURS. 12 archgrants.org | JANUARY 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2014 Lifepack produces plates made of natural fibers (pineapple crown) and seeds that can germinate and are 100% biodegradable. Close to 70% of plates germinate after one week, thus contributing to the reduction of GHG emissions since they substitute polymer products such as plastic and foam. Lifepack received the Monsanto Corporation Arch Grant. Made for Freedom madeforfreedom.com Made for Freedom is a fashion company with a social mission to provide dignified employment for marginalized women and sex trafficking survivors. ALL IN for COMING HOME ENTREPRENEUR EXPANDS FROM LONDON TO ST. LOUIS “B etsy and the Betsy Fore started her business, Wondermento, in London, and returned to her Midwestern roots when it came time to expand to the United States. Wondermento team have used their superior creativity and innovation skills to develop products that truly resonate with consumers. They are proven product developers with a long runway for success.” With the support of Arch Grants, Fore has made enviable traction. Forbes listed Fore among their 30 Under 30 in Manufacturing, NBC included Wondermento among the Top 10 Companies at the International Consumer Electronics Show, and Tech Cocktail featured Wondermento among its picks for the Top Ten Startups at the SXSW Trade Show. Wondermento’s first product is WonderWoof: a fashionable bow tie that doubles as a tracking device, making it possible for doting pet parents to monitor their pets 24/7. Fore knows her market. There are over 80 million dog owners in the U.S., and she is one of them thanks to her canine companion named Whisky. With a clever app, WonderWoof subscribers receive updates on their cell phones, can monitor exercise, and schedule reminders for their pup to play, eat, and take medications. DAVE PEACOCK, CIVIC LEADER Photograph by Wesley Law As a native Midwesterner, it is a thrill to watch my business grow and thrive in St. Louis. It is an exciting time to be an entrepreneur here. Arch Grants has really helped bring WonderWoof to the next level.” - BETSY FORE archgrants.org | WE ARE ALL IN 13 Called by some observers a “Ferrari for data scientists,” simMachines has been featured in Forbes, and MIT Technology Review named Müller-Molina one of the Leading Innovators Under 35 from Central America. ALL IN for MAKING GEEK, CHIC WORLD-CLASS DATA SCIENTIST FROM COSTA RICA PUTS ST. LOUIS ON THE MAP Photograph by Charlie Barnes If there is a data equivalent to oil, it is big data. Entrepreneur Dr. Arnoldo Müller-Molina specializes in big data, and his company simMachines provides stateof-the-art similarity search tools in multiple markets. With clients like Deloitte, IBM, ICANN, Stanford University, Microsoft, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, simMachines expects sales to spike from $250,000 in 2014 to a projected $2.5 million in 2015. SimMachines’ technology has been utilized internationally, and in February 2014 14 archgrants.org | JANUARY 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2014 simMachines predicted the outcome of Costa Rica’s general election several days before it happened using content from 12,400 tweets. One year later, simMachines, in collaboration with JASGlobal Advisors, helped Microsoft resolve a security bug that would have put millions of Internet users at risk. “We must fulfill our purpose: to discover, to recommend, and to predict. We intend to keep working on products and new services based on our core technology. Each project will solve a problem and/or provide something new to society,” says Müller-Molina. 2014 ARCH GRANTS STARTUPS MeterGenius metergenius.com Talariant talariant.com MeterGenius is an online tool to help consumers take control of their electricity bills. MeterGenius’ technology predicts the user’s electricity use, and tells consumers how to make easy fixes and energy upgrades to encourage greater efficiency. Users can compare their energy usage to their neighbors, and earn points and rewards by being more efficient. Talariant is an emerging medical device and pharmaceutical innovator focusing on improving the delivery of care. An initial product line will focus on simplicity and compliance in ophthalmic surgeries. Tallyfy tallyfy.com Nanopore Diagnostics nanoporedx.com Nanopore Diagnostics is a bio-tech company that is developing a rapid microbial diagnostic test to identify and speciate a pathogen in only 30 minutes. Current technologies require days to achieve similar results. Nanopore Diagnostic’s test will enable a physician, during an initial examination, to determine if an antibiotic is necessary, and what antibiotic would be ideal. Nanopore Diagnostics received the St. Louis County Port Authority Arch Grant through the St. Louis Econonomic Development Partnership. Tallyfy is a powerful checklist app to build, run, and track business processes. The software makes sure that processes are always done right. It works on any device, in real-time. It’s designed to make recurring processes more accurate and efficient. Tuloko tuloko.com Tuloko is a web-based marketplace that lets consumers, corporations, and government agencies connect with minority and womenowned businesses (M/WBE). Tuloko is the Angie’s List of the M/WBE business market. Prattle Analytics prattle-analytics.com Prattle Analytics utilizes proprietary textual analysis methods to revolutionize the way financial professionals analyze market chatter. Their core product, The Fed Playbook, is the only commercially available tradable source for comprehensive, unbiased and quantitative data on central bank communications. Wondermento wondermento.com Wondermento is a full-service technology company that designs and manufactures apps and connected hardware devices. The debut product, WonderWoof, is a dog tracking app and device that tracks your dog’s daily activity based on their size, breed, and age to be sure that they are getting the proper amount of exercise. Entrepreneurs, at the most basic level, are looking to make a difference. This goes beyond business, beyond product, and in St. Louis, it extends to community. I absolutely feel that my peers and I are all-in for St. Louis. BLAKE MARGGRAFF, CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER OF BETAVERSITY archgrants.org | WE ARE ALL IN 15 “T he first moment I met Ola, I sensed his drive to grow his business as well as to help the larger St. Louis entrepreneurial community. His excitement as a serial entrepreneur is contagious. He is a beacon to all entrepreneurs, and especially immigrant entrepreneurs. We are so fortunate to welcome Ola, his family, and his businesses to St. Louis.” ALL IN for ST. LOUIS’ IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS BETSY COHEN, PROJECT DIRECTOR FOR ST. LOUIS MOSAIC PROJECT THROUGH THE IMMIGRATION AND INNOVATION INITIATIVE OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER OF ST. LOUIS HOW ONE ENTREPRENEUR IS LEADING BY EXAMPLE A native of Nigeria, Ola Ayeni came to the United States 18 years ago. He believes success has a different sense of urgency for immigrants like himself. “Over 50 % of startups in the U.S. are immigrantowned,” he points out. “Most immigrants starting a business have no choice but to succeed. There is no backup plan.” 16 archgrants.org Ayeni is the Founder of eateria which provides restaurateurs with a unified digital platform for e-mails, social media, coupon management, and websites to coordinate marketing efforts over multiple channels. Eateria has over 1,000 restaurants using its technology, and Ayeni has every intention of staying in St. Louis to further expand eateria’s reach. | JANUARY 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2014 “The support here is second to none. I moved my family from Chicago to St. Louis after receiving an Arch Grant. The networking support from Arch Grants has changed everything. My company is growing so fast, and I am providing jobs in my community.” In addition to running eateria, Ayeni is paying forward his success to benefit other immigrants Photograph by Rebecca Barr, Tu Square Studio as a Mosiac Ambassador for St. Louis Mosaic Project. This initiative was launched in 2012 with a goal to make St. Louis the fastest growing U.S. metropolitan area for immigration by 2020. “I’m a firm believer that at the end of the day, we’re going to be judged by what we’ve added to people’s lives – not how much money we make.” ALL IN for TALENT RETENTION and ATTRACTION 2015 COMPETITION COMMITTEE Patrick Doherty, Chair nearly Kathryn Love Partner, Bryan Cave Tony Metzner Vice President, Advantage Capital Partners Helen Ciesielski Ryan Rakestraw Chief Financial Officer, Lockerdome David Dankmyer Dan Broderick Jennifer Ehlen Bill Schmidt General Partner, Cultivation Capital Life Sciences Fund Partner, Think Big Partners Mark Lewis, Vice Chair Vice President, Investments, Capital Formation, & Entrepreneurship, BioGenerator Dedric Carter Associate Provost & Associate Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Washington University in St. Louis Investment Associate, Ascension Ventures Venture Principal, Monsanto Growth Ventures Partner, Matter Family Office Vice President, Thompson Street Capital Partners Founder, Prosper Thad Simons Managing Partner, The Yield Lab Jerome Katz Coleman Professor in Entrepreneurship, Saint Louis University Director, Billiken Angels Network Heather Wood Former Senior Vice President of Corporate Development, Cequel III TO APPLY, VISIT ARCHGRANTS.ORG/COMPETITION St. Louis has been home for me for 17 years, and I’m invested in building a better region. Arch Grants gave Dabble an opportunity to be part of the renaissance of the region by allowing us to build our company, grow our team, and invest in the region. Arch Grants funds innovative technologies, products, and services wrapped within scalable business models that have the potential to have national or international sales/impact. The Arch Grants Global Startup Competition awards $50,000 equity-free cash grants and pro bono support services to innovative and scalable startups for locating in St. Louis. The Competition is industry-agnostic and entrepreneurs can apply year-round. Grants are awarded semiannually. JAY SWOBODA, CEO OF DABBLE nearly 65% of arch grants startups have at least one founder with an advanced degree 45% of arch grants startups came from outside of st. louis 40% of arch grants startups have at least one founder educated at a missouri college or university 38% of arch grants startups relocated to st. louis because of arch grants Although each Arch Grant includes equity-free cash, all recipients must agree to locate their headquarters or significant operations in St. Louis for the 12-months they receive funding. archgrants.org | WE ARE ALL IN 17 ALL IN from These donors believed in the importance and potential of Arch Grants from the very start, and we are extremely grateful to them for their collective generosity. At the conclusion of our third year, we must acknowledge our early adopters who made multi-year commitments to launch Arch Grants in 2012. Advantage Capital Partners Rachel & Zack Boyers* Community Improvement District through DowntownSTL Emerson Charitable Trust Janice Hetland Kristen & Rick Holton Andrew Hoyne Husch Blackwell Kellie Hynes & Bob Guller* Missouri Technology Corporation Peabody Energy Polsinelli St. Louis Development Corporation Annie & Joe Schlafly* Sue & Jerry Schlichter* Thompson Coburn LLP DAY ONE Thank you! * ARCH GRANTS CO-FOUNDER ALL IN for CELEBRATING THOSE WHO INSPIRE Thank you to the many individuals and corporations that made Arch Grants’ Second Annual Gala a success. Over 600 guests attended, and net income from the event exceeded $290,000 - enough to help underwrite five Arch Grants. Suzanne Sitherwood, President and CEO of Laclede Group chaired the event. Maxine Clark, Founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop and Brian Salmo, President of The Friends of Arch Grants, and an Associate of Polsinelli were Honorary Chairs. The Arch Grants Entrepreneur Award went to David Steward in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to St. Louis as both an entrepreneur and as a philanthropist. In 1990, Mr. Steward founded World Wide Technology, Inc., which has grown into the largest AfricanAmerican owned business in the world with more than $6 billion in annual revenue, and 2,400 employees worldwide. 18 archgrants.org | JANUARY 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2014 Arch Grant Entrepreneur Awardees Dave Steward (2014) and Maxine Clark (2013) with Arch Grants’ Executive Director, Ginger Imster. Photograph by Wendi Fitzgerald, Falcon Enterprises THANK YOU FOR BEING OUR DONORS ALL IN for ARCH GRANTS On behalf of the Arch Grants Board of Directors, Arch Grants Entrepreneurs, staff, and the entire organization, thank you for your generosity which makes the work of Arch Grants possible. Through your financial support, you are transforming Arch Grants from a local model into a national model for how communities and states can accelerate economic development by leveraging entrepreneurship and philanthropy. CHARTER Anonymous Community Improvement District through Downtown STL, Inc. Missouri Technology Corporation As a nonprofit, philanthropy is the single most important strategy to sustain Arch Grants. Your donations are deeply appreciated. SPONSOR Megan & Cliff Holekamp * through the Holekamp Family Foundation Kristen & Rick Holton* through the Hermann Family Foundation Monsanto Corporation Peabody Energy Sue & Jerry Schlichter* Dr. Jeanne & Rex Sinquefield The Steward Family Foundation & World Wide Technology, Inc. Thompson Coburn LLP Thank you for including Arch Grants among your charitable priorities. CHAMPION Bank of America Charitable Foundation Randie & James Eberlin Kellie Hynes & Robert Guller* Green Street St. Louis William T. Kemper Foundation Commerce Bank, Trustee The Laclede Group Regional Business Council St. Louis Development Corporation Annie & Joe Schlafly* Ulrike & Tom Schlafly Twain Financial Partners DONOR LEVELS CHARTER $200,000+ FOUNDER $100,000-$199,999 SPONSOR $50,000-$99,999 CHAMPION $25,000-$49,999 PATRON $10,000-$24,999 BENEFACTOR $5,000-$9,999 ADVOCATE $1,000-$4,999 FRIEND $1-$999 * Board Member FOUNDER Advantage Capital Partners Emerson Charitable Trust St. Louis County Port Authority Reinvestment Fund and the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership PATRON Bryan Cave LLP Buckingham Asset Management Centene Charitable Foundation Edward Jones Lelia & David Farr John C. & Mary Kaye Fort through the Fort Family Foundation of the Greater Saint Louis Community Foundation Interco Charitable Trust Lewis, Rice & Fingersh, LC Polsinelli, PC Rubin Brown, LLP U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation BENEFACTOR Arcturis Ameren Corporation Anne & Jack Bader Barnes Jewish Hospital Center for Outpatient Health Cathy & Jim Berges Marty & Gil Bickel BioSTL Brooke Private Equity Associates Barbara M. Bryant Build-A-Bear Workshop Maxine Clark & Bob Fox Dr. William H. Danforth Sara & Fred Epstein Goldman, Sachs, & Co. Lathrop & Gage LLP Luxco MSK Investments, LLC Maritz Travel Company Maryville University MasterCard Matter Family Office Morgan Stanley Nine Network of Public Media North Highland Jane & Dave Peacock Purk & Associates St. Louis Regional Chamber St. Louis Transplants St. Louis University Marilyn Schnuck ShipWorks Sterling Bank Stifel Private Market Group Stone Carlie Systems Service Enterprises, Inc. - SSE Jane Tschudy UMB Bank, NA U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management Washington University in St. Louis Wells Fargo Advisors Wexford Science & Technology, LLC ADVOCATE AHM Insurance Group AT&T Missouri Jessica & Ben Angelette The Boeing Company Rachel & Zack Boyers* Brown Smith Wallace LLC Carmody MacDonald PC Sally & Thomas Cohn through the Ellenwood Fund of the Greater Saint Louis Community Foundation Concord Bank Cultivation Capital, LLC Elasticity & Aaron Perlut Howard & Susan Elliott* Enterprise Bank & Trust Margretta Forrester Harris J. Frank Sheila Greenbaum & Gary Wasserman Janice Hetland Jennifer & Tom Hillman Andrew Hoyne Sam Hutchinson & Laurna Godwin* Ginger & Harry Imster Inno-Ventures Dr. Sanjay K. Jain Carol & Ward Klein Nancy & Ken Kranzberg LAB1500 Rosalyn & Charles Lowenhaupt Ryan B. McClure PNC Wealth Management Prolog Ventures Pulaski Bank Ann & Steve Rafferty Leslie & Jacob Reby RiverVest Venture Management, LLC St. Louis Arch Angels Daniel Schaub Christy & Ted Schlafly Betty & Thad Simons Simploy, Inc. Amy and Phil Stone J.J. Stupp through the Stupp Brothers Bridge & Iron Company Foundation Josephine & Dick Weil Thank you for supporting Arch Grants! archgrants.org | WE ARE ALL IN 19 THANK YOU FRIEND Anonymous David Adams Anders CPAs + Advisors Ascension Health AXIUS Financial Bruce Baebler Dave Blakenship Kristen & Andres Bonifacio John Stuart Bradley Mr. & Mrs. Edward Brimer Emma Brown Brown & Crouppen, PC Katie & Ben Burke Debbie & John Capps Cathy Carney Barry Cervantes Clark & Sauer, LLC Kenneth Cohen Connections to Success Shera Dalin & Jorge Riopedre Dino’s Trucking, Inc. Bob Duffy Robin & Curtis Engler Barbara Enneking Paul Fink Lauren & Dave Finklang Gershman Commercial Real Estate goBRANDgo! Friedman Group, LTD. Howard Goldberg Brian Grzelakowski Mary Lee & Paul Gund Dr. & Mrs. Mahendra Gupta Cassandra Hage Jean Maritz Hobler Hilde Hochwald & Barry Willingham Ignition Tank Impel, Ltd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. Gayle Jackson & Frederick T. Kraus Bettie S. Johnson Suzanne & Jim Johnson Sally C. Johnston Felice & Gerald Joyce Mary Kahn Bogert Kiplinger Lesley C. Knowles Fran & Roger Koch Kyle Kochtanek Ann & Don Kornblet The Lawrence Group Jeff Leonard Stacey & Richard Liekweg Ann & Randy Lipton David Luckes Barbi & Bill Macon Manifest Digital Jim Marggraff Carol & Brian Matthews Dr. James McCarter McKeel Group Tom Melzer Mara & Robert Meyers Michelle Meyers Mira Smart Conferencing The Mission Center Norse Corporation Peter Pace Gayle & Fred Palmer Michael Palmer Laura Patterson Cindy & Sandy Peters Cindy Petzoldt Prosper Women Entrepreneurs Pyramid Home Health Adinah & Heschel Raskas Steven Rosenbloom St. Louis Fashion Fund St. Louis Minority Business Council Saks Fifth Avenue Matthew Schaller Zoë Scharf Schlafly Brewery Ed Schneider Toni Schnieder Thomas Schunk Alice & Mark Sedgwick Keith Shahan Carter Smith Heather & Jay Steinback* James Storey Super Stud Building Products Jay Swoboda T-REX TechGuard Security Sarah H. Trulaske Vince T. Volpe John D. Warren Lynne & Jeff Warren David Woll David Woltz IN-KIND DONORS 3mbassy Almanac, Inc. Arcturis & Julie Esparrago BEB Management Bob Creeden Brown & Crouppen Cepia * Board Member The Chase Park Plaza Chill Frozen Yogurt Creative Producers Group & Keith Alper Creative Services & Ed Carson DNT: Document & Network Technologies, Inc. Dominic Michael Salon Elasticity Hatchbuck Hilton St. Louis Downtown Hosted-Voice Hydraulic Pictures iSelect Fund Kraftig Matt Madsen Missouri Athletic Club Moonrise Hotel Morgan Street Brewery Nine Network of Public Media Over/Under Bar & Grill Parker’s Table Pi Pizza & Chris Sommers Polsinelli, PC Renegade Tours Roper’s Ribs Schlafly Brewery St. Louis Blues St. Louis Transplants St. Louis University STL Stylehouse Square One Brewery & Distillery Summit Consulting Group Sutton Lasater Jewelry Swift Incentives Urban Chestnut Yoga Six A special thank you to Almanac, Brown Smith Wallace, Hosted-Voice, and Square-One Brewery for the magnitude of their in-kind support. You’ve proven the Arch Grants model works. St. Louis has proven it can attract and retain the talent. Now, we need your help to sustain Arch Grants. Please connect us with more visionary donors like you! FINANCIAL OVERVIEW January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2014 income Contributions and Grants . . . . . $ 1,885,385 Investment Income . . . . . . . . . $ 751 Total Revenues . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1,866,136 expenses Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1,565,601 . . . . . . . 85% Management . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 92,094 . . . . . . . . 5% Fundraising . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 184,188 . . . . . . . 10% Total Expenses . . . . . . . . . . $ 1,841,884 . . . . . 100% Excess Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . $ 20 archgrants.org 44,252 | JANUARY 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2014 Financials are unaudited. Our audit for 2014 is underway with Brown Smith Wallace; results will be available summer 2015. Audited statements for 2012 and 2013 are availble. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this Annual Report. If any errors or omissions have occurred, please accept our most sincere apologies. To advise of any changes, please contact Ginger Imster, Executive Director at (314) 272-4857 or [email protected]. Thank you for supporting Arch Grants! ALL IN for SERVICE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jerome J. Schlichter Chairman Jamie Froedge Founding & Managing Partner, Schlichter Bogard & Denton LLP Vice President, Acquisitions & Development, Emerson Electric Company Zachary M. Boyers Treasurer Laurna Godwin Chairman & CEO, U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation Robert Guller Secretary Managing Member & Principal, Bandwith Buildings, LLC Matt Badler Co-Founder & Partner, Vector Communications Corporation Jerry Howe CEO, Big River Telephone Company J. Joseph Schlafly III Senior Vice President & Director, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Inc. Director & Principal, Twain Financial Partners Susan Elliott, Clifford Holekamp, Rick Holton, and Jay Steinback served Arch Grants as dedicated volunteers and Board Members throughout 2012, 2013, and 2014. Susan, Cliff, Rick, and Jay share a vision and passion for St. Louis’ startup community, and they helped motivate others to give and get involved in Arch Grants from day one. On behalf of the entire Board, grant recipients, and staff, we thank Susan, Cliff, Rick, and Jay for their personal dedication and commitment, and for their board service to advance the mission, vision, and work of Arch Grants. ADVISORY COUNCIL FRIENDS OF ARCH GRANTS Jim Eberlin Chairman Dave Finklang President Kevin Farrell Anders CPAs and Advisors Harley Blosser Grantee Services Chair CEO, TopOPPS Daria Cullen Principal & Lead Consultant, Kevin Farrell Associates St. Louis Surge Basketball World Wide Technology, Inc. Alex Gable World Wide Technology, Inc. Jessica Ciccone Events Chair Michael Hebron Boeing Ryan O’Neil Membership and Development Chair Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis LOGOS Identity Branding Brian Salmo Immediate Past-President Polsinelli, PC Ed Backer Jones Lang LaSalle Tom Clark The Wagner Law Group Founder, President, CEO & Chairman, Lowenhaupt Global Advisors, LLC Khalia Collier Polster Lieder St. Louis University School of Law Charles Lowenhaupt Sanjay Jain Adjunct Professor, Washington University in St. Louis & St. Louis University Pradeep Rajendran Abby Richter Rising Above with John O’Leary Liam Ryan Colarelli, Meyer & Associates Hena Shakir Chase INTERNS principia Alan Musere yale Charlotte Wang university of pennsylvania Henry Rogers Seck and Associates Sammie Whited STAFF Tyler Willibrand Ginger Imster W Capital Management Executive Director Ben Burke Director of Entrepreneurship umsl Natalie Coyne Tim Hassett Prabhjot Kaur slu Grant Nikseresht Rachael Pace Gabe Lozano Co-founder and CEO, LockerDome Jim McKelvey Co-founder, Square General Partner, Cultivation Capital washington university in st. louis Frances Biedenharn Ian Lever Oliver Feng Andrew Nathan Rachel Gershon Leslie Salisbury Elijah Gerson Jesse Weisberg Danielle Huxley Barbara Williams Gabe Leiter Dongwei Xu Amy Kinsley Director of Development Emma Brown Program Associate 2014 ARCH GRANTS PROFESSIONAL PARTNERS - THANK YOU! 3MBASSY / ACUMEN STUDIOS / ADP / AEGIS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES / ALGORYTHMICS / ANDERS CPAS + ADVISORS / ARCH BENEFITS GROUP / ARMSTRONG TEASDALE / AVANT MARKETING GROUP / BAZAARBOY / BLANK PAGE MARKETING CONSULTING / BLAYZER / BROWN SMITH WALLACE / BRYAN CAVE / CAPROLA SQUAD / CODE WORLD ORDER / COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL ST. LOUIS / CONTEGIX / CULTIVATION CAPITAL / DATA DYNAMICS / EMMIS COMMUNICATIONS / EMPOWERED STRATEGY / ENLIVEN / ENTERPRISE BANK AND TRUST / EXTRA HELP / FIRST INTEGRITY / FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF ST. LOUIS / FOURTHSTONE / FREEMAN MARKETING / GATEWAYVMS / GOBRANDGO! / GRAVES INSURANCE GROUP / GREATER ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION / GREEN STREET ST. LOUIS / GREENSFELDER / GREENTREE MEDIAWORKS / HATCHBUCK / HEPLERBROOM / HOSTED-VOICE / IMPEL, LTD. / INDEPENDENT BROKERS AGENCY / INNOVOX STL / INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY ENTERPRISES AT UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI – ST. LOUIS / ITEN / JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER / JONES LANG LASALLE / JURISTAT / JW TERRILL / KELLY HAGER GROUP / KINUM INC. / KOLBE CO. / KWS LAW / LATHROP & GAGE / LAW OFFICES OF JANE E. HOLSTEIN / LERITZ, PLUNKERT & BRUNING / LESS ANNOYING CRM / LIFEWORK SYSTEMS / LINKEDWISE / LOGOS IDENTITY BRANDING / MARKETING LIFT / MICROMENTOR / MICROSOFT BIZSPARK / MISSOURI VENTURE FORUM / MUELLER PROST / PARKSIDE FINANCIAL / PHILIP G. BRUMBAUGH CPA / POLSINELLI, PC / PROSPER WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS / PULASKI BANK /PURK & ASSOCIATES, P.C. / PUSHUP SOCIAL / REGIONS FINANCIAL CORPORATION / RENAISSANCE FINANCIAL CORPORATION / RUBIN BROWN / SEAFOAM MEDIA / SEGUE PARTNERS / SIMPLOY / SLATE MISSOURI CAREER CENTER / SMALL BUSINESS MAJORITY / SNAPSHOT INTERACTIVE / SNYXIUS TECHNOLOGIES / SPOKE MARKETING / ST. LOUIS SCORE / ST. LOUIS TRANSPLANTS / ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY / STARTUP CONNECTION / STARTUP WEEKEND / STEADYRAIN / STONE CARLIE / STRATEGY / SWIFT PRINT COMMUNICATIONS / TALENTFUNDER / TAYLOR MANAGEMENT GROUP / THE CONLEY FINANCIAL GROUP / THE LAW OFFICES OF PARI SHETH / MISSOURI ENTERPRISE / THE PRODUCTIVITY EXPERTS / THOMPSON COBURN / THRIVENT FINANCIAL / TOM REILLY TRAINING / TRAFFICPRM / T-REX / UHY ADVISORS /UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI EXTENSION ST. LOUIS SBTDC / UPS / WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS / WONDERII / THE YIELD LAB CREATED IN COLLABORATION WITH TRAFFICPRM
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