Where entrepreneurs, enthusiasts, and investors can come together for one incredible afternoon to learn, connect, and engage about all things entrepreneurship and innovation!
Registration Closed
Attendee Resources
Thank you for participating in the first annual Founder Factory on November 10, 2021! Below are resources from the day for you to reach out and connect with! Stay up to date on all South Bend – Elkhart entrepreneurial activities by following Startup South Bend – Elkhart on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn!
Save the date for Founder Factory 2022: November 16, 2022
Exhibitors
Blossom Cleaning and Organizing
Type: Business
Website: blossomcleaningorganizing.com
Contact Name: Leslinda Wilson
Contact Email: info@blossomcleaningorganizing.com
Brain Lair Books
Type: Business
Website: brainlairbooks.com
Contact Name: Kathy Burnette
Contact Email: orders@brainlairbooks.com
Digital Leader
Type: Business
Website: digitalleader.tech
Contact Name: Ellen Joyce
Contact Email: ellen@digitalleader.tech
Elevate Ventures
Type: Entrepreneurial Support Organization
Website: elevateventures.com
Contact Name: Nick Kuhn
Contact Email: nkuhn@elevateventures.com
GittaSitta
Type: Business
Website: gittasitta.com
Contact Name: Mandy Kinnucan
Contact Email: mandy.kinnucan@gittasitta.com
HELLOFROM
Type: Business
Website: sayhellofrom.com
Contact Name: Ryan Biggs
Contact Email: ryan@sayhellofrom.com
INVANTI
Type: Entrepreneurial Support Organization
Website: invanti.co
Contact Name: Maria Gibbs
Contact Email: maria@invanti.co
Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC)
Type: Entrepreneurial Support Organization
Website: isbdc.org/locations/north-central-isbdc
Contact Name: Alan Steele
Contact Email: asteele@isbdc.org
Latin American Chamber of Commerce (LACC)
Type: Entrepreneurial Support Organization
Website: laccsjc.org
Contact Name: Paula Sours
Contact Email: contactlaccsb@gmail.com
LIFT Network/iNDustry Labs
Type: Entrepreneurial Support Organization
Website: industrylabs.nd.edu
Contact Name: Susan Monroe
Contact Email: skmonroe5@nd.edu
RISE
Type: Entrepreneurial Support Organization
Website: raisingtheregion.org
Contact Name: Iris Hammel
Contact Email: iris@raisingtheregion.org
South Bend Entrepreneurship and Adversity Program (SBEAP)
Type: Entrepreneurial Support Organization
Website: keough.nd.edu/mckenna-center/south-bend-entrepreneurship
Contact Name: Michael Morris
Contact Email: mmorri24@nd.edu
South Bend Regional Chamber
Type: Entrepreneurial Support Organization
Website: sbrchamber.com
Contact Name: Shari Carroll
Contact Email: scarroll@sbrchamber.com
SIMBA Chain
Type: Business
Website: simbachain.com
Contact Name: Alex Hammel
Contact Email: alex.hammel@simbachain.com
Soulful Kitchen
Type: Business
Website: soulfulkitchensb.com
Contact Name: Laquisha Jackson
Contact Email: Laquisha@soulfulkitchensb.com
St. Joseph County Public Library
Type: Entrepreneurial Support Organization
Website: sjcpl.org
Contact Name: Meaghan Gilroy
Contact Email: m.gilroy@sjcpl.org
Startup South Bend – Elkhart
Type: Entrepreneurial Support Organization
Website: startupsouthbendelkhart.com
Contact Name: Felix Mayorga Alvarez
Contact Email: fmayorga@southbendelkhart.org
Take Care, South Bend
Type: Business
Website: takecaresouthbend.com
Contact Name: Annie Johnson
Contact Email: info@takecaresouthbend.com
Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative (WEI)
Type: Entrepreneurial Support Organization
Website: saintmarys.edu/WEI
Contact Name: Willow Wetherall
Contact Email: wwetherall@saintmarys.edu
Zokos
Type: Business
Website: zokos.com
Contact Name: Ryan Ryker
Contact Email: rryker122@yahoo.com
Founder Focused Roundtable Experts
Kris Priemer, Priemer Consulting
Website: priemerconsulting.com
Contact Email: kris@priemerconsulting.com
Jack Wilkinson, Sharp Wilkinson
Website: sharpwilkinson.com
Contact Email: jack@sharpwilkinson.com
Griffin Eaton, JUKE
Website: juke.band
Contact Email: griffin@juke.band
Alex Sejdinaj, Code Works, GiveGrove
Website: sbcodeworks.com
Contact Email: alex@southbendcodeschool.com
Bill Cerney, Gibson
Website: thegibsonedge.com
Contact Email: Bcerney@thegibsonedge.com
Charlie Donnelly, HELLOFROM
Website: sayhellofrom.com
Contact Email: cdonnel4@nd.edu
Angela Smith, City of South Bend
Website: southbendin.gov
Contact Email: amsmith@southbendin.gov
Cy Megnin, Elevate Ventures
Website: elevateventures.com
Contact Email: cmegnin@elevateventures.com
Matthew Sheldon
Website: fmshold.com
Contact Email: matt@fmshold.com
Ramal Taylor, Millenia Strategies
Website: linkedin.com/in/brightbeginningschildcare
Contact Email: ramal@milleniastrategies.net
James Thompson, IDEA Center
Website: ideacenter.nd.edu
Contact Email: jthomp22@nd.edu
Keynote Speakers
Amanda Brinkman
Small Business Revolution
Emma Willis
Venture Noire
Emma Willis’ career has spanned from marketing to financial services to business strategy and thought leadership, focusing on higher education savings plans and resources. Willis recently was named chief operating officer for Bentonville-based Venture Noire, a nonprofit focused on supporting Black entrepreneurs.
Luke Cooper
Entrepreneur
Luke is the founder and CEO of Fixt, a venture capital-backed technology startup acquired by Assurant, a Fortune 300 company, for more than 11x revenue in 2020. His diverse trench experience as both a leader and entrepreneur has earned him a place on the TEDCO board of directors and as a trustee of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB).
Vendors and Venues
Food Trucks/Catering
Junbuggies
Website: facebook.com/Junbuggies
Contact Name: Juan Leyva
Contact Email: junbuggies@gmail.com
Real Grille
Website: realservices.org
Contact Name: Claire Vermeulen
Contact Email: claire@realservices.org
Rulli’s Pizza
Website: rullispizza.com/food-truck
Contact Name: Sam Rulli
Contact Email: therullis@gmail.com
Kodachrome Coffee
Website: zencafecoffee.com
Sugarellas Catering
Website: sugarellascatering.com
Contact Name: Kim Putney
Contact Phone: (574) 298-3703
Event Décor
Burns Rentals
Website: burnsrentals.com
Contact Name: Lauren Krempec
Contact Phone: (574) 259-4807
Office Interiors
Website: oiplaces.com
Contact Name: Adam Myers
Contact Email: amyers@oiplaces.com
SIXINCH
Website: sixinchusa.com
Contact Name: Josh Sweazy
Contact Email: joshs@sixinch.us
The Botany Shop
Website: botanyorbust.com
Contact Name: Benjamin Futa
Contact Email: hello@botanyorbust.com
Photography
Peter Ringenberg Photography
Website: linkedin.com/in/peter-ringenberg
Contact Name: Peter Ringenberg
Contact Email: peterringenberg@gmail.com
Location/Venue
Studebaker Campus
Website: renaissancedistrict.com
Contact Name: Mark Carboneau
Contact Email: m.carboneau@iqibalancedintelligence.com
South Bend City Church
Website: southbendcitychurch.com
EM EN Studios
Website: emen.co
Contact Name: Myriam Nicodemus
Contact Email: info@emen.co
Our Sponsors
