Nov 16th, 2022

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

Jack Wilkinson, Sharp Wilkinson

Griffin Eaton, JUKE

Website: juke.band
Contact Email: griffin@juke.band

Alex Sejdinaj, Code Works, GiveGrove

Bill Cerney, Gibson

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

Matthew Sheldon

Website: fmshold.com
Contact Email: matt@fmshold.com

Ramal Taylor, Millenia Strategies

James Thompson, IDEA Center

Website: ideacenter.nd.edu
Contact Email: jthomp22@nd.edu

Keynote Speakers

Ashley-brinkman-headshot

Amanda Brinkman

Small Business Revolution

Website | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | Email

Amanda Brinkman is the creator, producer, and host of the hit Emmy-nominated series “Small Business Revolution,” which streams on Hulu and Prime Video and was named among Inc. Magazine’s top shows for entrepreneurs.

Emma Willis

Emma Willis

Venture Noire

LinkedIn

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

Luke Cooper

Entrepreneur

Twitter | LinkedIn

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

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

EM EN Studios

Website: emen.co
Contact Name: Myriam Nicodemus
Contact Email: info@emen.co

Our Sponsors

Elevate Ventures - white
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