May 22, 2023
UB Engineering Grad Address; Women's Business Ignite Awards
Jordan Walbesser addressed UB Engineering Commencement. The 6th Annual Ignite Awards honored five women entrepreneurs including Alexa Jovanovic of Aille Design.
Check out what happened in the WNY Startup Community this week and what you can look forward to next week.
Weekly Recap
May 15-21, 2023
BootSector in the Community
Congratulations, Graduates!
It's that special time of year around campuses all over Western New York - Commencement! BootSector wishes all of our graduates a heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for success.
BootSector was proudly represented at the University at Buffalo's Graduate Engineering Commencement Ceremonies by Jordan Walbesser (404 Link Removed) (Executive Director) who delivered an alumni address on the importance of solving tough problems, staying connected, and giving back to one's community. Can BootSector Help Your Community Project? Email us!
Startup Community Events
Bitwise x Salesforce - Get Knowledge and Get Paid!
BootSector's friends at Bitwise Industries are offering a 6 week Salesforce pre-apprenticeship class, virtually, for FREE, with the option of providing a laptop.
Here's the best part: after you complete the course, you have the opportunity of interviewing with Bitwise themselves. Their role is around $70-80k/year.
The class is a couple of hours a day, twice a week for 6 weeks. Those that take heed and initiative in the class will be ushered into their apprenticeship program!
Sign up link is here (404 Link Removed) Deadline to sign up is May 22, 2023.
More Upcoming Events
Looking for something entrepreneurial to do? Why don't you come out to these upcoming events Powered by BootSector?
- Buffalo Startup Coffee - Tuesday, May 23 from 7:30-9am at HANSA
- Tech Talent & Startup Mixer - Friday, May 26 from 5:30-7pm at Red White and Brew of Rochester
And here's a few other startup community events to check out this week:
- Buffalo Private Equity Summit - Tuesday, May 23 and Wednesday, May 24 at Hotel Lafayette
But wait, there's more! You can see all of the WNY Startup Community Events on BootSector's Venture Herd Calendar. Click the button below to see more! Check here for more events!
In Case You Missed It
Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs with the WBC
The Women's Business Center at Canisius College presented the 6th Annual Ignite Awards. Congratulations to this year's recipients: Sherita Anderson-Bailey, of Renovated Soul Marriage and Family Therapy, Brandi J. Barrett, of Barrett & Benitez Development, Alexa Jovanovic, of Aille Design, Cindy Miller, of Cindy Miller, Inc., and Shannon Traphagen, or Write Life Media Marketing & The Game on Glio Podcast.
Pictured are Alexa Jovanovic (404 Link Removed) of Aille Design and Foundry Superhero (and Executive Director) Megan McNally (404 Link Removed)
How to Navigate Equity for Early Startups
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPRjjSVG_zk
Figuring out how to give equity your team can be really tricky. Spend 10 minutes and get a few tips from Fields about how to compensate early employees with equity. Thanks to UVC → for sharing!
So Much To Share - News Briefs
We're trying to keep things moving in this Weekly Update, but we have so much more to share. Check out these news briefs:
- They gave it their all, but sometimes you need to fold and start over with something new - Athenex files for bankruptcy (404 Link Removed)
- Read how Tom Quinn finds the intersection of social good and venture capitalism (404 Link Removed)
- Aerovec is raising funds (404 Link Removed) to develop compact wind turbine solutions
- Meet Rachel Rosen and Dr. Ron Wexler from WexEnergy - theyprovide affordable window insulation panels that reduce energy loss
- The 43North Pitch Competition is now accepting applications (404 Link Removed)
- The Tool Library is moving! Want to help - check out this link
Did we miss something? Get your ICYMI featured!
Funding & Opportunities
Empowering Education with AI
https://bit.ly/3MlLLE7
Now Powered by BootSector! Think you can enhance education through AI? Join the University at Buffalo in daily learning sessions (TED Talk style discussion) and presentations, integrated with immediate application of the knowledge via a team idea challenge. Finally, the challenge will be supplemented by mentoring and coaching, punctuated by a final pitch presentation.
Want to know more? Register here
ROC the Pitch!
RIT's Center for Urban Entrepreneurship is hosting a Pitch Competition for businesses operating within Monroe County. The goal of the competition is to provide a unique opportunity for businesses that are challenged by the need to secure access to capital to help such businesses grow and provide services.
Pax Momentum is Looking for SAAS Businesses
https://www.paxmv.com/
PAX's virtual accelerator seeking B2B SaaS founders companies for pre-seed investment. Final Deadline Applications for Fall 2023 are open through June 13. Read more about this program here →
Is there an opportunity we missed? Let us know!
BootSector's Weekly Ask
BootSector's purpose is to grow Western New York's Startup Community. Here's one thing you can do this week to help us educate, encourage, and empower the next generation of startup community leaders.
This week, if you're forming a company, you can save some money AND help BootSector by using FirstBase.io.
- Firstbase Start - You save $10 and you donate $50 to BootSector (Code: STARTJORDANXURC8CBDA)
- Firstbase Mailroom - You save up to $50 and you donate up to $100 to BootSector (Code: MAILROOMJORDANXURC8CBDA)
- Firstbase Agent Light - You save $10 and you donate $25 to BootSector (Code: AGENTLTJORDANXURC8CBDA)
- Firstbase Agent Autopilot - You save $10 and you donate $50 to BootSector (Code: AGENTAPJORDANXURC8CBDA)
- Firstbase Payroll - You save $10 and you donate $100 to BootSector (Code: AGENTPRJORDANXURC8CBDA)
Got a way that the community can help BootSector? Let us know!
Startup Jobs
We're always on the look out for job opportunities in the Western New York Startup Community. Post your openings on the WNY Community Slack → ! And let us know if you have a position to fill using the button below.
From the WNY Startup Community Slack
- Startup Success Manger, Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships (University at Buffalo)
- Graphic Designer (buffaBRAND - we launch and scale brands across different Ecommerce channels)
- Quality Lead - Capital Team (ACV Auctions)
- Part-time STEM Instructor for Afterschool (The Foundry)
Got a job you want to post? Send it to BootSector!
Parting Thoughts
Per Aspera Ad Astra
C.S. Lewis remarked on how disappointment "occurs on the threshold of every human endeavor. . . . In every department of life it marks the transition from dreaming aspiration to laborious doing."
For entrepreneurs, when a great startup idea runs into reality - maybe striving for that first sale or building that MVP - many turn back in dismay. Although the destination remains the same, one just realizes - with disappointment - that the road is much steeper and rockier than anticipated.
In times like those, I'm reminded of a great Latin motto**: Per Aspera Ad Astra (Through hardship, to the stars).
Regardless of how much adversity you might face on the path to success, you'll need to pass through some every day disappointment before reaching your goals. Lean into it. It's through that hardship that you will succeed.
Jordan Walbesser Executive Director, BootSector
**and one of my favorite heraldic achievements Share this mailing list with your friends!
