NORTHEAST OHIO STUDENT VENTURE FUND
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​Opportunities for Everyone.
Startups: Apply by January 29th!

 $12M    18      834       25  

          follow-on funding           companies funded         students who participated       students who started-up

Our Approach


Our goal is to show students, entrepreneurs, and startups that Northeast Ohio is a viable geographic location to start their business. We want to showcase the resources this region provides in an attempt to attract and retain talent in Northeast Ohio.
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Students

We give undergraduate and graduate students from higher education institutions an opportunity to understand new ventures through experiential learning opportunities.
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Start-ups

We fund high-growth potential, startups in areas such as advanced materials, medical technology,  software applications, sensing and automation technologies and several others.
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Community

 We continue to work closely with several organizations to support the development of local business and technology. We want to keep entrepreneurs invested in the growth of Northeast Ohio.

Students
  • Students are given executive summaries of start-ups applying for NEOSVF funding
  • Each university chapter chooses a company to review
  • Through the semester, university chapters perform due diligence including the product/service, market research, team, patents and more on selected company
  • At the end of the semester, university chapters present their findings to the board on whether they support a NEOSVF investment in the company
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​Start-ups
  • Startups looking for funding apply to NEOSVF. Eligible companies are reviewed by students from all participating universities for selection process
  • Your start-up then undergoes due diligence by one of participating universities. Topics such as the product/service, competition, the market, financial information, team, and exit strategy will be covered
  • At the end of the term, students present their findings back to NEOSVF and the students decide whether an investment should be made in the company they've reviewed respectively
  • The board then reviews the findings presented by the universities and moves forward with the investment process
  • Up to two startups per semester may receive funding of convertible notes worth up to $25,000
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Support
  • Tax-deductible donations
  • Promoting student interest in local entrepreneurship ecosystem
  • Keep entrepreneurs invested in the growth of Northeast Ohio
  • Making a difference in student and entrepreneurs lives through mentorship and support
  • Supported by Burton D. Morgan Foundation, UARF, Bounce Innovation Hub, and the community
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Meet Our Team


Daniel Hampu

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Executive Director

About Dan
Daniel J. Hampu is the Executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Student Venture Fund (NEOSVF). Dan also serves as Chief Operating Officer of Fontus Blue, Inc., a software-based startup company that develops solutions and supports people making exceptional drinking water for the public. Previously, he worked as a New Venture Manager with the University of Akron Research Foundation, where he focused on technology commercialization and due diligence, co-managing the University of Akron's National Science Foundation I-Corps Sites program, and managing deal flow for the ARCHAngels Investor Network. Mr. Hampu has a B.A. in Business Administration – Marketing from Mount Union College and a J.D. in Law and M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Akron.   ​

Alizeh Khalifa

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Marketing

About Alizeh
Alizeh interned with NEOSVF her final year at the University of Akron and graduated from there last December with a bachelor's degree in marketing. She now works as Head of Marketing at New Territory, an Akron-based, virtual and augmented reality startup. Alizeh hopes to see the organization expand to more universities across the state because, "NEOSVF connects students to so many impactful people and opportunities in the area that they may otherwise never hear about."

Riley Shelton

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Program Manager

About Riley
Riley Shelton is currently working on contract with Akron Fusion Ventures, Bounce Innovation Hub and NEOSVF as an Analyst. Riley has been with us over 2 years now and has been working on the business development of a product out of the University of Akron Polymer Department. He  has participated in numerous pitch competitions and workshops that Northeast Ohio has to offer. Riley wants to see Cleveland become the next Silicon Valley and believes it has the potential to do so. His dream is to end up in a history book because growing up his favorite subject was history and he admires many people and the impact they had on this planets timeline.

Our Portfolio


OndeCare 
Software + Healthcare / Spring 2020

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Learn More
Wizest 
Software / Fall 2019

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​​iRx Reminder
​ Software + Healthcare / Fall 2018
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Boundary Labs
Software + Hardware / Fall 2018
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Structured Monitoring Products
Biotechnology / Spring 2018
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​Hyr Medical
Software+Healthcare / Spring 2018
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EntoBio
Biotechnology / Spring 2017
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Parihug
Software / Spring 2017
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Wisr
Education + Software / Fall 2016
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DriveMyWay
Software + Transportation / Fall 2016
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Akron Ascent Innovations
Advanced Materials / Spring 2016
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Komae
​Software + Healthcare / Spring 2016
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InTouch
Software + Hardware / Fall 2015
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Apollo Medical Devices
Healthcare / Fall 2015
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Event 38 Unmanned Systems
Software + Hardware / Spring 2015
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GiveNext
Fundraising Software / Spring 2015
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         Paragon Robotics
Environmental Control /                        Spring 2014
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Wastebits
Waste Management /       Fall 2013
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Lightning Grader
Education / Spring 2012

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ADAP Nanotech
Material Science / Fall 2010
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                                 A few words from our start-ups


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"As a founder, you need people that understand entrepreneurship and are willing to support the winding road.  NEOSVF gets it! Their early support kept us alive, helped us attract other investment, and their line of questioning has helped me advance the business to places I only dreamed imaginable."
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 - Elijah Stambaugh, CEO of The Learning Egg
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“NEOSVF has been a tremendous asset for us in launching our controls product line.  The financial and networking assistance from the Student Venture Fund and other NE Ohio organizations are great resources that should be used by all early stage companies in the area.”
                   
​ - Julian Lamb, President of Paragon Robotics, LLC
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"Wastebits would like to thank  NEOSVF for their investment in our future. The NEOSVF provided us the needed funding to be able to accelerate our growth. Without their help, Wastebits would not be where we are today. While the financial assistance was critical, NEOSVF and the University of Akron Research Foundation have provided valuable resources that have greatly contributed to our success thus far.”
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​- Dan Collins, Founder and CEO of Wastebits
   Chapter Universities

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Community


Supported By:

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Funded By:

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Dick Pogue

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411 Wolf Ledges,
​Akron, Ohio, 44311, US
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