WE ARE LOOKING FOR CHAMPIONS...

A Champion is any individual who has an idea and the desire, energy and willingness to make that idea a reality for Greater Cleveland.

Champions are dedicated, passionate, and knowledgeable about their idea. Just as important, Champions are willing to take risks, including financial, career, and reputation risk.

There is no one background, education or experience that makes someone a Champion, but rather intangible qualities such as motivation, ingenuity, thoughtfulness and willingness to work hard are what make a Champion.

Innovative & creative ideas are experimental, thoughtful and risk-tolerant – and don’t duplicate what already exists. An innovative & creative idea brings a fresh approach and presents a new way of operating.

GREAT IDEAS CHANGING CLEVELAND

BackTalk Magazine
BackTalk Magazine's Champion, Erin Johnson, wanted to connect Cleveland teens, by engaging them in issues they care about...

Beyondmotherhood.com
Beyondmotherhood.com Champion, Shannon Davis, wanted to connect employers with educated, experienced, stay-at-home mothers through an online niche job board...

Black Singles Network
Black Singles Network Champion, Keshia Johnson, wanted to give African-American singles a venue to come together...

Center For Health And Disease Management
HDM Champions, Terry Murphy & Jack Kleinhenz, forsee patients having an ability to play an active role in their health over their lifetime...

Cleveland Brain Gain
Cleveland Brain Gain Champion, Madeleine Bruml, hopes to keep high school students in the region and/or encourage them to return after college...

Cleveland City Living
Cleveland City Living Champion, Scott Phillips, wanted to let youngprofessionals know about all of the great "living" opportunities in downtown Cleveland...

Cleveland Design District
District of Design Champion, Dan Cuffaro, wanted to
showcase the design product offerings of regional consumer product companies...

The Cleveland Rowing Foundation
Cleveland Rowing Foundation Champion, Mark Silverstein, im...

Cleveland365.com
Cleveland365.com Champion, Terry Travis, wanted to connect Cleveland's minority community to local resources 365 days a year...

City Wheels
City Wheels Champion, Ryan McKenzie, hopes to improve the quality of life in Greater Cleveland...

CityProwl Cleveland
CityProwl Cleveland Champion, Jennifer Coleman, wanted Clevelanders to hear compelling and fascinating stories about Cleveland, told by Clevelanders...

Cool Cleveland
CoolCleveland Champion, Thomas Mulready, wanted to engage and inspire the Cleveland and Northeast Ohio community to participate in "cool" Cleveland events...

East College Street Accelerator Project
East College Street Accelerator Project Champion, Josh Rosen, had 12,000 square feet of vacant retail space that he wanted to fill with entrepreneurs providing them with technology, marketing, and business-development experience...

The Entrepreneurs EDGE
The Entrepreneurs EDGE Champion, Kirk Neiswander, wanted to help entrepreneurs in Northeast Ohio to grow the value of their companies..

Entrepreneurship Preparatory School
Entrepreneurship Preparatory School Champion, John Zitzner, wanted to build a school curruiculum teaching entrepreneurship and life skills to inner city youth...

Exhibit: Cleveland
Exhibit: Cleveland Champion, Kate O'Neil, wanted to bring local artwork to vacant, Cleveland storefront...

Full Circle Fuels
Full Circle Fuels Champion, Sam Merrett, wants to increase awareness and use of biofuels in Northeast Ohio...

Hands On Northeast Ohio
Hands on Northeast Ohio Champion, Jeff Griffiths, wanted to provide young professionals in Cleveland with specific, exciting, volunteer opportunities...

Homelessness Education Campaign
Homelessness Education Campaign will atempt to reduce aggressive panhandling by redirecting resources from paper cups to well-managed resources...

iGuiders
iGuiders will provide an online business mentor that offers tactical business guidance for emerging entrepreneurs and small business owners in Greater Cleveland...

Kalliope Stage
Kalliope Stage Champions, John Paul Boukis & Paul Gurgol wanted to promote the art of the American musical and present intimate music performances...

Microsystems Academy
Microsystems Academy Champion, Colin Drummond, wanted to provide Clevelanders with hands-on experience in micro-electrical mechanical systems (MEMS) and Nanotechnology...

National Society of Black Engineers Jr. (NSBE Jr.)
NSBE Jr. introduces African-American high school students from the Cleveland region to various engineering disciplines by pairing them with African-American engineers...

NEOBio
NEOBio Champion, Steve Goldberg, is dedicated to the clustering and growth of the bioscience industry in Northeast Ohio...

Northeast Ohio Videogame Initiative
NEO Videogame Initiative Champion, Daniel Carl, wanted to promote the interactive entertainment industry in Greater Cleveland...

Plexus
Plexus Champion, Eric Lutzo, wants to make Cleveland's corporations more inclusive to the LGBT community...

PolicyBridge
Policy Bridge Champion, Randell McShepard, envisioned a public policy institute, researching, analyzing and strategically responding to issues impacting the African-American community...

Pop Up City
Pop Up City temporarily occupies vacant building and land with short-term, high impact events, such as outdoor markets, temporary restaurants and shops, concerts and sports...

Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park
Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park is over 80,000 square feet of industrial space that holds an array of ramps, turns, tracks...

Red Dot Project
Red Dot Project Champion, Joan Perch, wanted to connect local artists to the business community...

Sankore Vanguard
Sankore Vanguard Champion, Dr. Jomo Mutegi, wanted to prepare African-American men for leadership in science, technology, engineering and mathematics...

The Seed Factory
The Seed Factory's Champion, Melissa Williams, decided to fill neighborhood service voids by working with property owners to rent out their vacantspaces to entrepreneurs...

Society Of Urban Professionals (SOUP)
Society of Urban Professionals Champions, Donna Dabbs & Alton Tinker, wanted to create an on-going forum, whereby emerging, minority leaders could network in a professional environment...

Sustainable Community Housing Assistance
Sustainable Community Housing Assistance (SCHA) will provide community residents with housing down payment assistance, through a sustainable investment vehicle...

TUBA Group
TUBA Group Champion, Chris Carter, a high school junior at Max Hayes High School, wanted to help MEMS companies offer MEMS equipment to entrepreneurs...

Velodrome
The Velodrome, when complete, will be an indoor arena including a bike park with outdoor track, Cyclocross trails, BMX trails and Safety...

Women's Leadership Initiative
Women's Leadership Initiative Champion, Barbara Danforth, hopes to assist women in effectively advancing their careers, through workshops and individual coaching...

World School Games
World School Games Champion, David Gilbert, hopes to provide an Olympic style athletic and cultural event for students enrolled in secondary schools around the world...