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Apr 23 2020

LaunchNET News: Congratulate our Idea Olympics Winners!

We coach Kent State founders, innovators, dreamers, and doers!
The latest & greatest from LaunchNET Kent State
Creating a community of Kent State makers, innovators, creators, collaborators, and business owners.
We are still open and happy to assist with you with any advising and business questions you may have.
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News & Announcements
CONGRATULATIONS to our Idea Olympics Winners!
After a virtual video competition in lieu of our in-person final, we are proud to announce the winners of the 2020 Idea Olympics! 

  • 1st place - $2,000 - Calitronics - Daniel Issac, junior, mechanical engineering technology and Paul Coulter, junior, mechanical engineering technology

  • 2nd place - $1,000 - Trolder - Luke Leyden, sophomore, computer engineering tech

  • 3rd place (tie) - $500 - Advocates for Autism - Jordan Worrell, senior, psychology and music

  • 3rd place (tie) - $500 - Virtue - Heeju Noe, graduate, fashion industry studies
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Kent State COVID-19 Emergency Resources | Flashes take care of Flashes
We have all been on quite the ride as our world transitions through this experience together. As we manage our new normal, we are committed to sharing and providing resources and support, engaging with students remotely, and making decisions in the best interest of our entire Kent State Community. Although we are each impacted by the changes in different ways, you are not alone, and we are in this together. Remember: We are here, we care, we are a resource and we always believe that Flashes Take Care of Flashes!
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Build your network! Connect with mentors!
Flash Mentors is a new program being piloted by LaunchNET to connect Kent State students with professionals who can help answer questions about careers, ventures, and specific topics.

We now have community boards for All the CEO Ladies, Entrepreneurial Help & Resources, and we are starting one focused on the Arts.

Have an idea for a community? Let us know!
Sign up now
LaunchNET Blog: Passion, Purpose, and Productivity
NOTE: First and most importantly, I want to say that nothing in this post is meant to shame anyone in any way. If getting out of bed is all you can accomplish, then you keep on keepin’ on. I don’t want ANYONE to think that I am trying to make anyone feel bad about what they are or are not able to do in this unprecedented time. Lord knows, I’ve had days where getting out of bed and feeding myself have been the biggest accomplishments of the day.

That said, if you need a little inspiration, maybe this will help.
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FlashStarts webinar
Design thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation. This webinar will explore the fundamentals of design thinking and help you get started.
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Kent State Tusc virtual events
KSU Tusc has been running several virtual events and we welcome anyone to join.

Makerspace Mondays - craft projects on Mondays at noon
Lunch with the Librarian - Tuesdays at noon- a lunch recipe and a resource
Adventures in Reference with Tammie- Wednesdays at 11am- reference assistance
LBGTQ Film nights with Dr. GPat- Thursdays at 7pm
ALC Writer's Group- open group for aspiring writers- Fridays at noon.
We run them from Zoom and the zoom links are listed in the events on our fb page.
https://www.facebook.com/KentStateTuscarawasLibrary/
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(R)Evolution Leadership Program | Kent State Women's Center
If you read Tabitha's recent blog post, you know that LaunchNET is a mentoring partner with the (R)evolution program and we highly recommend it!

Students participate in a series of leadership modules and develop a capstone project that will utilize the skills they have gained and make a positive impact on the community. Students will also be paired with a Mentor and a Capstone Project Advisor.
Register today!
Client Focus
We
Linden Lane Artworks
Working with artists around the states creating unique, hand designed greeting cards and thank you cards that never go out of style.
Get your Mom a special card!
Quarantine DIY Kits – Anne Cate
Client company Anne Cate has put together Quarantine Craft Kits to help you stay busy and creative with your favorite city! 
Also great for a quarantine birthday gift! 
Check them out!
Entrepreneur Advice and Connections
Questions, advice, trends and more around entrepreneurship

Do you have questions about your new venture? Are you a business owner that wants to share something new and exciting about your industry? Are you looking to connect with other KSU entrepreneurs? This is the place for you!
Check it out & join now!
Competitions, Events, Opportunities
NextView are launching a new program focused on Accelerating the Everyday Economy.  We believe that now is a time to invest in companies which will shape a brighter collective future, as founders combine software & creativity to drive change in the everyday lives of everyday people.
The program will be 100% virtual for now, replacing the diffuse mentorship model of most programs with a focus on few companies that get much more hands-on engagement with the NextView partners and our close knit set of advisors.
A 5-day online program for college students who are looking to lead in the future of work.

You will be challenged to think differently and produce your best work. You will finish with a new-found clarity about what’s next for you. This workshop isn’t for everyone. It’s for those who are really excited to learn and put in the time and effort to grow.
Sponsored by NASA, the program pairs technology developed in NASA laboratories with business and technical talent who aim to create new businesses around breakthrough NASA technology. You will experience a hands-on approach to business model building through lean startup methods.
The Spanx by Sara Blakely Foundation donated $5 million to support female entrepreneurs in the wake of COVID-19 and teamed up with GlobalGiving to establish the Red Backpack Fund. GlobalGiving will be overseeing the fund, making 1,000 grants of $5,000 each to female entrepreneurs in the U.S. to help alleviate the immediate needs and support the long-term recovery of those impacted by this crisis.
The Collegiate Inventors Competition® (CIC), a program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame®, is a national competition that recognizes and rewards innovations, discoveries and research by college and university students and their faculty advisers.
The competition encourages students who actively pursue invention. Students frequently come from science, engineering, mathematics and technology studies, but creative invention can emerge from any course of study.
Self
Help Others
Calling all makers! Join Challenge America and the Veterans Health Administration Innovation Ecosystem in the fight against COVID-19.
Cal Hacks and Postman present a global online hackathon tackling challenges faced around the COVID-19 pandemic

Techstars Global Online Startup Weekend COVID-19 USA
Inspiration
Having *these* rats in your apartment might actually increase its value. 
You can stream the films through the CIFF site or through the CIFF Streams app available on Apple TV via the iTunes Store. If you purchased a single ticket or are a member, you will enter the code you received via email into the app.

Bookshop, an ecommerce startup intended to help independent bookstores assert themselves online, has the tech giant in its sights.
Join Us Online
We believe in the power of poetry to bring us together during these difficult times of uncertainty and isolation.
The co-owner of Chicago’s Alinea restaurant and CEO of reservation service Tock has a game plan for surviving the COVID-19 era—and he wants other restaurants to adopt it. 
Be Healthy

These talented Kent State students will definitely make you smile!

Two design professors share tips for making safe, comfortable masks at home.

With incessant videoconferencing, the opportunity to recharge and rest your eyes between meetings is increasingly important.

Business Resources

Stimulus and other resources are meant to help independent contractors during the coronavirus crisis. But getting access to them can be tricky.

The Office of Small Business Relief (OSBR) is focused on identifying and providing direct support to the state's nearly 950,000 small businesses to help during the current public health crisis and to position them for a strong rebound.
 Apply today to receive $10,000 for your business; grants will be distributed on a rolling basis. In addition to funding, grant recipients will receive ongoing support from the Hello Alice community.
Keep on Learning
13 Sneaky Tips to Hack Your LinkedIn Profile Today
LinkedIn is a behemoth of a tool—so much so that it can be difficult to navigate all of the features, tricks, and hacks it has to offer. Make sure you have the best LinkedIn cover photo and much, much more.
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