An interview by John Jonelis with JASON JACOBSOHN –
FOUNDER IDEATION BOOTCAMP IS COMING TO CHICAGO. Over 100 entrepreneurs signed up for Ideation Bootcamp, an intensive evening of learning and interaction. Jason Jacobsohn, the Director of the Chicago chapter, was kind enough to stop for a quick interview: In case you don’t know Jason, he’s one of the sharp knives in the drawer and a really nice guy.
Q—Ideas for new ventures are accelerating in Chicago at an amazing pace. Two VC firms recently launched. What do you offer an entrepreneur that’s different?
A— I think our approach is unique. Founder Institute is global. It’s a network of both startups and mentors and mentorship is crucial. It’s the main driver to help young entrepreneurs launch meaningful and enduring technology companies. Mentors share their real world experiences around specific topics. FI is a curriculum-based program from startup to fundraising. Each session is taught by three seasoned tech entrepreneurs. The goal is for each founder in the program to learn the good, the bad, and the ugly of starting a business from seasoned entrepreneurs. Another distinction is that we’re actually more interested in people than ideas. Ideas are everywhere but the real question is, are you ready to turn it into a business. Our model enables us to take on an entrepreneur at a much earlier stage than typical incubators or accelerators. We encourage pre-seed ventures.
Q—Tell me about tonight’s speakers.
A—We consistently draw great talent and I feel really good about that. Tonight we feature Sal Cilella and David Roth. Sal is a partner at gravitytank http://www.gravitytank.com/pov Sal’s an accomplished interaction designer who specializes in leading teams. First on the agenda—creating a compelling consumer experiences and bringing measurable value to clients. David is founder and managing partner of Get Stirred Up http://www.getstirredup.com/index.php He focuses on the branding side of innovation and works with both early-stage and established companies. Both the B2B and B2C arenas. David gained a lot of notoriety as a co-founding of the popular restaurant franchise, Cereality Cereal Bar & Cafe, which serves only cereal.
Q—Who attends these events?
A—Any aspiring technology entrepreneur might come with ideas. But a serial entrepreneur might show up with a blank slate. We believe the ideas will come—again, we believe in people first, technology second.
Q—Can you give an overview of tonight’s event?
A—Ideation Bootcamp is an educational opportunity. We put together people that can provide expert advice—people with real-world practice. The evening begins with talks by leading startup founders. We design the talks to teach the components of good and bad startup ideas. We also cover basics like how to better craft a 30-second pitch. Then it gets interactive. Attendees share their ideas with both experts and peers and get constructive feedback.
Q—What’s the next step?
A—Many of those who are here tonight will attend the first semester of the full program right here in Chicago. We have a nice turnout. Lots of aspiring technology entrepreneurs. Valuable insights. Excellent speakers. A great opportunity to let more people know that Founder Institute is coming to Chicago.
Contact Jason at jason.jacobsohn@founderinstitute.com
Find Founder Institute at http://founderinstitute.com/
That’s what I heard. I invite you to share your comments.
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www.ChicagoVentureMagazine.com Comments and re-posts are welcomed and encouraged. This is not investment advice – do your own due diligence. I cannot guarantee accuracy but I give you my best.
© 2011 John Jonelis – All Rights Reserved.
Chicago Venture Magazine 
hi??
The main character is a man named Daniel. When you look at his eyes, you’re looking into the eyes of a man who has seen Hell. There are moments when he looks like he’s about to begin screaming at any second, and never stop. The first time you see this is in episode one, when he’s about to leave the prison. The guard is treating him like a human being, and it’s evident this hasn’t happened in an extremely long time. You see the confusion on his face as he wrestles with suddenly being treated decently by the same people who have treated him like an animal for years. He can’t quite process it. I know that look well. As he’s about to leave the prison, the guard helps him tie his necktie, as he can no longer remember how to do it himself.
The main character is a man named Daniel. When you look at his eyes, you’re looking into the eyes of a man who has seen Hell. There are moments when he looks like he’s about to begin screaming at any second, and never stop. The first time you see this is in episode one, when he’s about to leave the prison. The guard is treating him like a human being, and it’s evident this hasn’t happened in an extremely long time. You see the confusion on his face as he wrestles with suddenly being treated decently by the same people who have treated him like an animal for years. He can’t quite process it. I know that look well. As he’s about to leave the prison, the guard helps him tie his necktie, as he can no longer remember how to do it himself