An overview of StartOut, its mission and goals, and its programs

1. Organization Overview
StartOut.org • Info@StartOut.org

2. Why StartOut?
StartOut is an organization
dedicated to fostering and
developing entrepreneurship
within the LGBT community.
It is established to connect
those in the LGBT community
who want to form
entrepreneurial ventures,
provide support for existing
entrepreneurs, and connect
entrepreneurs with funding,
education, networks, and
other external resources.
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3. Role of StartOut
 Connecting Entrepreneurs
 Educating Entrepreneurs
 Mentoring Entrepreneurs
 Connecting with Venture, Angel, and Other Sources of
Funding
 Providing Local Resources
 Promoting the Visibility of Role Models
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4. Connecting Entrepreneurs
Broad-based structured
networking events
• Includes entrepreneurs who
currently have a business as
well as those looking to start
one
• Structured to maximize
networking potential (e.g.,
identification tags, other
identification activities)
Online networking on StartOut website Specialized networking events
• Online resources to connect LGBT • Subgroup events for those with a particular
entrepreneurs industry interest
• Job boards, FAQs, resources and links • Closed events designed for existing
entrepreneurs who have achieved a certain
level of success
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5. Educating Entrepreneurs
Guest Speakers and Presentations
• Successful high-profile LGBT entrepreneurs speak
about their experiences
• Specific presentations indicated to be of interest by
StartOut members
Expert Panel Discussions
• Local LGBT entrepreneurs speak on topics of
interest to StartOut members
Pitch Sessions
• Mock pitch sessions from startup teams, with
structured feedback from StartOut
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6. Mentoring Entrepreneurs
Connects new start-
ups with successful,
more established
entrepreneurs
• Mentors may take a
StartOut will construct and
more “advisory” role or
a more “hands-on” role maintain a “library” of
depending on the potential Mentors and
desires of both mentor their interests
and mentee
• Mentors may choose to
serve on a start-up’s
Board of Directors /
Board of Advisors
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7. Connecting to Venture, Angel, and
Other Sources of Funding
Engage gay and gay-friendly
Venture and Angel investors
• attend StartOut networking
events
• become special guest presenters
• take part in panel discussions
Provide venue for Annual Funding
Contest (starting 2010)
• StartOut will provide a venue for a
VC/Angel funded annual business
plan (or seed-stage business)
competition for LGBT
entrepreneurs
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8. Providing Local Resources
Entrepreneur Forums
• StartOut may create ongoing small-group
forums of entrepreneurs to discuss issues
related to starting a business
• Forums may serve as an ‘informal’ board of
advisors for an entrepreneur’s startup or
venture
Support Resources of Interest to LGBT
Entrepreneurs
• Create a list of support resources of specific
interest to the LGBT entrepreneur
• Lawyers, consultants, finance persons who
have experience with issues related to LGBT
entrepreneurship
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9. Promoting the Visibility of LGBT
Entrepreneurs as Role Models
Provide opportunities for successful
LGBT entrepreneurs to share their
experience with others
• Press coverage, stories, articles
• Invited Lecturers or Speakers at business
forums and non-LGBT entrepreneurship
organizations
• Speakers/Lecturers at entrepreneurship
classes or seminars at national colleges
and at high-schools
Special networking events for
successful LGBT entrepreneurs to
connect and share experiences with
other LGBT entrepreneurs
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10. Website - www.StartOut.Org
 Main source of information about StartOut
• Upcoming events, news, about the organization
• Commentary / blog on issues of interest to the LGBT entrepreneur
 Online message boards
• Post information and connect entrepreneurs with similar interests and goals
• Job boards, cofounder matching, etc.
 Resource center for LGBT entrepreneurs, including support
services, local organizations, etc
 Online registry for persons interested in StartOut; Records
current position, interests, etc
 Online donation page
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11. StartOut’s Structure
 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization
 Management Committee
 Board of Advisors
 National Organization with Local Networks
• New York
• San Francisco
• Others to come (Boston, Austin, Denver, etc)
 National resources via the StartOut website
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12. Management Committee
 Robert Clauser  Bryan
(Founder, Janeczko
Media & (Founder,
Entertainment NuKitchen)
Holdings)
 Joe DiPasquale
 Darren Spedale
(Founder, A-
(Founder, List Global
Regroup. com) Media)
 Peter Hopkins  Lorenzo
(Founder, Thione
Bigthink.com) (Founder,
Powerset)
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