Expertise in Entrepreneurial Community Engagement, Branding, Operations and Venture Development Add Considerable Depth to Startup Maryland
JANUARY 20, 2015 – EVERYWHERE, MD – Startup Maryland (www.startupmd.org) today announced appointment of serial entrepreneur Shahab Kaviani as Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EiR).
A recognized leader of startup communities globally, Kaviani brings over a decade of first-hand entrepreneurial expertise and leadership experience most-recently as co-founder and CEO of Rockville, MD based CoFoundersLab (now Onevest). Previously, Kaviani served on the executive management team growing another Maryland company, HyperOffice, into a cloud-collaboration software leader.
In creating CoFoundersLab, Kaviani established the largest online community of entrepreneurs in the world and has become an internationally-recognized expert in startup team formation and the crowdfunding movement – particularly equity crowdfunding as defined under the U.S. JOBS Act legislation of 2012.
“Shahab is one of those rare individuals who have actually built multiple successful high-growth startups while also giving back to the community of entrepreneur peers,” stated Michael Binko, Founder and President of Startup Maryland. “An early supporter and Startup Maryland Champion, Shahab not only helped shape the direction of the movement but also took aggressive advantage of some of the initiatives we developed to benefit his own startup.”
In fact, CoFoundersLab was the winner of the inaugural Pitch Across Maryland competition beating out more than 160 other stellar companies for the top spot as Maryland’s startup with the “most potential for strong growth.”
“Having been in their shoes, Shahab is the ideal candidate to serve as Startup Maryland’s first Entrepreneur-in-Residence and help shape future efforts related to the mission, goals, initiatives, community outreach, stakeholder engagement and brand awareness for Startup Maryland,” added Binko.
Entering its fourth year Startup Maryland is an organization forged out of the realization that entrepreneurs thrive best when motivated and supported by their peers.
“Startup Maryland has made a very meaningful impact on the startup ecosystem over the last few years encouraging and celebrating the entrepreneurial community while creating programs that highlight the startup deal-flow that will ensure a bright future ahead for our innovation economy,” stated Kaviani. “We have a tremendous cadre of resources within the state that have Maryland poised to reach new milestones as a global hub of innovation and entrepreneurship,” added Kaviani.
In the coming months, Startup Maryland will be kicking off its annual Raise Your Game bootcamp for Entrepreneurs. Under this program, early stage company founders learn directly from successful entrepreneur peers on several topics that every startup founder needs to understand in order to inflect their venture. Watch for more details and timing for this year’s bootcamp. Sponsors and service provider supporters are currently being engaged for Startup Maryland’s 2015 programs.
About Startup Maryland
Startup Maryland (www.startupmd.org) is a venture and community development initiative launched out of the Startup America Partnership. Driven from within the community and Forged with Maryland Pride By Entrepreneurs … For Entrepreneurs, Startup Maryland strives to remain nimble and inclusive. Startup Maryland works to connect innovation communities and rallies entrepreneurs, supporters and other innovation stakeholders around four main initiatives: Connection, Celebration, Coaching, and Capital while also bringing together entrepreneurs in a community of support to drive greater economic outcomes.
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