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<p style="text-align: center">[[File:BlackstoneLBLBlackstoneLaunch.jpgpng|frame|BlackstoneLaunch.png]]</p><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: medium; text-align: right">Blackstone is a global the world's largest alternative asset investment firm established founded by Stephen A. Schwarzman and Peter George Peterson in 1985. Blackstone currently has $230 311 billion in assetsunder management, and released an initial public offering in 2007. From its own description:</span><blockquote><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span style="font-size:medium"><span style="color: rgb(94, 94, 94); line-height: 17px">"Blackstone is the world’s largest independent alternative asset manager, serving the investment needs of leading&nbsp;</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(94, 94, 94); line-height: 17px; font-size: medium; font-family: georgia, serif">public pension funds, academic and charitable institutions and other investors for more than 25 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;Our funds include private equity funds, real estate funds, customized hedge fund solution funds, credit-oriented funds and publicly traded closed-end mutual funds.&nbsp; In addition, we provide investment advice and management services to institutional investors through a variety of separately managed accounts. "</span></blockquote><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span style="font-size:medium">The firm's culture of incorporating entreprenuerial elements began with the firm's founders and has continued to evolve through Blackstone's business units being very entrepreneurial in the way in which they provide solutions to their clients' needs. The Blackstone Charitable Foundation created the ''Blackstone LaunchPad'' organization in 2008 and was modeled after a successful entreprenurship program at the University of Miami. The&nbsp;''Blackstone LaunchPad'' is a&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span style="font-size:medium">campus -based&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span style="font-size:medium">entrepreneurship program, accessible by over 500600,000 students globally, designed to support and mentor students, staff and alumni - regardless of major, experience or discipline.</span></span>&nbsp;<span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span style="font-size:medium"><span style="line-height: 17px">This program is available mostly in economically depressed regions of California, Montana, Central Florida, Pennslyvania, Ohio and Michigan. Blackstone&nbsp;</span></span></span><span style="line-height: 17px"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span style="font-size:medium">recently partnered with VentureBoard to supply services for the ''LaunchPad '' program.</span></span></span><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span style="font-size:medium">&nbsp;VentureBoard is two-sided 'Startup Data Platform', specifically oriented for universities and early stage startup ecosystems.</span></span>

<blockquote><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(94, 94, 94); line-height: 17px;">"Blackstone LaunchPad is a national model for fostering entrepreneurship through higher education. Based on a successful program at the&nbsp;</span>[http://www.thelaunchpad.org/ University of Miami]<span style="color: rgb(94, 94, 94); line-height: 17px;">, it encourages entrepreneurial thinking and activity among undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty and alumni for the purpose of incubating a new generation of entrepreneurs who will contribute to the economic revitalization of distressed regions."</span></span></span></blockquote><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">The main goal is to educate and "Supercharge Regional Economiessupercharge regional economies." They do this by focusing on areas in which the entrepreneurial ecosystem is underdeveloped. They connect these regions with an influx of what they consider to be "high growth ventures" from students and building a network of already successful entrepreneurs around them.&nbsp;</span></span>

#<span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">A young entrepreneur completes a profile that all members of the Launch Pad LaunchPad Community can access, and they complete a "Venture Assessment Form" that illustrates the details of their expected market, competitors, and the future of their product.</span></span>

#<span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">Blackstone does the networking and provides the student with the proper resources- they are able to meet a number of business leaders in their area to recieve additional mentorship. Partnerships are also formed with programs, firms, and investors in the area.</span></span>

<span style= Distinct Differences From Other Offerings "font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">''Blackstone Launchpad'' also has programs which work in regions that have some pre-existing entrepreneurial activity. They create what they call an "Innovation Hub" in this area to coordinate resources they already have and expand them to new territories.&nbsp;''Blackstone LaunchPad'' in recent years has expanded to an international approach through developing partnerships with universities such as Trinity College, the National University of Ireland Galway, and the University College of Cork. The organization's goal is to create an unprecedented network that provides students opportunities that they wouldn't have otherwise with more unique partnerships coming in the near future.</span></span>

<span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">Blackstone LaunchPad is a unique resource for Universities because very few campus incubators are run by external resources. Typically, these incubators are somewhat limited to an alumni network and the resources they have to offer, where as Blackstone LaunchPad has a very diverse collection of Entrepreneurial Masters to educate, coach, and connect students with the rest of the entrepreneurial world. LaunchPad offers the networking and resources of being a leading global venture capital firm.University Partnership Process<br/span></span>=

<span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">''Blackstone also has LaunchPad&nbsp;''looks for university campuses with significant size (population 15,000 students or more per campus). The organization assists at all levels within the university from students and alumni to faculty and staff in providing a number entreprenuership-focused campus. ''Blackstone LaunchPad'' provides campuses with the initial stake in the ground that helps various departments on the campus engage and develop relationships to encourage entrepreneurship with the goal of Organizational Grants, funding optimizing campus resources in creating the growth most benefit. ''Blackstone LaunchPad'' has a goal to engage at least 10% of entrepreneurship across each partner campuses student population to ensure high participation in the countryorganization. Many The organization also strives to well-position itself in each of these organizations either promote entrepreneurial action, its partnership campuses to provide funding and support for existing entrepreneurs, or educate students about entrepreneurshipthe most benefit to the each university from a wholesome perspective.&nbsp;</span></span>

== <span style="font-sizefamily:larger">'''<span style="color: rgb(0Arial, 0, 0)sans-serif; font-family: Arial">VentureBoard: An Online Entrepreneurship PlatformDistinct Differences From Other Offerings</span>'''</span><br/> ==

<span style="font-familysize:georgia,serifmedium;"><span style="font-sizefamily: larger"><span style="color: rgb(0georgia, 0, 0)serif;">VentureBoard ''Blackstone LaunchPad''&nbsp;is an online entrepreneurship platform a unique resource for studentsUniversities because very few campus incubators are run by external resources. Typically, entrepreneurersthese incubators are somewhat limited to an alumni network and the resources they have to offer, universitieswhere as&nbsp;''Blackstone LaunchPad''&nbsp;has a very diverse collection of Entrepreneurial Masters to educate, coach, and organizationsconnect students with the rest of the entrepreneurial world.&nbsp; It is ''LaunchPad''&nbsp;offers the basis of Blackstone Launchpad's website, networking and is also available as resources that come with being a stand-alone productleading global venture capital firm.&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: medium;">One of the unique opportunities that the organization provides entrepreneurs is a 1-on-1 coaching model that begins with peer-to-peer and executive director or program director mentorship. As the entreprenuer's business model makes more traction, subject matter experts and other professionals are contacted to assist with mentoring.</span>

<span style="font-familysize:georgia,serifmedium;"><span style="font-sizefamily: larger"><span style="color: rgb(0georgia, 0, 0)serif;">Universities and organizations One huge advantage to using&nbsp;''Blackstone Launchpad''&nbsp;as a resourse rather than one's university incubator is that adopt VentureBoard are provided with the risk of a way technology transfer, or the act of universities providing campus resources to organize advising for students and aspiring (or current) entrepreneurers, as well as provide resources and track with the progress and performance intentions of their spin-offs and startupsclaiming ownership to intellectual property designed by students, is eliminated.</span>&nbsp;</span></span>

<span style="font-familysize:georgia,serifmedium;"><span style="font-sizefamily: largergeorgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(0Blackstone also has a number of organizational grants, 0funding the growth of entrepreneurship across the country. Many of these organizations either promote entrepreneurial action, 0)">Students provide funding and entrepreneurers that use VentureBoard through such an institutuion have access to mentorship opportunitiessupport for existing entrepreneurs, as well as resources such as a business model canvas, closed discussion boards, a search option to find potential business partners or interested parties, and other contextual resourceseducate students about entrepreneurship.&nbsp; Students and entrepreneurers can also express interest in seeking venture capital funding, alerting their mentor and institution so that they can provide potential connections.</span></span></span>

<span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span style="font-size: largerx-large;">'''<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial">Beyond Blackstone Launchpad, VentureBoard is currently used by University of Maryland, NC State University and Duke University.</span>: An Online Entrepreneurship Platform</span>'''</span>=

<span style="font-familysize:georgia,serifmedium;"><span style="font-sizefamily: largergeorgia,serif"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0)">Ventureboard was created by Scott BlockVentureBoard is an online entrepreneurship platform for students, Justin Searlesentrepreneurers, universities, Avi Eisenberger and Jordan Goldstein, students at the University of Marylandorganizations.&nbsp; The platform evolved to fill a gap they perceived in It is the ability basis of entreperenurially''Blackstone Launchpad's'' website, and is also available as a stand-minded students at their school to connect with one another to form successful startupsalone product.</span></span></span>

<span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0)">Beyond Blackstone Launchpad, VentureBoard is currently used by University of Maryland College Park, NC State University and Duke University.</span></span></span> <span style="font-size: largermedium;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0)">Ventureboard was created by Scott Block, Justin Searles, Avi Eisenberger and Jordan Goldstein, and students at the University of Maryland College Park.&nbsp; The platform evolved to fill a gap they perceived in the ability of entreperenurially-minded students at their school to connect with one another to form successful startups.</span></span></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: medium;">More information can be found on VentureBoard's website, at </span>[http://ventureboard.co ventureboard.co].</span></spanstyle="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: medium;">.</span>

<div style="text-align: center"><br/></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="color:#ffffff">&lt;span style="font-size:large;"</span&gt;</span>[[File:Wiki GraphicImage.png]]<br/></div><div><span style="color:#ffffff">&lt;span style="font-size:large;"</span&gt;</span><br/></div><div><span style="font-size:large">'''Recent LaunchPad Successes:'''</span></div><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 20px">'''Q-Cigarettes&nbsp;'''</span></span><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 20px;">'''-&nbsp;'''</span><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 20px;">Drew Park, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and a first-year master’s student at USC’s Keck School of Medicine, pitched his company's unique new treatment for tobacco dependence at&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(52, 52, 52); line-height: 1.3em;">Wake Forest's 2014 Retail and Health Innovation Challenge, taking home the grand prize of $25,000. &nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span>

<span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span style="font-size:medium">'''Fever Smart -&nbsp;'''A Penn and Wharton collaboration, non-invasive fever monitoring technology : Fever Smart , won $10,000 at the first "Rise Above the Rest " student speed pitch competition.</span></span>

<span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span style="font-size:medium">'''[https://www.roarforgood.com/ Roar for Good ] -&nbsp;'''Wearable self-defense technologhy "Roar for Good " raised over $260,000 on Kickstarter, receiving more than 4,000 orders from 47 countries around the world. &nbsp;"Roar for Good " will also compete for a $70,000 grand prize at the SBA InnovateHer Challenge Competition in March.</span></span>

<span style="font-size: medium; font-family: georgia, serif">...and more! Click [https://blackstonelaunchpad.org/success here ]for more recent success stories.</span>

= Community Impact = <span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">''Blackstone LaunchPad'' not only helps budding entrepreneurs; it also aids the local economy surrounding the university the students are attending. The ventures that students create help increase the number of jobs available in the area, and expand the network of professionals in the region.</span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:xmedium;">'''Nationwide & Statewide Impacts:'''</span></div>*<span style="font-largesize:medium;">Community Impact<span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">'''White House's Startup America Initiative- "'''<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px;">Startup America is a White House initiative that was launched to celebrate, inspire, and accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship throughout the nation" More details can be found at this [https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/economy/business/startup-america website].</span></span></span>  *<span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">'''California-'''&nbsp;Largest grant of $3.5 million, over 100,000 students affected within California, 350,000 students nationwide involved in networks created</span></span>

<span style="font-size: larger;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Blackstone LaunchPad not only helps budding entrepreneurs; it also aids the local economy surrounding the university the students are attending. The ventures that students create help increase the number of jobs available in the area, and expand the network of professionals in the region.</span></span><div style="text-align: center;">'''Nationwide & Statewide Impacts:'''</div>*<span style="font-size:larger;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">'''White House's Startup America Initiative- "'''<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px;">Startup America is a White House initiative that was launched to celebrate, inspire, and accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship throughout the nation" More details can be found at the website-&nbsp;</span>[http://www.whitehouse.gov/economy/business/startup-america http://www.whitehouse.gov/economy/business/startup-america]</span></span>*<span style="font-size:larger;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">'''California-'''&nbsp;Largest grant of $3.5 million, over 100,000 students affected within California, 350,000 students nationwide involved in networks created</span></span>*<span style="font-size:largermedium;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">'''Montana-&nbsp;'''Blackstone Charitable Foundation partnership with University of Montana, Montana State University and Headwaters RC&D creating 200,000 person peer community which encompasses 150 new ventures and has generated hundreds of jobs</span></span> *<span style="font-size:largermedium;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">'''Central Florida-&nbsp;'''Blackstone Charitable Foundation partnership established with $1.4 million grant to UCF and U. Miami, focus on entrepreneurship education in respective universities</span></span> *<span style="font-size:largermedium;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">'''Pennsylvania-'''Blackstone Charitable Foundation partnership est. with $3 million grant to Philadelphia and Temple University and University City Science Center, total of 40,836 students impacted</span></span> *<span style="font-size:largermedium;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">'''Ohio-'''&nbsp;Blackstone Charitable Foundation created annual $3.2 million contribution with Burton D. Morgan Foundation to be put towards numerous universities in Northeast Ohio, impacting over 72,000 students. The Burton D. Morgan Foundation invests in numerous entrepreneurially focused organizations and institutions to strengthen free enterprise</span></span> *<span style="font-size:largermedium;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">'''New Economy Initiative (NEI)&nbsp;'''(Michigan)- $2 million contribution to boost employment and restart the economy specifically in Detroit after economic crises</span></span>

= <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:larger;">Schools and associations with Blackstone LaunchPad Program&nbsp;</span></span> = <span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family:georgiaarial,helvetica, sans-serif;">'''California'''</span></span> *UCLA*USC*Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation   <span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">'''Connecticut'''</span></span> *Trinity College   <span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">'''Florida'''</span></span> *University of Central Florida   <span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">'''Michigan'''</span></span> *Wayne State University   <span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">'''Montana'''</span></span> *University of Montana*Montana State University   '''<span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">New York</span></span>''' *Cornell University*New York University*Syracuse University*University at Albany*University at Buffalo   <span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">'''Pennsylvania'''</span></span> *Temple University*University City Science Center*Philadelphia University   '''<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:medium;">South Carolina</span></span>'''

*<span style="font-size:larger;">'''<span style="font-family:georgiaarial,serif;">UCLA</span></span>*<span style="font-size:larger;"><span style="font-family:georgiahelvetica,serif;">UC Irvine</span></span>*<span style="font-size:larger;"><span style="fontsans-family:georgia,serif;">USC</span></span>*<span style="font-size:larger;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serifmedium;">Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation</span></span>'''University of South Carolina

'''<span style="font-sizefamily: largerarial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-familysize: georgia, serifmedium;">Texas</span></span>'''Michigan'''

*<span style="font-size: larger;">'''<span style="font-family: georgiaarial, helvetica,sans-serif;">Wayne State University</span></span>*<span style="font-size: larger;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serifmedium;">Walsh College</span></span>'''Texas A&M*University of Texas at Austin*University of Texas at Dallas

'''<span style="font-sizefamily:largerarial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-familysize:georgia,serifmedium;">'''Ohio'''Ireland</span></span>'''

*<span style="font-size:larger;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">Kent State University</span></span>NUI Galway Students' Union*<span style="font-size:larger;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">Lorain County Community University College</span></span>*<span style="font-size:larger;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">Baldwin Wallace University</span></span>*<span style="font-size:larger;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">Case Western Reserve University</span></span>Cork

<span style="font-size:largermedium;"><span style="font-family:georgiaarial,helvetica, sans-serif;">All of these schools offer the Blackstone LaunchPad program and interested students can follow the multi-step process listed above to get involved.</span></span>

== <span style="font-size:x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Sucess Stories:</span></span> =Blackstone LaunchPad Contact =

<span style="fontAlisha Slye -size:large;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Enter sucess stories here.</span></span>Global Director of Blackstone LaunchPad

Email: Alisha.Slye@blackstone.com = Blackstone Contact Information - Contact Us =

<div class="HeadingGeorgia" style="font-size: 32px; font-family: georgia; color: black; line-height: 38px">Contact Us</div><div class="subContentDetail" style="margin-top: 4px; width: 515px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: Georgia, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></div><div class="subHeading" style="color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: Georgia, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 17px"></div><div class="headerBottomSpaceText" style="padding: 0px 0px 29px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: Georgia, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 17px"></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0)">'''United States&nbsp;'''</spandiv> 

= Contributors = [[Kyle Kopecky|Kyle Kopecky]] [[Evan Robertson|Evan Robertson]] [[RebeccaAbbott-McCune|Rebecca Abbott-McCune]]  [[Category:ResourcesOrganizations]]