It’s official! Betaspring and Founders League will ring in 2016 from our new home at 91 Clemence Street. This two-story space with a prime downtown location was custom-designed for us by Cornish Associates to provide flexible coworking, incubation, programming, and collaboration space for the startups, freelancers, and aspiring entrepreneurs who work within our walls or visit us for meetings.

Saying goodbye to 95 Chestnut Street is bittersweet--it has been a spectacular home to both Betaspring and Founders League. But, we are thrilled new owners are undertaking the top to bottom renovation that 95 Chestnut needs, and in the process, creating a new residential space that we know will be the talk of the town.

The fully renovated space also allows Founders League to update it’s coworking amenities to include full mail service, a shower (for the athletes among us!), custom lighting, a cafe with modern appliances, and a sweet urban courtyard perfect for meditating on startup dreams. Inside, the space is a mix of glass walls, exposed brick, new hardwood floors--a nod to the buidling’s “colorful” past as a seedy bar, social club, apartments...and bowling alley!

We are also excited to be in the heart of downtown, just a quick walk from the train station and steps away from too many restaurants and lunch spots to count.

The new space will open it’s doors on January 4. As for coworking, Founders League will offer the same three levels of service: Open Seating, Dedicated Desk, and private office. Secure access for members will continue to be 24/7, 365 days a year. Wireless, printers, conference room, coffee service, mentorship services, and access to shared spaces remain standard with all level membership.

We are thrilled that many of our current members are making the move with us, but we still have space for newcomers! To schedule a tour, contact us at info@foundersleague.co

Gifts good to get. Gifts good to give.

Gifts Guys Love: Exclusive Sets Under $60 Bucks. Manpacks is men's essentials at its best. This year, the crew put together a pop-up shop with perfect packs for every guy. They did the shopping so you don't have to. Save 10% with code BETALOVE. Limited quantities, free shipping, no joke.

No more plastic crap. Send an adventure instead. Rosy and Donna credit their dad for instilling in them a love of creative play. Many years later, Surprise Ride was born, and now thousands of kids enjoy a monthly adventure-in-box. If there's a young one in your life who needs to get off the screen, this is the PERFECT gift. BETA10 gets you $10 off.

Put that sweater down! This gift will blow her mind. The HAVERHILL holiday collection—hand crafted for everyday elegance—makes the perfect gift for women of all ages. Designed by a fifth generation jeweler, these pieces are designed to wear everyday yet worthy to be passed down through the generations. Code BETAFREE means you get free shipping.

College Care Packages Done Right. They may be home for the holidays, but in a few weeks they'll be gone again. Show your star student how much you care with PijonBox. From sweet treats to dorm room essentials, PijonBox is filled with things college kids want AND the supplies they need. Be near when you can't be there. Use code beta20 to save 20%!

Meet the O-Rings...Toys for ALL kids. Created by Increment, the O-Rings are a revelation for inclusive play—play where kids with disabilities are NOT segregated from other kids! Each O-Ring is a different color, texture, weight, and filling, perfect for gross motor skills, spatial awareness, and all types of open-ended play. Code BETASPRING takes $50 off your purchase!

Turn Your iPad into the World's Best Digital Frame. You capture so many great moments that stay hidden on your iPhone. Now, display photos & videos with a tap of a button. Pictures and vids instantly appear on the Tablet Couture frame. Give a frame as a gift and share photos from anywhere. Use code BETACHEER for free shipping.

Jerry The Bear: Better Health Through Play. More than a stuffed bear, Jerry's cuddly goodness combines expert­ approved content with play patterns that convey the best practices in nutrition, exercise, sleep, and mindfulness. Parents can select from a portfolio of health and wellness stories, including diabetes, food allergies, and asthma. Amazing!

This month, research think tank Datafox named Providence among the country’s best cities to launch a startup. What’s behind the ranking? The study analyzed several key metrics, including success of early-stage companies and existing communities of entrepreneurs. 

Among Providence’s assets, Datafox highlighted Providence’s close knit community, high quality startup support platforms, and concentration of colleges and universities and a new program that offers recent grads student loan forgiveness if they stay to launch a company.

Rankings may come and go, but it’s always rewarding to see our city capture a moment of well deserved attention.
To read the full list of cities that made the cut and Datafox’s take on what makes a "Top Startup Destination", click here!

On Thursday, January 14th, SalesBrief, Figmints, and Hapyak will host and sponsor VIBE New England at McCormick & Schmick's located in the Providence Biltmore at 5 PM. 

This open studio event will include 5-7 minute presentations of exciting video projects being worked on in the community accompanied by a professional studio setup for attendees to take a new headshot profile picture or even a brief introduction video. Complimentary snacks and beverages will be provided for attendees surrounded by many promising networking opportunities. And yes, this event is free, thanks to our sponsors! 

Here is a sneak peak into this exciting upcoming event:

Agenda for Open Studio Event:
5:00 - 5:25 - Snacks and Beverages
5:25 - 5:30 - Introductions, Sponsors, and Announcements
5:30 - 6:15 - Showcases
6:15 - 7:00 - Networking, Open Studio for Head Shots and Video Clips

Presenters:
1. James Kwon from Figmints Digital Creative Marketing
2. Ted Brown from SalesBrief
3. Dave Zampese from HapYak

Just like a lot of you, here at Founders League, we are ringing in the new year with a dash of change and excitement! On Wednesday, January 20th, Open Coffee will be held at our newly renovated space located at 91 Clemence Street in the trendy Downtown Providence area!

For those who haven’t been, Open Coffee is an informal gathering of entrepreneurs and startup heroes we hold on the first and third Wednesdays of every month from 8:30am-10am.

Equipped with a modern cafe with the latest appliances, Open Coffee in our new location is a great catalyst and starting point to the year (and your day) as we continue to provide a foundation and meeting place for the upcoming startups, freelancers, and aspiring entrepreneurs who work within our walls.

The breakfast snacks and coffee are on us!
Happy New Years from your Founders League family and we hope to see you then!

It’s official: Founders League has moved! Our doors are now open at 91 Clemence Street in the heart of Downtown Providence. And...it’s a FANTASTIC space. Designed exactly to our specs, the fully renovated space has something for everyone--open space, dedicated desks and a few private offices. Open 24/7, 365 days a year, memberships include high speed wi-fi, printing, mail service, reservable conference room, mentorship services, and access to events and programs.

Downcity Providence (as the block we are is often called) is known for its eccentric modern vibe and proximity to the city’s best universities, places to eat, cafes, shops and funky open spaces for hanging out. The new office is considerably closer to the Amtrak train station and Kennedy Plaza, where buses run almost continuously. Bonus: the developer who designed the building for us--Cornish Associates--opened up a sweet urban courtyard perfect for meditating on startup dreams. More athletic? Hop in the shower at the end of your afternoon run.

Either way, come visit. To book a tour or get more info, drop us a line at info@foundersleague.co.

Sproutel, RI-based startup and Betaspring alumni, was just featured in Forbes for their innovative work at the intersection between health, technology, and toys.

Sproutel’s flagship product, Jerry the Bear, empowers kids with diabetes to learn about healthcare through playing. Equipped with a touch screen monitor, an insulin pen and a backpack, Jerry allows kids to pack healthy foods, administer blood tests, and even hugs, while Jerry’s physiological and emotional health are monitored through a series of games. By learning how to take care of Jerry, kids learn how to take care of themselves.

Despite starting just a few years ago, Sproutel has already reached 4% of children newly diagnosed with Type I diabetes and 25% of pediatric endocrinologist offices as of 2014. Sproutel is an emerging force in a growing health tech industry by going far beyond the functionality of your everyday stuffed animal, which is giving people new ways to monitor and improve their health.

Co-founder Aaron Horowitz created Sproutel to help kids “play with purpose.” His goal for Sproutel is to “leverage the power of play to help children live happy and healthy lives.” Jerry gives kids the vocabulary and confidence to discuss their disease, turning a stressful topic into a playful interaction.

Sproutel is looking into how they could help kids with other health conditions, like food allergies and asthma. Having already garnered national attention and even wowed President Obama, who knows what the future has in store for Sproutel?

Learn more at sproutel.com or facebook.com/Sproutel!

The new Founders League coworking space came alive last night as VFA Fellows and entrepreneurs united for some drinks, pizza and conversation. It was awesome to see our next generation of entrepreneurs connecting with the vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem that’s already flourishing here in Providence. Thank you to everyone who was able to make it!

We have another beer hour in the works for Thursday, March 24th from 6-8:30pm. For the next one we’ll be booking Aurora, an awesome mixed-use creative venue down the street. We’ll be working hard to make the next one even bigger and better, so mark your calendars!

Meet Kyle Nacci, our new community manager. There’s a lot of reasons why we are happy to have Kyle on board. He’s got tons of great energy, he loves startups, believes that there are good things happening in Providence and has sharp plans for building a venture of his own. But we are also excited to have him because he’s that extra set of hands we have been waiting for, someone ready to roll of their sleeves and take our coworking community, our programming and our support services to the next level. But better you hear it from him. So here’s an open letter from Kyle to the community on what he hopes he can accomplish in the months to come.

Hey Neighbor,

Founders League is pretty bullish on their mission to be a one-stop-shop for entrepreneurs across the state, at all stages of development. They do that by creating programming, nurturing a supportive coworking community in a killer downtown Providence location, and connecting local entrepreneurs with a bigger network of resources. Why? To make Rhode Island’s startup ecosystem stronger than ever.

When I was given the amazing opportunity to be Founders League’s new community manager, I thought about what makes us great. Is it our desks? Our chairs? Our coffee?

As good as our coffee is, that’s not quite it. I believe what makes us great is our community. The synchronicity of hearts and minds creating awesome things in the same space. The support and ideas we share with each other. That’s why, as Founders League’s community manager, my mission is to do whatever I can to strengthen and embolden this sense of community.

All the pieces are there. We have an inspiring group of people from a diverse array of backgrounds. We have a beautiful, brand new space in the heart of downtown Providence. And, yes, we have some great coffee.

In the coming months, I’ll be working and testing new ways for the startup community to connect and support each other. I am excited to organize new events that challenge us to think in new ways. And I’m really excited to do awesome things with you.

I look forward to getting to know everyone in the Founders League community, and can’t wait to see what we can create together!

In the meantime, send me your ideas at kylenacci@foundersleague.co or come by for a tour. And definitely come to our next Startup Drinks so we can raise a toast to what’s to come.

--Kyle

When Kyle joined Founders League as our new community manager, he brought to the table a binder of fresh ideas for events and programs to support Providence entrepreneurs. Bid ideas. And we like lots of them. But his simplest demand—bring back startup drinks!—really made us smile.

Why? Kyle’s suggestion was a timely reminder not to miss the forest for the trees. The simple stuff—meeting, connecting, toasting, laughing, and scanning a room for employees to poach—is basic community building. Well, maybe not the last thing, but we all know it happens. But long before we get to the board room, we stop off at the pub. That’s what Startup Drinks was about when we had our first one back in 2012. That’s why we are bringing it back on Thursday, March 24th from 6-8:30pm at Aurora, an awesome mixed-use creative venue just down the street from our amazing new downtown office.

Here’s how it works: There’s no cover charge, no reservation required, and you’re welcome to invite any friends and colleagues. We need you to spread the word. Let’s make sure EVERYONE knows we are getting together on 3/24.

It’ll be an awesome event, so mark your calendars! And stay tuned for updates. Got questions? Email us at info@foundersleague.co

Wefunder.com is traveling cross-country to find and fund small businesses and asked Founders League to help them spread the word!

They’re an investment-based crowdfunding site that has helped 112 businesses raise over $16 million. But the catch is a lot of those businesses were SF-based tech startups, and they know America is a whole lot more than that.

So they’re trekking cross-country to get out of their bubble and fund $100,000 in 3 businesses up front, who can later raise up to $1 million online. They’ll be in Providence on March 15, and you can RSVP here to meet with them. They’re also looking to give local startups a free hour-long workshop on early capital fundraising while they’re here, so let them know if you'd be interested in that.

If you know any businesses looking to raise funds to take their business to the next level, please share this post with them!

Yesterday Swipely, a local startup juggernaut, announced that it raised a Series C round totaling $20 million. This round, led by the Pritzker Group and including previous investors Shasta Ventures and First Round Capital, brings the company’s tally to more than $40 million. Taking a step back from Swipley and looking at the Providence startup scene you can really see . Just last year local startups raised $140 Million.

There are a lot of factors driving our community’s fundraising success--good ideas, good teams, good timing, and an equal measure of good luck. But one factor not to overlook is the overall increase in startup activity happening in the metro area. Critical mass is making a difference in encouraging new starts, enabling breakout successes, and creating a higher profile for startups of all kinds in the Providence metro.

Swipely was started in 2009 by Angus Davis, Anthony Accardi, and Jonathan DiOrio. They had recently announced that its payment processing rate had doubled to $2 billion on an annual basis, but declined to say if they were going to be pursuing more capital. As it turns out, and as this publication presumed, it was in the process of nailing down the Series C. The company’s revenue tracks up with its payment-processing rate, so to see it double that figure from $1 billion to $2 billion in under a year implies quick top-line growth.

We are stoked for Swipley and Providence startup mentor Angus Davis! This is another great example of the startup growth in Providence. As our city and state move forward we have even more of an opportunity to help our startup ecosystem grow.

Join us on March 24 & raise a toast to hometown hero ShapeUp, which announced last week that they were acquired Virgin Pulse!

Local startup ShapeUp announced last week that the company has been acquired by Virgin Pulse, a division of Richard Branson’s Virgin Group! Don’t panic: The Providence office will continue to grow as the company forges toward health and wellness world domination.

Do we need a better reason than this to party?? Nope. Please join us Thursday, March 24th from 6-8:30pm at Aurora on Westminster Street for drinks and snacks, a toast to the ShapeUp team, and a long overdue chance to catch up with old friends. 

This event also marks the return of Startup Drinks, the mostly monthly meetup of Rhode Island entrepreneurs that went on hiatus in 2014.

Some local companies have gotten together to cover drinks and snacks. So, all you need to bring is your celebratory attitude. RSVP here so we can order the right amount of food.

Thanks to Betaspring, CompNet, Figmints, Focal Upright, Founders League, Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, Origin Works, Phoenix Medical, 313 Communications, and ThoughtCap for being AWESOME. Your support means we can celebrate without worrying about splitting the tab 200 ways. 

ShapeUp markets software to help companies encourage employee wellness. In addition to its purchase of ShapeUp, Virgin also acquired Global Corporate Challenge. This the three-way merger now makes them the largest well-being company in the world, with more than $100 million in combined annual recurring revenue. 

In a WPRI article, Kumar ticked off a number of ways Rhode Island contributed to ShapeUp’s growth, including its roots at Brown, its victories in the Rhode Island and Brown business-plan competitions, a 2008 innovation tax-credit from what was then the R.I. Economic Development Corporation, and the skills of the local workforce. Holla! 

We look forward to raising the roof on March 24! Register Here!

This week, Swipely became Upserve, opening an exciting new chapter in their drive toward becoming one of the world’s fastest growing restaurant tech startups.

In a news release on March 8, Providence-based Swipely announced that they are now Upserve.
Swipely, founded by Angus Davis in 2009, said the new name reflects the evolution of the company’s focus on credit card and purchase data to now being the software platform of choice for restaurants across the country. 

In conjunction with the rebranding, Upserve also unveiled its 2016 software update, a mobile app that lets users remotely access real-time data, and a new tool that uses artificial intelligence to analyze online reviews and to determine which products customers are most excited about.
Congrats to the team on this exciting next step forward! Read the full announcement here.

Our move into 91 Clemence Street is complete. Brand new build out, designed just for us. Prime Downtown location. Flexible options for everyone. That’s coworking done right!

What’s coworking at Founders League all about? It’s flexible space for small companies, independent contractors, remote employees, and anyone who wants to get out of the coffee shop or home office, but without a lease or a long term commitment. We have private offices, dedicated desks, and open seating are available. And it’s all brand new for you!

What’s in a membership? Included in all memberships 24/7/365 access, wireless, coffee, printers, conference room, mail service, shower, beer, and some of the nicest peeps you'll ever meet. Take a look or take a tour! Want photos? Check out this recent feature in the Providence Business News!

And you know what they say...location, location, location! Downcity Providence is known for its eccentric modern vibe and proximity to the city’s best universities, places to eat, cafes, shops and funky open spaces for hanging out. The new office is a quick walk to the Amtrak train station and Kennedy Plaza, where buses run almost continuously. Bonus: the developer who designed the building for us--Cornish Associates--opened up a sweet urban courtyard perfect for meditating on startup dreams. More athletic? Hop in the shower at the end of your afternoon run. It’s a little slice of urban paradise.

There’s no substitute for seeing it in person, so come check us out! To book a tour or get more info, drop us a line at info@foundersleague.co.

Join Bridge.Jobs and local entrepreneurs on March 22nd to learn about how to host an intern in your business.

You can make a difference for a student.

Studies have shown surprising statistics about better job rates for graduates who have completed internships vs. those that have not. But there aren’t enough opportunities in Rhode Island for every student who wants one.

You can help make more internships available to students, youth, and out-of-work adults. Attend a free seminar and learn how to structure an internship program, from writing an enticing job description that will attract the right talent to making sure you are meeting regulatory requirements for internships.

Helping a student will help you.

Hosting an intern isn’t just a good deed. It isn’t just helping our state through an economic recovery. And it isn’t just training Rhode Island’s youth and unemployed to be successful in the workplace. Good internships are also good business. Hosting interns will help your organization be more productive, recruit future talent, and reduce costs resulting from poor hiring decisions.

Free help is available to assist you with getting started with or restructuring your internship program. There are even subsidies to help you pay your intern.

The next seminar is being held at Salve Regina University on March 22. Sign up here

It's officially Venture for America MATCH season!

Venture for America is a competitive fellowship program that recruits the nation's best and brightest and connects them to startups in emerging U.S. cities. Fellows work as full-time, salaried employees for 2+ years before either continuing on at the startup or launching a venture of their own. Interviewing Fellows begins on March 21st and runs through June 1st, and is facilitated through VFA's online platform, VFA Match. After placement, fellows participate in a training camp at Brown University, then start working at their startups in August.

VFA launched in Providence in 2012 and has since placed more than 20 Fellows in over 15 high-growth companies in the state. From mechanical engineers and growth hackers to business development and community managers, Fellows have hit the ground running in a wide range of roles at startups like Swipely, Focal Upright, Mojotech, Motel and Splitwise. 2012 Fellow, Ethan Carlson, has already launched his own venture in Providence, Escape Rhode Island, after working for two years at energy startup, VCharge.

Here’s the financial details:
Minimum $38,000 Base Salary
$5,000 placement fee: a tax-deductible donation that offsets the $30K VFA spends per fellow on recruiting, selection, training, placement, and ongoing support
Health & Benefits: Fellows either receive health care or a stipend to cover one
Equity / Options recommended: half of their companies offer fellows equity to incentivize performance

If you're interested in learning more, reach out to Tom Griffin at Tom@ventureforamerica.org.

On March 24, 250+ enthusiastic revelers packed Aurora Providence for the return of Providence Startup Drinks. We were there with special reason to celebrate: to toast the Shape Up team following the company’s recent acquisition by Virgin Pulse.

The music was good, the friends even better, and the toasts from Betaspring’s Melissa Withers, Blue Cross Blue Shield President Peter Andruszkiewicz, and ShapeUp founders Rajiv Kumar and Brad Weinberg were as memorable as they were short and sweet.

Did you have a blast? Did you miss it?  Either way, join us for the next meet up on May 3. Register here.

Thanks again to the sponsors who made this event fan-freaking-tastic: Adler, Pollock & Sheehan, Betaspring, Blue Cross Blue Shield, CompNet, Figmints, Focal Upright, Founders League, Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, Origin Works, Phoenix Medical, Pizza Gourmet, Revival Brewing, ThoughtCap, and 313 Communications.

And don’t forget to register for the next event!

Rhode Islanders to Participate in First Ever #HackPVD Hackathon -- Keynote Speakers to Include Live Communication with Astronauts Aboard International Space Station

Providence, RI, Friday, April 8, 2016 – Computer programmers (beginners and experts from high schools, colleges and corporations) from Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut will gather for HackPVD, the first official hackathon for the City of Providence! HackPVD is presented by IntraCity Geeks and Mayor Jorge Elorza. The event is free, open to the public and takes place on April 15th, 16th and 17th at the Providence Public Library in downtown Providence, RI.

Hackathons are events that usually last more than a day. At HackPVD computer programmers and tech-hardware tinkerers will form teams and collaborate intensely on original projects of their own ideation, that make Providence a better place in which to live, work and play. Teams will compete to win fame, glory and cash prizes. Judges will select winners on Sunday, April 17th. 1st lace receives $1000 plus an Internet of Things hardware kit for each team-member. 2nd Place receives $500, and 3rd Place receives $250. All participants will receive a free and healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner during the corresponding times throughout the weekend, as well as great snacks and treats. All attendees also receive free HackPVD t-shirts and cool gift items as well.

“HackPVD is a place where thought leaders will collide creatively and drive innovation in Providence,” said Arnell Milhouse, creator and co-organizer of HackPVD. “It’s also the most inclusive hackathon ever, because of our mix of high school, collegiate and professional attendees as well as our focus on including people from underserved communities who are usually never present at hackathons. I can’t overstate how important this is. Plus, our keynote speaker lineup is literally out of this world!”

The schedule for the weekend is as follows: Friday 4-10pm (registration 4-6:30), Saturday 9:30am-10pm, Sunday 9:30am – 6pm.

Keynote Speakers That Are Out of This World (literally)

HackPVD has an incredible lineup of keynote speakers. The evening kicks off with Mayor Jorge Elora, who will highlight some of the innovations that his administration has put into place. Without support and encouragement from Mayor Elorza, HackPVD would not be possible.

Following Mayor Elorza will the highly accomplished Brian Jepson, who is an Acquisitions Editor for O'Reilly Media focusing on hardware, the Internet of Things, and Digital Fabrication. He's also the co-organizer of Providence Geeks, a founding member of the National Maker Faire planning and production team, and co-producer of the Rhode Island Mini Maker Faire.

Last but definitely not least, IntraCity Geeks has been working with a team of Brown University students who are members of the Brown Amateur Radio Club (BARC), and high school students from Times2 STEM Academy and Paul Cuffee. This new group has been working on an amazing hack of their own before the actual hackathon. The goal is to build a HAM radio communications array that will enable the team to communicate live with members of the International Space Station, which just so happens to be passing over Providence, RI on Friday evening. This will be the first time in the history of Rhode Island that anyone has communicated directly with the International Space Station.

If all goes according to plan, all of the attendees at HackPVD will be able to hear from the astronauts live during the keynote segment. The students from Times2 and Paul Cuffee have come up with a short list of questions relating to STEM and computer science to ask the astronauts.

After the keynotes, Brian Jepson will kick off a weekend full of workshops as he leads attendees in an Internet of Things (IoT) Learnathon. Each team will be able to take home an IoT Starter Kit, complete with an ESP8266 Wi-Fi microcontroller board with built-in Wi-Fi, sensors, and other components!

IntraCity Innovation Awards

HackPVD will also showcase the IntraCity Innovation Awards. Recipients of an IntraCity innovation Award were selected because they are recognized as being being vanguards and catalysts for creating innovative programs that increase interest in STEM among underserved students and/or young adults. The recipients, who include individuals, schools and organizations, also have bodies of work that demonstrate giving urban-based students access to rigorous STEM education.
Amazing Sponsors and Partners

HackPVD is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors and partners. Our Platinum (Machine Language) sponsors are The City of Providence, The InfoSys Foundation, Citizens Bank and IntraCity Geeks. Our Gold (Assembled Language) Sponsor is LaunchCode and the Providence Public Library. Our Bronze (Compiled Language) Sponsor is BARC (Brown Amateur Radio Club).

Our education partners are Times2 STEM Academy, Paul Cuffee School, Nathan Bishop Middle School, Girl Develop It Providence, Tech Hire and Tech Collective.

Registration and General Information

Registration is required, but participation is completely free of charge. For more information visit: www.HackPVD.com or follow www.Twitter.com/hackpvd.