About AlphaLab
AlphaLab provides the essential elements for startup companies to get off the ground successfully: funding, business assistance, advisors, space, and a supportive entrepreneurial community. By combining these ingredients in an intensive program, AlphaLab provides companies a unique opportunity to accelerate their growth and development. Twice a year, AlphaLab will select up to six companies to participate in the program. Selected companies will receive:
Funding
Innovation Works will invest $25,000 in each AlphaLab company in return for common stock in the company. This funding should support company operations during the AlphaLab program. As Innovation Works utilizes funds from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, each company receiving funding is expected to maintain a significant presence in Pennsylvania after the program.
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Space
Free office space is provided to AlphaLab companies during the program. Through co-location in AlphaLab's collaborative environment, companies will have the opportunity to share ideas and gain exposure to the breadth of Pittsburgh's entrepreneurial, investment and software expertise. Located at 2325 East Carson Street in Pittsburgh's historic Southside neighborhood, AlphaLab's location is easy to reach and near coffee shops, restaurants, retail shops, and dozens of other startup software technology companies.
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Advisors
AlphaLab companies receive guidance and hands-on assistance from the AlphaLab team, advisors and a community of experienced entrepreneurs, investors and other leading domain experts. AlphaLab companies will meet regularly with and learn from these experts in one-on-one sessions and group discussions that cover topics about running and building a successful business. The collaborative nature of AlphaLab fosters peer learning as well, as entrepreneurs and company teams go through the program together. Throughout the program, companies will have an opportunity to build their network and present their company to potential investors.
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Services
The AlphaLab team will provide hands-on assistance in critical areas that support product and company development. AlphaLab team members will help companies define and build their products by working with companies to: conduct market and competitive analyses, develop methods for soliciting user feedback, recruit users for end-user tests and to execute those tests.
AlphaLab will also provide strategic business guidance to help companies develop a business model, go-to-market plans and fundraising strategies. The AlphaLab team has deep experience preparing companies to present their business plan to investors with maximum impact and will help hone the investor pitch. Finally, AlphaLab will help companies access other types of startup support including technical, legal, accounting and IT services.
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Team
Jim Jen, Director of AlphaLab
At Innovation Works, Jim works closely with the management teams of startup technology companies to identify and address critical business issues facing those companies. He provides strategic guidance and serves as a board observer to many of Innovation Works’ software and Internet-related companies, including Carnegie Speech, Entermedia, Impact Games, Landslide, mSpoke, Penthera Partners, ShowClix, Smash, TalkShoe and WhereverTV.
In addition to his experience of working with startup companies in the Pittsburgh region, Jim brings fourteen years of experience from Silicon Valley in the areas of strategy, marketing, and product management. Previously, Jim built and managed software businesses at Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), Agile Software (acquired by Oracle), and Instill Corporation (Mayfield-funded, privately held). As a management consultant at Booz Allen & Hamilton, Jim advised executive management of Fortune 500 companies on marketing, strategic planning, and organizational issues. Jim holds a BA and MA in Economics from Stanford University and an MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.
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Meredith Benedict, Market Analyst
As a Market Analyst, Meredith works closely with AlphaLab companies to help them develop their business and product strategies. She provides strategic market guidance to the AlphaLab companies and assists them in obtaining user feedback, which guides the development of their products. Meredith also helps manage AlphaLab operations, including the company selection process, facility logistics, marketing efforts, and event planning.
Prior to her current role, Meredith was an Innovation Associate with Innovation Works, the creator of AlphaLab. As an Innovation Associate, she worked directly with entrepreneurs and produced market and competitor analysis reports for technology startups.
Before working with Innovation Works, Meredith was a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs at the Coro Center for Civic Leadership. In this role, she worked with local political, business, and nonprofit leaders and learned leadership and management skills.
Meredith holds a BA in American Studies from Barnard College, Columbia University.
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Mike Woycheck, Technology Analyst
At AlphaLab, Mike works closely with AlphaLab companies to help formulate their product and business strategies. He provides insight to companies about technology trends, competitive/market research, and user feedback/testing. Mike also assists with managing the technical resources at AlphaLab, as well as participates in management of AlphaLab operations including facility management, event production, and the application process.
Prior to joining the AlphaLab team of Innovation Works, Mike served as an information systems technologist for the Pittsburgh Technology Council where his responsibilities include database administration, technical architecture and systems management. Mike also has held a variety of consulting, technical and management positions, and he has significant experience working with large database implementations from both the development and administration perspectives. His previous employment experience includes Pittsburgh-based Yanni Partners where he served as a Manager of Information Systems and Unisys Corporation in Blue Bell, PA as a senior consultant.
Mike holds a bachelor of science in management information systems from The Pennsylvania State University, Behrend College. He is also a co-founder of Pittsburgh Bloggers and is a volunteer organizer with Podcamp Pittsburgh.
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Meet the rest of the Innovation Works Team who will be working with AlphaLab companies.
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