SPN Top 10: Things you should know about OKC’s startup ecosystem

Oklahoma City’s ecosystem had a rough week from the outside looking in. Silicon Prairie News ran a story where the community underperformed its expected venture investment. The Brookings Institute and Walton Family Foundation produced an article suggesting that the community was having waning investment. But frankly, this is pretty misleading. OKC is going through a…

Oklahoma City’s ecosystem had a rough week from the outside looking in. Silicon Prairie News ran a story where the community underperformed its expected venture investment. The Brookings Institute and Walton Family Foundation produced an article suggesting that the community was having waning investment.

But frankly, this is pretty misleading.

OKC is going through a very positive resurgence. Already this year, the community has raised 5x the amount of venture capital that it raised in 2017 (the data that most of the comparisons are using). And startup companies are blossoming from earlier funding rounds, including Oseberg and Tailwind.

To get a better handle on the ecosystem, Silicon Prairie News reached out to Joshua Fahrenbruck of OK Innovate to provide us with this week’s top ten.

Here are the top 10 things you should know about Oklahoma City’s startup ecosystem:

  1. Thunder Launchpad
    In partnership with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Launchpad is an accelerator program that helps founders conceive, design and scale ventures. Founders benefit from free workspace, mentorship, and access to a mentor network. https://www.stitchcrew.com/thunder-launchpad
  2. Bio Technology Industry
    Ground-breaking discoveries made by researchers in Oklahoma City have helped put OKC on the map as a contender in the Bioscience and Biotechnology marketplace. Oklahoma City’s bioscience companies boast annual revenues of more than $6.7 billion and support 51,000 workers with total compensation of $2.2 billion. https://www.greateroklahomacity.com/industries/biotech/
  3. Tailwind
    The best Pinterest marketing and analytics platform for everyone. Today, over 200,000 of the world’s leading brands and 400 of the top agencies trust Tailwind. www.tailwindapp.com
  4. i2e
    Over their 20-year history, I2E’s nationally recognized services have provided business expertise and funding to more than 700 of Oklahoma’s emerging small businesses. With almost $60 million of investment capital under management, they made a record 32 investments in 21 companies in 2017. https://i2e.org/
  5. Incubator Credits
    The Oklahoma Small Business Incubators Incentives Act enables the tenants of a certified incubator facility to be exempt from state tax liability on income earned as a result of occupancy for up to five years. https://okcommerce.gov/business/incubators/
  6. Innovate Oklahoma
    Citizens, government, and technology collide to solve state government challenges by finding novel ways to leverage technology and support the tech startup sector in our state.  Through partnerships with OCAST, i2E and OMES great ideas can reshape how state government works while growing new businesses that provide high tech jobs. https://innovate.ok.gov/
  7. StarSpace46
    As a hub for small startups,  StarSpace46 strives to be a “digital bridge” connecting OKC with other tech communities in the state through its close ties with Techlahoma, a nonprofit supporting the tech community. StarSpace46 members vary from individuals with a laptop and an idea leasing a desk to established companies leasing suites. https://www.starspace46.com/
  8. StartupGrind
    Every ecosystem needs a platform where entrepreneurs can hear from real founders who rolled up their sleeves, tried, failed, learned, and eventually made it happen. Startup Grind OKC is here to help share stories about where we came from, what we are capable of, and that Oklahoma City is here to help you grow. https://www.startupgrind.com/oklahoma-city/
  9. Whiteboard
    A CRM platform based on the best processes and practices from top producers in the mortgage industry. Whiteboard is an example of the many young advanced technology companies powering the push behind diversifying Oklahoma’s economy. https://whiteboardcrm.com/
  10. Innovation District
    This thriving neighborhood surrounding the Oklahoma Health Center has demonstrated success in incubating startup businesses. The city’s bioscience sector offers a strong anchor point, and Oklahoma City already has shown its ability to work together to re-imagine some of its urban areas. District events bring together the brightest minds from across our region, and across many industries. These connections between and among our scientific and tech communities are a shining example of collaboration. http://www.okcinnovation.com/

If you want to get more involved in Oklahoma City, Joshua Fahrenbruck, joshua@okinnovate.com can get you connected!

 

This story is part of the AIM Archive

This story is part of the AIM Institute Archive on Silicon Prairie News. AIM gifted SPN to the Nebraska Journalism Trust in January 2023. Learn more about SPN’s origin »

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