Blog

Anatomy of a Pitch Deck

Pitch deck. Investor pitch. Slide deck. Presentation deck. There are a multitude of names for the same thing: a concise written and visual presentation of your company (or future company) that explains how you will change the world, on a small or big scale. We’ll refer to it as a pitch deck here. If you are an entrepreneur building a fast-scaling product or service based around some type of technology, then you MUST have a pitch deck, but we argue that most founders will benefit from developing one regardless of your company type.  According to Get Backed, a pitch deck serves...

What Artificial Intelligence (AI) Can Do For You

Automation refers to the use of technology to perform tasks without human intervention. This can include tasks such as data entry, customer service inquiries, and manufacturing processes. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a type of technology that enables computers to perform tasks that would normally require human intelligence, such as recognizing patterns, making decisions, and learning.   Automation and AI are relevant to startups and small businesses because they can help improve efficiency and productivity, reduce costs, and make better decisions. In a competitive business environment, automation and AI can give startups and small businesses a competitive advantage by enabling them to do...

7 Things You Can Do to Celebrate Innovation Day!

Did you know, that today, February 16th, is Innovation Day? Despite hosting a podcast called Innovate Fort Worth, I didn't either. But, that doesn't mean I'm not planning to celebrate this year! According to the National Today website, Innovation Day is, "an event that inspires young inventors to share their ideas with the world. Business organizations all over the world motivate their employees to be creative and develop innovative products and services for their customers." Sounds boring to me. But, I'll bet you can find ways to make it fun and celebrate innovation in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. Here are 7...

Top 9 Newsletters Every DFW Entrepreneur Needs to Be Subscribed To

Ready to fill your inbox with local startup news, tips and tricks of the trade, as well as access to resources to innovative communities? Well here is our top list of newsletters every DFW entrepreneur should subscribe to. 1. Spark Plug - Sparkyard’s Monthly Newsletter  Get an overview of the big events that are happening the following month, along with opportunities for funding, grants, or pitch competitions. Also get clued in on our most updated blogs and Innovate Fort Worth podcasts. And as always, Sparkyard is the hub for free resources for startups and entrepreneurs on the west side of the metroplex. 2....

Avoiding Cofounder Mistakes

We discuss the top mistakes that founding teams make that end up impeding or killing companies. We share advice for how to avoid these mistakes, general tips for finding a cofounder and setting up your founding team for success, and access to tools to help new cofounding teams.

Beyond Founder’s Agreements: The Cofounder “Prenup”

As any experienced entrepreneur, investor or business educator will assure you, a Founders Agreement is essential to your company’s success. This legally binding contract will outline business structure, ownership percentages, operational control, rights and obligations, among other things. It should be advised and executed by an attorney.   In addition—and perhaps even more importantly—cofounders must outline their relationship beyond the legal parameters. According to best-selling author and Harvard Business professor Noam Wasserman, conflict among cofounders causes 65% of the failures among high potential startups. Avoid this pitfall by discussing and documenting how you will navigate challenges that fall outside the Founder’s Agreement.  What...

Why Topophilia is the Bedrock of Ecosystem Building

Topophilia means “the love of place.”  This is eloquently described in many texts, including “The Startup Community Way” by Ian Hathaway and Brad Feld. Near the end of the book, it states: “Given the absence of a blueprint [to build an ecosystem], the only path forward is a process of trial and error, learning from failures and building on a city’s unique strengths. Cultivating a deep love of place (called topophilia) helps startup community participants endure the inevitable ups and downs.” In this way, the enduring lifeblood of the ecosystem goes beyond measurables to a fundamental understanding and love of the...

Accessing the Right Capital at the Right Time to Grow Your Business

One of the first questions that entrepreneurs ask when they decide to launch a business is: where am I going to find the money to do this?   Sparkyard has the answer for you. Meet the Capital Growth Circuit. We developed this tool to help entrepreneurs answer this question no matter what stage their company is. Whether it’s an idea on the back of a napkin or an established company generating revenue, there are always sources of capital to help you get to the next level.   The structure may look familiar to people who are acquainted with our original Growth Circuit that charts...

A look at Sparkyard in 2022

Sparkyard held its grand opening during the 2019 Global Entrepreneurship Week. We thought this would be a great opportunity to see how 2022 shook down with some general stats and entrepreneurial assistance.  Total number of website Users: 13,909 (22% increase from 2021) Fun Fact: With the exception of the United States, the top 3 countries that have  interacted with our website are the Philippines, United Kingdom and India.  Total Sparkyard Pageviews: 31,577 (3% increase from 2021) Fun Fact: Similar to last year, with the exception of the Sparkyard homepage, the top 3 most   viewed pages on the website are:  Business Entity Types  Resource Navigator   Calendar Total Published Blogs: 35 Sparkyard had the opportunity to have 7 guest authors in 2022 which included Women and Mentorship by Council...

Meet the Companies of Techstars Physical Health Fort Worth Accelerator 2022

Get to know the startups in the Techstars Physical Health Fort Worth inaugural 2022 accelerator cohort. Meet the founders and check out their innovative solutions for addressing the challenges and opportunities that exist in the world of Physical Health.  Meet Josh Rabinowitz, CEO of Articulate Labs. Articulate Labs focuses on changing how knee braces affect healing. Articulate Labs uses sensors to monitor movement for assessment as well as provide neuromuscular electrical stimulation to improve patient’s physical mobility.  Learn more about Articulate Labs and how they developed innovative solutions for physical health problems on Innovate Fort Worth. Meet Anne Shuford, CEO of BoomRoom. BoomRoom is...