Network of entrepreneurs brings national program to Buffalo

A national selection panel will evaluate four companies – two from Buffalo – interested in eventually joining Endeavor’s global network for events planned in Western New York.

The program, which includes city tours and welcome and feedback dinners, in addition to the interview and evaluation process, took place in Bentonville, Ark. and Atlanta, last year, then in Louisville, Kentucky, earlier this year.

This is the first time the relatively new program will be held in Buffalo, where Endeavor Western New York launched in 2020. It has been in the works for more than a year, said Alan Rosenhoch, general manager of Endeavor WNY.

The National Influential Entrepreneur Panel was first launched about two years ago to enable Endeavour’s US office block to offer assistance to candidate companies preparing for final selection before an international panel.

“That’s really at the heart of what Endeavor is about: accomplished people sharing their experiences to help accelerate the growth of the next generation of entrepreneurs and help them avoid the mistakes they’ve made,” Rosenhoch said .

The week will begin with a staff retreat for approximately 37 Endeavor staff members from offices across the United States who will come to Buffalo. They plan to visit Niagara Falls and places in Buffalo like Riverworks and Southern Junction.

A welcome dinner will take place on Wednesday evening then a restitution dinner will take place the following evening. The interviews and deliberations will take place during the day on Thursday.

The panel is made up of 12 people, including some members of the Endeavor WNY board of directors, who are already reviewing the journey of candidate companies wishing to be part of Endeavor’s global network, which provides access to mentor entrepreneurs, and to capital providers.

In addition to the two applicant companies from Buffalo, one is from Texas and the other from Atlanta. They will be evaluated by the panel on their business scalability as well as their desire and ability to accept and use feedback.

Among the contingent of entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem players heading to Buffalo for next week’s events are Songe LaRon and Dave Salvant, co-founders of former 43North winner Squire, and Julian Torres from the Colombian office of Endeavour, co-founder of the global payroll platform. Up.

Geoff Ralston, a Buffalo native and founder of Rocket Mail, one of the oldest and most successful email products of the 1990s, which became Yahoo Mail, will also have a presence in Western New York for the program.