Daniel Williams and Sam Patt, co-founders of Lydria
“Event planners face an immense challenge when organizing and managing events like conventions and seminars. Two of their major pain points are communicating with invited guests—such as speakers and judges—and communicating with attendees (like event scheduling and handouts). We are working to deliver a software as a service (SaaS) platform that eases these communications challenges with improved workflow,” says Daniel Williams, co-founder of Lydria.
Lydria is one of six start-up projects selected by the Innovation Engine Accelerator for an intensive 12-week summer program designed to advance entrepreneurship in Ohio. The program began May 28 and runs through Aug. 16 at Ohio University’s Innovation Center in Athens. Participants will refine their business models and products, receive expert entrepreneurial coaching and advice and have the opportunity to pitch their startups to investors at the end of the summer.
Williams hails from Bellbrook, OH, and studies Environmental and Plant Biology, Chemistry and Computer Science. He is also earning a certificate in bioinformatics.
He expressed excitement for the individual strides he will take this summer, as well as the progress the company will experience.
Four of this summer’s six Innovation Engine Accelerator start-ups involve students and alumni of Ohio University’s College of Arts & Sciences.
Ohio University’s Center for Entrepreneurship (administered by the College of Business and the Voinovich School for Leadership and Public Affairs) is providing intense Lean Launch curriculum, based on Stanford University’s successful model for startups, as well as experienced venture capital advisors to participants. Startups may use 1,000 sq. ft. of creative shared space with pods for each business and can access conference rooms, equipment and software.
Dozens of mentors—startup entrepreneurs; seed, angel and venture investors; C-level industry executives; technical specialists; professional service providers and venture development executives—will provide intensive business coaching to the startups. The program offers no or low-cost legal assistance through its attorney-in-residence partner Bricker & Eckler for easy company formation.
The Innovation Engine Accelerator is part of a series of initiatives designed to address the surge of digital media entrepreneurs emerging from Ohio University and throughout Ohio. More details about the program are available at www.innovationengineaccelerator.com.
Program sponsors include TechGROWTH Ohio (a public/private partnership administered by Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs), WesBanco, Athenian Ventures, CreMedia, IMGUR, Ohio University’s Innovation Center, Vice President for Research and Creative Activity, Center for Entrepreneurship, Scripps College of Communication, Russ College of Engineering and Technology and College of Arts & Sciences.
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