Grid110 Goes Virtual for Spring 2020

Just over a month ago when we selected and notified 20 companies of their acceptance into Grid110’s Spring programs, we never anticipated the state of the world today and the heartbreaking effects COVID-19 would have here in LA and globally. As we prepared to launch this new cohort, we also found ourselves in the midst of answering the call to support our alumni companies and the broader Los Angeles community who had been immediately affected by the economic impact. Some helpful resources we’ve come across are shared at the end of this post.

Questions arose around whether we should continue forward with this new cohort? Postpone it? Allow deferment to a future program? But now is the time when small businesses and the entrepreneurs behind them need support + community perhaps more than ever. I’m incredibly proud and so grateful that our team rose to the challenge to move forward and launch our first virtual program, which kicked off this week via Zoom. We are thrilled to be working with these companies (bringing us to a total of 144 companies supported) and thankful to our team, partners and community to be able to continue to deliver these programs.

An impromptu partial cohort photo during our first program session on April 6th!

Our Residency Program is designed for early stage companies that are typically post-launch and have evidence of traction/validation in the form of users, revenue and/or funding.

The companies selected for Residency Program Cohort 8 are:

• Dadventures: founded by Steve Dypiangco and Devon George, Dadventures helps parents find fun things to do with their kids.
• Everydae: founded by Christine Outram and Marc Feder, Everydae is a digital tutor for high school students that makes learning bite-size and fun.
• Nature Soothie: founded by Sara Zolfaghari, Nature Soothie is a children’s supplement company with natural and innovative delivery formats.
• Nimble Made: founded by Tanya Zhang and Wesley Kang, Nimble Made is a men’s actually slim fit dress shirt brand, inspired by slimmer Asian Americans.
• Pioneer Social Enterprise: founded by Alfonso Trujillo and Cesar Toledo, Pioneer Social Enterprise is an organization dedicated to hauling services for construction companies with an initiative to hire formerly incarcerated individuals. PSE is also the first Grid110 company to complete a previous I2P program and be accepted into Residency with the progress they’ve made in the past 2 years!

Our Idea to Product (I2P) program first launched 2 years ago to support ideation and concept stage entrepreneurs. The program has since expanded to support entrepreneurs across the idea to product spectrum, helping to provide critical direction, support and validation.

The companies selected for I2P Cohort 7 are:

• 2SWIM: founded by Mica Le John and Michael Taylor, 2SWIM is a social messaging app with an emphasis on close connections and private communities. 2SWIM will be for everybody but we’re currently invite-only for POC-, LGBTQ+-, and/or womxn-centric communities, creators and brands (and their allies).
• ABLE: founded by Fernando Sanchez, ABLE is a user-driven app that provides the differently-abled a platform to share experiences navigating the physical world and engage their community to improve accessibility.
• ChargerHelp!: founded by Kameale Terry & Evette Ellis, ChargerHelp! enables on-demand repair of electric vehicle charging stations.
• EZ Sign Delivery: founded by Sharron St. John, EZ Sign Delivery provides easy, fast, and affordable open-house sign delivery services for realtors in Los Angeles.
• Free Malaya: founded by Mark Yabut, Free Malaya partners with schools, organizations, and communities to foster free and liberated spaces for LGBTQIA+ youth so that they can walk into schools without fear and hesitation.
• Joju Foods: founded by Christine Elfalan and Dana Kurimoto-Ark, Joju is mom made for tiny tummies.
• Kinder Lashes: founded by Florence Kwok, Kinder Lashes delivers premium, cruelty free lashes for half the price.
• Melonz: founded by Grace Jones, Melonz = instant lift + impeccable style + unbelievable comfort.
• Play Share: founded by Michael Chang and Michael Zou, Play Share’s vision is to bring people together through play and change how people interact with each other at the park and open spaces.
• Rent-a-Romper: founded by Lauren Gregor, Rent-a-Romper is a baby clothing subscription company helping parents get through the early years. Because parenting is hard enough.
• SHADOWCLUB: founded by Elyssia Widjaja, SHADOWCLUB is the first ever micro consulting platform where people can easily and safely book 15–30 minute phone calls to get advice about anything professional.
• SKNMUSE: founded by Ezinne Adeoye, Skin and Nature are the Muse for Total Body Care. Natural ingredients used to make the perfect formulas for smooth, restored and polished skin.
• Starter Nurse Academy: founded by Dr. Sharrica Miller, Starter Nurse Academy provides career preparation for new graduate nurses.
• ZiM: founded by Kristina Williams, ZiM is a social community for skin, hair, and all your personal care.

Here’s an updated overview of Grid110 by the numbers (including the companies selected for our Spring programs):

• Cohorts: 15
• Companies: 144 (44 Residency, 100 Idea to Prototype)
• Founders: 70% Female, 63% POC
• Verticals: companies focus on a variety of industries that include (but are not limited to) health/wellness, SaaS, e-commerce, AI, AR, CPG, fashion, sports, social impact, mobility, beauty, media.
• Post-Program Success: 3 companies acquired, 8 accepted into accelerator programs (Y Combinator, Techstars, Quake Capital, MuckerLab, XRC Labs, AngelPad), and a combined $18m+ in funding raised post-program. Companies have also gone on to double their revenue YOY, expand distribution channels and scale their businesses (and teams) right here in Los Angeles.

COVID-19 Resources

• Grasshopper Bank’s Resource Guide for Founders & Investors
• Bixel Morning Standup: daily webinars on various topics for entrepreneurs (tech and non-tech) by our friends at Bixel Exchange.
• Business & Personal Wellness Resources
• The Helm’s Complete Guide to Emergency Funding
• Duke’s COVID-19 Capital Relief Dashboard
• 1500+ Available Remote Jobs (Updated March 2020)
• LA Tech (+Remote) Companies Still Hiring

About Grid110

Our mission is to foster the most thriving, inviting & inclusive community for entrepreneurs in Los Angeles. Founded in 2015 as an economic and community development non-profit aimed at supporting the growth of the startup ecosystem in Downtown Los Angeles, Grid110 began as a collective of 7 entrepreneurs who all shared a similar vision of Downtown LA as the next innovation hub. Since the inception of the first program, we have now provided 144 early stage startups with access to free office space, mentoring and other critical resources through cohort based programs. We do not currently provide any funding (yet…), but companies also do not give up any equity or pay fees to participate in the program. Many thanks to our extraordinary partners who help us make all of this possible: The Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti, LA Economic Workforce Development Department, FOUND/LA, Nixon Peabody and Cross Campus.

We’re always looking to expand our efforts. If what we’re doing at Grid110 resonates with you, please reach out to explore collaborative partnerships. We’re also actively seeking grant invitations and open to discussing potential sponsorship, consulting and enterprise program opportunities. You can also connect with us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.