CATAPULT LAKELAND INC
4100 S FRONTAGE ROAD, LAKELAND, FL 33815 catapultlakeland.com

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Organizations Filed Purposes: CATAPULT PUTS CREATIVE CAPITAL TO WORK THROUGH EDUCATIONAL AND MENTORING PROGRAMS THAT: SUPPORT THE PROFESSIONAL GROWTH OF ENTREPRENEURS, ARTISANS AND EMERGING LEADERS; HELP ENTREPRENEURS BUILD AND DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE AND VIABLE VENTURES; ENABLES THE DEVELOPMENT OF VISIONARY IDEAS FOR THE LAKELAND, FL COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS CENTRAL FLORIDA; SHOWCASE ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESSES AND IDEAS, AS WELL AS ESTABLISH A PLATFORM FOR SOCIAL INTERACTION.

CATAPULT LAKELAND, INC. A COMMUNITY-CENTERED ENTREPRENEUR CENTER LOCATED IN LAKELAND, FL. WE AIM TO FOSTER THE GROWTH OF STARTUPS IN THE LAKELAND, FL AND CENTRAL FLORIDA AREA AND MAINTAIN THEIR SUCCESS THROUGH AFFORDABLE MEMBERSHIP, THOUGHTFUL EDUCATION, AND FUNDING TO DRIVE LOCAL BUSINESS FORWARD. CATAPULT LAKELAND, INC. IS A PLACE WHERE ENTREPRENEURS CAN FLOURISH AND DEVELOP IDEAS THAT RESULT IN ESTABLISHING AND GROWING BUSINESSES IN THE LAKELAND, FLORIDA AREA THROUGH EDUCATION AND MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES.

CATAPULT LAKELAND, INC. ENGAGES AND EQUIPS LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS, ARTISANS AND EMERGING LEADERS WITH A VARIETY OF TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO CREATE A COMMUNITY THAT IS STRONGER, MORE DISTINCTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE. CATAPULT'S PROGRAM AND OPERATING COSTS ARE FUNDED BY PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS, FOUNDATIONS AND EARNED REVENUE. ALL PROGRAMS TAKE PLACE IN LAKELAND, FLORIDA. CO.STARTERS, TWO COHORTS OF CO.STARTERS WERE OFFERED THIS YEAR - ONE FACILITATED BY DICK PELLEGRINI AND THE OTHER FACILITATED BY ROBERT BLACKLIDGE AND LUCIA FORERO. A TOTAL OF 18 BUSINESSES PARTICIPATED IN THIS NINE-WEEK COURSE THAT EQUIPS ENTREPRENEURS WITH THE INSIGHTS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND TOOLS NEEDED TO TURN IDEAS INTO ACTION. PLANS ARE IN PROCESS WITH THE MAYOR TO BRING THIS PROGRAM TO AN UNDER-REPRESENTED SEGMENT OF THE COMMUNITY IN 2020. CAT WALK CATAPULT & PILGRIM ASSOCIATES CREATED, AND IMPLEMENTED, A PILOT PROJECT FOR LAKELAND ENTREPRENEURS IN 2018 WHICH FOCUSES ON PEER GROUP COACHING. CAT WALK IS DESIGNED FOR ENTREPRENEURS THAT HAVE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED AND ARE NOW FOCUSING ON SCALING THEIR BUSINESS. DELIVERABLES INCLUDE: "MAKING BETTER DECISIONS - STAYING STRATEGIC RATHER THAN TACTICAL. HAVING YOUR ANSWERS QUESTIONED. "ACCOUNTABILITY - COLLECTIVE ACCOUNTABILITY TASKS, "WHAT GETS MEASURED, GETS DONE." "GROWTH - MEMBERS LEARN FROM HAVING THEIR ISSUES WORKED BY THE GROUP AS WELL AS WORKING ON OTHER MEMBERS' ISSUES. OCCASIONALLY, SPEAKERS ARE BROUGHT TO THE GROUP FOCUSING ON SPECIFIC AREAS OF BUSINESS NEEDS AND INTERESTS. "ISOLATION - THE "LONELY AT THE TOP SYNDROME" IS ADDRESSED THROUGH NON- JUDGMENTAL, TRUSTED AND CONFIDENTIAL DISCUSSIONS IN EACH OTHERS' DEVELOPMENT, AKA, INFORMAL BOARD OF ADVISORS. "CHANGE - DEVELOPING THE COURAGE/CONFIDENCE TO DISCUSS AND IMPLEMENT THE APPROPRIATE CHANGE IN YOUR BUSINESS AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE 10 BUSINESSES PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM WITH A GOAL OF ADDING TWO COMPANIES IN 2020. LAKELAND ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS CATAPULT SECURED AN AGREEMENT WITH SADDLE CREEK LOGISTICS TO BE THE PRESENTING SPONSOR FOR OUR NEW ANNUAL LAKELAND ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS. THE TOTAL VALUE OF THIS SPONSORSHIP IS 125,000 OVER A 5-YEAR PERIOD. IN ADDITION, AGAMERICA AGREED TO SPONSOR A KEYNOTE SPEAKER WHICH IS A 250,000 GIFT OVER A 5-YEAR PERIOD. OUR FIRST EVENT WAS SOLD OUT WITH 400 GUESTS, 4 AWARDEES, AND AN ADDITIONAL 75,000 IN INCOME TO CATAPULT. THE 2020 EVENT IS ALREADY SOLD OUT. ENTERPRENUHER THE CATAPULT TEAM CONTINUED THE SUCCESS OF THE PILOT ENTREPRENUEHER EVENT FROM LAST FALL. THIS YEAR'S EVENTS INCLUDED A RECIPE TO SCALE: FIRESIDE CHAT WITH BERNA NAR AND STEPHANIE GREGG AS WELL AS WHAT DOES YOUR CUSTOMER WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU? FACILITATED BY NYRKA RISKIN. THESE EVENTS BROUGHT IN 100+ WOMEN TO CATAPULT.

INTRO TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP - ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING, FOR THE REST OF US. WE BUILT INTRODUCTION TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A BUSINESS TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS. WE TEACH BUSINESS FUNDAMENTALS - CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT, BRANDING ESSENTIALS AND BASIC FINANCIALS, AMONG OTHER THINGS - WITH A WELCOMING, HANDS-ON AND HUMAN APPROACH. INNOVATION & DESIGN COURSE OUR EDUCATION PARTNERS POLK STATE COLLEGE, FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE, SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, FLORIDA POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY AND KEISER UNIVERSITY HAVE CREATED AN INTERCOLLEGIATE INTERDISCIPLINARY INNOVATION, FOUR CREDIT HOUR COURSE TO BE TAUGHT AT CATAPULT. THE COURSE WILL BE OFFERED AT BOTH THE UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE LEVELS. STUDENTS FROM EACH OF THESE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS WOULD FORM TEAMS OF 5-7, WITH 5 TO 7 TEAMS PARTICIPATING IN THE COURSE. TEAMS WOULD BE SELECTED ON THE BASIS OF FUNCTIONAL/INDUSTRY INTEREST.

CATAPULT'S MENTOR PROGRAM FACILITIES ONE-ON-ONE RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO BOTH MENTOR AND MENTEE. THESE INDIVIDUAL RELATIONSHIPS RESULT IN PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR BOTH PARTIES. ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM INHERENTLY SUPPORT THE RELATIONSHIP AND WELL-ROUNDED DEVELOPMENT OF THE MENTEE. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MENTOR AND MENTEE WILL LAST 3-MONTHS. THEY CALL OR MEET ONCE A MONTH FOR PERHAPS COFFEE OR LUNCH. EACH MEETING IS APPROXIMATELY 60 TO 90 MINUTES. WHILE EACH MENTOR WILL HAVE HIS OR HER OWN STYLE, REMEMBER THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THESE MEETINGS IS TO ATTACK A SPECIFIC CHALLENGE FACING THE MENTEE'S BUSINESS AND MAKE FORWARD PROGRESS. OUR PROGRAM IS OPEN TO ALL CATAPULT ENTREPRENEURS, BUT THE BEST CANDIDATES ARE USUALLY ACTIVELY WORKING ON A STARTUP AND HAVE A SPECIFIC TOPIC OR PROBLEM WHERE THEY COULD USE HELP FROM AN EXPERIENCED MENTOR. CATAPULT LAKELAND ALSO OFFERS THE FOLLOWING WEEKLY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING: LUNCH & LEARNS WORKSHOPS - 1 HOUR TRAINING ON A SPECIFIC TOPIC; SEMINARS - 2 TO 3-HOUR IN-DEPTH TRAINING ON A SPECIFIC TOPIC; OFFICE HOURS - QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY A PROFESSIONAL. MORE THAN 1000 PEOPLE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN FREE OR LOW-COST EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING IN 2017. LAUNCH IS A COMMUNITY-BASED EFFORT LEAD, AND FUNDED, BY LOCAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO CATAPULT THAT IS CREATED TO ASSIST LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS. LAUNCH'S GOAL IS TO HELP LAKELAND ENTREPRENEURS TAKE THEIR BUSINESS CONCEPT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. LAUNCH WILL DO THIS BY PROVIDING GRANTS TO ENTREPRENEURS WHO CAN SUCCESSFULLY PITCH THEIR CONCEPTS TO LAUNCH'S TEAM. PITCH SESSIONS - ARE HELD 2 TO 3 TIMES PER YEAR AT CATAPULT. APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT CATAPULTLAKELAND.COM. ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS ATTEND PITCH SESSIONS, GIVE THEIR INPUT IN A CLOSED-DOOR SESSION FOLLOWING THE PITCHES AND THE PITCH JUDGES WILL VOTE ON GRANT AWARDS. THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ATTEND PITCH SESSIONS. IT'S LIKE SHARK TANK. BUT WITH HAPPY PEOPLE. CATAPULT BROUGHT BACK THE LAUNCH MICRO-GRANT PROGRAM THIS YEAR, HOSTING THE FIRST EVENT AT FLORIDA POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY. A STUDENT COMPONENT WAS ADDED TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO PITCH FOR UP TO 2,500 FOR THEIR STARTUPS. THREE POLY STUDENT COMPANIES WERE AWARDED A GRANT, IN ADDITION TO HONEYCOMB BREAD BAKERS IN THE SPRING. THIS FALL'S EVENT IS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 14TH.

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