Think Big's Gigabit Challenge Winner Kauzu Launches Kauzu.Biz Application

Think Big's Gigabit Challenge winner, Kauzu, has announced the development of Kauzu.Biz, a new job search application for the Chicago area.  Find out more: 

Alderman Patrick J. O’Connor of Chicago’s 40th Ward will unveil the Kauzu.Biz business application on Tuesday, August 28th, at 10:00am in a press event at Mather High School, 5835 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Alderman O’Connor, Chair of the City Council Workforce Development and Audit Committee, is pleased to support Kauzu, a Chicago-based social venture providing free location-based job tools and free job postings for small businesses.

“In all of my years of working for the people of Chicago,” Alderman O’Connor stated, “I’ve worked with the private sector and kept an eye out for innovative ways to help the community thrive. When I learned about Kauzu and the ease with which their tools can help connect jobseekers and local businesses---I knew I had to get behind it. I encourage all businesses, job seekers, and Chicagoans in general to support Kauzu, and its innovations aimed at promoting job creation and retention.”

Kauzu.Biz is the employer’s portal to the Kauzu.Jobs jobseeker application, a free job search tool that pinpoints jobs by a user’s location. Kauzu.Biz allows small businesses to post unlimited jobs for free. Kauzu.Biz connects businesses with local jobseekers, reducing turnover by hiring employees with shorter commutes. Kauzu.Jobs and Kauzu Kono, a text‐based application that works on any cell phone in Chicago to locate open job listings near a job seeker’s location, were launched earlier in August.

According to Kauzu CEO Mitch Schneider, “We think employers are ready for an application with unlimited free listings, that helps them hire local, cut turnover and generate repeat business, and that creates the sustainable economic development that helps every family and business in the community. And we’ve built it.”

A City of Chicago Proclamation noting Kauzu’s achievements will be read at the event, and Kauzu will present Alderman O’Connor with a certificate of appreciation.

At the event, the Alderman and Kauzu will recognize six local supportive Chambers of Commerce whose members will learn more about Kauzu.Biz-- Edgewater, Lakeview East, Business Partners—the Chamber for Uptown, Lincoln Bend, Lincoln Square, and the South Chicago Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, three nonprofit partners will be recognized—the Albany Park Community Center, where Kono was launched on August 7; Centers for New Horizons, where Kauzu.Jobs was launched on August 15; and Goldie’s Place, a support center for people who are homeless, located in Chicago’s 40th Ward. Additional attendees at the event will include representatives from the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Small Business Development Center and from Streetwise, a Chicago area publication assisting men and women facing homelessness.

Looking to learn more?  Visit www.kauzu.com for all of the latest info!

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Chicago Startup Kauzu Announces New Job Search App

Think Big's own Gigabit Challenge winner Kauzu is making exciting announcements about its newest initiatives, Kauzu Kono and Kauzu.Jobs.  

Mitch Schneider, CEO of Kauzu. 

Chicago social venture Kauzu launched its Kauzu.Jobs mobile application at the Charles Hayes Family Investment Center.  Kauzu has partnered with Centers for New Horizons to present the new product, a free job search application that pinpoints jobs by a user’s location, designed specifically for Chicago’s hardest-hit communities.

“Our communities have needed and continue to need more effective tools to find and secure jobs,” says Mitch Schneider, CEO, Founder and Chairman of Kauzu.  “Kauzu.Jobs is our latest tool that offers unique, integrated, and common sense functions for job seekers to be effective, and guess what?  It is free.”

Job seekers can access Kauzu.Jobs from any smart phone, be it iPhone, Android, or Windows tablet or computer--anything with a web browser. The program pinpoints the user’s location to find entry-level jobs such as retail and service opportunities in its immediate area. Finding jobs based on location is essential, because working nearby is critical to job seekers in many communities, as many can’t afford long commutes and often lack reliable transportation.

Kauzu’s marketing materials promise “Great Jobs, Right Around the Corner.”

Andre Kellum, Program Director for the Centers for New Horizons Workforce Development program, touts the immediate benefits Kauzu.Jobs gives job seekers.

“The Kauzu tool allows us to tap into a whole other experience for our ‘dual focus’ workforce development program model and will continue to solidify the skills sets needed for successful job placement services,” he says.  “We are proud to partner with Kauzu and be on the front lines of exposing technological enhancements to our customers."

At the product launch on August 15, 2012, two hundred at-risk youth and 19 employer partners—who recently completed the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program—witnessed a first-hand demonstration of Kauzu.Jobs. 

President and CEO of Center for New Horizons, Dr. Sokoni Karanja, sees the potential of Kauzu.Jobs helping families achieve Kujitegumea (self reliance). 

“Finding a job is an essential step in achieving that goal,” says Dr. Karanja.  “As always, we search for every opportunity to achieve our purpose, we thus partner with Kauzu as they create a new tool they believe will increase the likelihood that residents of Bronzeville are better able to locate and achieve employment.”

 “We are so thrilled to work with community leaders to get the most innovative mobile job app into the hands of the people who need it most,” adds Schneider.

The Chicago metropolitan area unemployment rate remains nearly 10 percent, nearly two percent above the national average.  In some demographic groups in particular, the unemployment rate is as high as 35 percent. 

Kauzu recently released Kono, a text-based application where a user can access the same job listings on basic cell phones. Small businesses can post job openings and opportunities to Kauzu’s system for free, saving money and reducing turnover by hiring employees with shorter commutes.  Kauzu is continually adding features to Kauzu.Jobs, linking to the Kauzu.Biz launch on August 28.

To learn more about Kauzu.Jobs and Kauzu Kono, please visit www.kauzu.com. 

About Kauzu:

Kauzu (kawz-ooh) is the Esperanto word for “cause” and reflects the company’s focus on creating social change by transforming how jobseekers and employers connect.  Kauzu was the 2012 winner of Think Big Partners’ Gigabit Challenge “Born Global” Award in Kansas City, Missouri.  To learn more about Kauzu, please visit www.kauzu.com.

About Centers for New Horizons:

Centers for New Horizons’ mission is to develop the capacities of families to become self-reliant, to improve the quality of their lives and to participate in rebuilding their community.  The Center for New Horizons’ Workforce Development program is a “dual customer” program providing area employers with expertly matched job candidates and assists job seekers in qualifying for such jobs.  To learn more about Centers for New Horizons, please visit www.cnh.org.

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10 Midwest Startups Selected for Think Big Showcase in Silicon Valley

Last week, Think Big Partners revealed the 10 startup companies that will participate in the Think Big Showcase, a highly-intensive, multi-day pitchfest for entrepreneurs who live in the Midwest and want to get in front of investors from startup hubs such as Silicon Valley, Boston and New York.


This Spring, Think Big Partners has invited 10 startups to travel to Silicon Valley to participate in the Silicon Valley Bank Showcase and the Think Big Showcase at the end of March.  The startups include:


Audio Anywhere (Bixy): Audio Anywhere aims to increase ad revenues for online media platforms by a factor of 10.  Ads are created through Bixy, the company’s self-service ad platform. Bixy is like Google AdWords for personalized interactive ads. Businesses utilize the Bixy toolkit to create their own ads in less than 5 minutes for as little as $50.


Eyeverify: Eveverify brings to market a software authentication module that will leverage the onboard cameras on mobile devices to take images of the blood vessels in the whites of the eyes to use as a unique biometric identifier, ultimately answering the question: who is holding the phone?


Klink: KlinkMobile enables the transfer of cellular airtime minutes and currency via a proprietary, cloud-based financial transaction platform.


LockerDome: Backed by Square co-founder, Jim McKelvey, LockerDome is one of the hottest sports startups in the country. LockerDome aims to be a person’s sports identity. The bet we've made is that people have 3 big personas in their life: social, professional, and recreational. Facebook covers social. LinkedIn covers professional. LockerDome wants to cover sports/recreational - an area that we believe people are more passionate about than any of the others and the only one of the three areas that completely transcends international borders.


LiveOn: LiveOn aims to be the brand that consumers and businesses trust to preserve their digital legacy.


ABPathfinder: ABPathfinder brings technology to Autism therapy by providing tools for therapists to use in their everyday assessments.

InvenQuery: InvenQuery is a technology platform with mobile application that seamlessly integrates inventory management and point-of-sale, with the ability to administer and publish an e-commerce website. IQ software is agile, scalable and easy to use while maintaining sophisticated reporting mechanisms managers depend on to measure success.

RollSale: RollSale has created a technology that will disrupt the traditional ways in which automotive dealers conduct their wholesale trade. RollSale is a communications platform where dealers are able to connect with other dealers in an environment that mimics the function and usability of common social networks.

SEIN Analytics: SEIN is bringing to market an open cloud application and database for analyzing asset-backed securities (ABS). SEIN is leveraging its proprietary web scraping and data mining technology to rapidly standardize data across all ABS categories. With $2.7 trillion in ABS outstanding, SEIN is directly addressing the pain points of this large market, while taking advantage of new regulatory proposals for increased transparency.

Kauzu: Kauzu is a company that seeks to innovate and empower the U.S. employment industry by providing a dynamic, online environment with unique tools to create meaningful, timely connections. Kauzu is like eHarmony.com meets eBay for the employment industry, which will make job search and hiring timely, active, and satisfying.


Gremln: Gremln.com makes it easy for businesses to easily and effectively market themselves and their products on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn. Gremln provides comprehensive messages management, success analytics and social media ROI analysis for businesses of every size. Engage, learn, and monitor return with Gremln.com. 

Best of luck to the Think Big Showcase startups! 

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Kauzu Kills It at the Gigabit Challenge and Leaves the Résumé for Dead

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

Since Kauzu walked away with a $250,000 convertible promissory note courtesy of Gramercy Private Equity at The Gigabit Challenge Finale, the Chicago-based startup has been developing new plans for 2012 including partnership development, product development, fundraising and hiring.  

Think Big Partners’ Gigabit Challenge was a global business plan competition looking for new applications to disrupt technology on the Google Fiber Network.  Prizes included the People’s Choice Award, a $100,000 Grand Prize and the $250,000 Born Global Prize, which was given to Kauzu by Michael Gale of Gramercy Private Equity.

As one of the most energetic and creative pitches during The Gigabit Challenge Finale on January 18, 2012, Kauzu captivated the audience and the judges with its unique spin on changing the US employment industry.  Kauzu seeks to innovate the $170 billion industry by providing a dynamic, digital online environment with unique tools to create timely connections.

“This was a win for our team, and that’s all I really care about,” said Mitch Schneider, CEO, Founder and Chairman of Kauzu.  “This gives my team a pat on the back.  It also creates visibility and exposure.  Gramercy, Silicon Valley Bank, Microsoft—they all want to see us succeed.  The validation is amazing.  It only propels our chance to succeed.” 

Kauzu was one of the 17 Finalists to present at The Gigabit Challenge Finale in front of 17 esteemed judges from Kansas City and from across the nation. 

“This was another company that did a fantastic job with their pitch and connecting with the audience,” said Chris Bernard, Gigabit Challenge judge, in a recent article in Silicon Prairie News.  “I’m super eager to see what these guys do.  I think they have some unique ideas and a fantastic team.”

Mitch Schneider, CEO of Kauzu.

Post-Gigabit Challenge, Kauzu hopes to continue to develop more partnerships both in and outside of Chicago.  With these partnerships, Kauzu hopes to fund raise more effectively and more quickly to allow for cross-generating revenue.  The startup also hopes to start the hiring process in May.

“This experience has helped us form new partners and has allowed us to provide value back to new startups,” said Schneider.  “We are going to use other startup products so we can connect them with others too.  We want to open doors for others just like people have done for us.” 

In addition, Kauzu is planning another trip to Kansas City to connect with Think Big Partners’ accelerator and collaborative workspace and to strengthen more partnerships in Silicon Prairie.  Schneider also mentioned a two-location startup launch in both Chicago and Kansas City.

“Not every day is fun,” admitted Schneider.  “But at the end of the day, we all want to do this.  If I had a million dollars in my pocket, I’d still do this.  We do it because we believe in it and we think it’s fun.”


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Think Big Kicks Feet Up After Gigabit Challenge Finale...Or Not

SEIN Analytics & Asset Management wins Grand Prize at Gigabit Challenge Finale.

Photo:The Kansas City Star

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR
It didn't seem like it could get any bigger after Think Big Partners announced the People's Choice Award, the $100,000 Grand Prize and the $250,000 Born Global Award at The Gigabit Challenge Finale.  But the truth of the matter is, last night's celebration was only the beginning for both the winners and for Think Big.

Sonia Lin of Kauzu may have said it best: "Winning this is really just the beginning.  There is now even more to accomplish." 

After being bombarded by various media outlets, fans and family/friends, the three winners of The Gigabit Challenge joined Think Big Partners and many attendees at an after party near Kansas City's Power and Light District.  There, everyone from Google engineers to TGC judges enjoyed networking, cocktails and celebration.

But it wasn't all fun and games.  After all, we are in the world of entrepreneurship.  Therefore, Finalists and the team of Think Big Partners were still on-the-clock networking with the right people and interviewing with big-time media outlets such as TechCrunch, the Kansas City Star and the Kansas City Business Journal.  

Although The Gigabit Challenge is now over, Think Big Partners is busier than ever.  What can we do for the entrepreneurs who didn't win?  How will we start working with SEIN Analytics and Asset Management to make their startup a big success?  When will Google Fiber come so we can start the high-speed Fiber craze?  Many questions still remain, but one thing is for sure: The Gigabit Challenge built awareness and buzz around Kansas City entrepreneurship and the coming of Google Fiber.  And because of it, more entrepreneurs are able to accomplish more of their dreams...and that's why Think Big Partners is around in the first place.

A huge thank you to our volunteers, judges, advisory board members, vendors, live bloggers, attendees and contestants!  The event would not have been possible without you.

Stay tuned for pictures, video and more posts about post-Gigabit Challenge happenings.  Click here for information about The Gigabit Challenge winners.  

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