New online community connects entrepreneurs with local, national resources

IdeaCrossing, a free online community meant to help entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and service providers connect with each other, was rolled out in Baton Rouge on Thursday. About 75% of the more than 7,250 IdeaCrossing users across the nation are entrepreneurs, says Tiffan Clark, vice president of IdeaCrossing with Cleveland-based JumpStart. She says 40 people in the Baton Rouge area signed up on Thursday. The more people who register, Clark says, the more value the site will have for the users. Entrepreneurs can use the site to collaborate privately with advisers, request referrals, learn about best practices and local events, and possibly raise capital. While local users can find people anywhere in the network, Clark says, the Baton Rouge-specific site is intended to create a “regional experience” by emphasizing results close to the user. She says one entrepreneur in Ohio was connected through IdeaCrossing to an angel investor in Chicago who initially invested $25,000, re-upped several times, and introduced the entrepreneur to new investors; the entrepreneur eventually raised $5 million. Clark touted IdeaCrossing on Thursday evening at an event hosted by SeNSE, an organization “focused on connecting the Louisiana entrepreneur community.” —David Jacobs