Profile: Ája Hardy

Meet Ája Hardy MBA, MPH. Director, gBETA Cleveland Business Accelerator.

Name: Ája Hardy MBA, MPH

Job: Director, gBETA Cleveland Business Accelerator

City: Cleveland

Hometown: Chicago

Q: What do you do at gBeta?
gBETA is a program of the nationally ranked organization, gener8tor. gener8or's turnkey platform for the creative economy connects startup founders, musicians, artists, investors, universities and corporations. The gener8tor platform includes pre-accelerators, accelerators, corporate programming, conferences, and fellowships.

gBETA accelerates the growth of early-stage companies through its network-driven, seven week program. gBETA supports five teams per cohort and requires no fees and no equity. Since launching in 2015, gBETA program alumni have raised $111M+ in capital and created 1,000+ jobs across the US and Canada.

Q: What’s a problem you're working to solve?
gener8tor's prescence impacts three aspects: technology, innovation and talent. Though the gBETA program is industry agnostic, we are looking for venture backable startups that have solutions to major challenges. Venture backable means that their total addressable market (TAM) or how much you would make if you captured all of the market in which you are in, has to be $1B or more.

That has historically been technology companies, yet it doesn't have to be. We do have to face the fact that every industry is technology enabled now. Your mom and pop store on the corner may enter e-commerce with shirts and hats with their logos. The incubator restaurant should look at how to keep consumer engagement high in these times by having a loyalty program where customers vote on the next special sandwich or meal. We all need to be okay with technology optimizing processes for the better.

Our program impact on a community is well documented. Of the 451 companies that have gone through our programs across the country, they have created 1,122 jobs and raised over $118M. Our mission is to be the best partner for a community to invest in its best and brightest and we do so by providing various programs and events to build the connective tissue between startups, entrepreneurs, artists, investors, universities and corporations.

Q: What’s a lesson you’ve learned that's shaped your work?
During my time here, I have a new found respect for my consulting training and how it enables me to assess an environment, engage the community, and drive towards results even when a problem and plan are not truly outlined. The creation of it all is what excites me. I enjoy putting the pieces together in the puzzle to get the full picture.

Though strategy and operations can be tactical, flexibility is key. It is important to be able to see the 50,000 foot view and also get in the weeds to execute if needed. I had no doubt that I could do this when I moved here ~2 years ago, yet I did not know how much I would rely on my persuasion and crucial conversation skills to gain the trust of the entrepreneurial community. It was evident that there were promises made to the group and not kept before I entered the picture. It was also clear that the tight knit community had to lean on each other to not only survive but also thrive which made outsiders like me looked upon differently. It can be a lonely road as an entrepreneur but it doesn't have to be. I remembered the things that worked in other areas I lived and tested them... continue to test them out here as well. Iteration and localization is key. I guess you can say we are our own startup.

Q: What’s a trend in technology or innovation that doesn’t get enough attention?
The innovative vehicle that I have been championing since 2005 is telehealth and VR health which I am happy to see get the attention it deserves now. Though I am sad it is because of this pandemic. Healthcare Information Technology and Digital Health companies have been attempting to push reimbursement and regulations around this in federal and state spaces for over 15 years. Imagine what could have been done if everyone was on the same page back then?

Most recently, I was in Denver for a startup in the dental provider space working for the largest dental service organization in the nation. We developed a FinTech product rival to CareCredit and launched a partnership with Toothpic out of NYC to start the dental encounter with your cellphone using telehealth and future state AI to compare your mouth to medical static imaging. The cost was too rich for the founders and they decided to bring our tools in house instead and not do B2C. Imagine where we would have been now as a startup? I have nightmares of my missed Entrepreneur or Inc. profile to this day!

Q: What’s one moonshot idea that could help make Ohio a world leader in technology and innovation?
Hmmm..a moonshot idea eh? I was intrigued with the movement early on to bring blockchain to the area and Ohio industries. In Denver, where I lived before this, there was a large surge of blockchain groups and even a chapter of the Global Blockchain Chamber of Commerce that I was eager to connect Cleveland to when I got here. It can still be a part of the revitalization of the area yet there is definitely more education and buy-in needed for all stakeholders involved.

The moonshot would be to look for a RWE (real world experience) example to wrap the technology around cross-departmental functionality. Since government and/or public utility were the first presented use cases in blockchain, I would look to the West Side Market or East Cleveland.

Q: What’s a recent book, podcast or news story that you found interesting?
Through the Project North book series arm of gener8tor, I have a lot of books to still read! I have started listening again to audiobooks and podcasts in my daily walks and morning routine. The most recent book I have listened to was "The No Asshole Rule" by Robert I. Sutton Ph.D. which speaks for itself.

I am a founding member of the Chicago Chapter of 'Ivy: The Social University', which is a leadership community for entrepreneurs, creatives, and innovative professionals. What started as a way for creatives and industry professionals 25 and older to connect to like minded folks and engage in artistic and engaging cultivated events has now expanded to a network of various ages and industries globally. They have a great podcast that I have carved out time to listen to: https://tv.ivy.com/podcast/.

Q: What's your favorite place in Ohio?
I do have a bit left to explore in Ohio especially since I don't have a car =). A visiting friend noticed wherever I have lived it has always been around nature (i.e. parks, mountains, and bodies of water). Living downtown provides that for me in addition to the metroparks in the area. I enjoy morning walks/runs around the stadiums, lake and the Flats. I recently visited Chagrin Falls and liked the actual falls there as well.

Q: What makes Ohio special to you?
People that visit me immediately pick up on the state and city pride when we venture out. There is so much university/city/state/neighborhood paraphernalia being worn or placed on cars/houses/dogs!!! It's the resilience for me. The road to success begins when we can - (1) Identify what makes the Buckeye state great and effectively communicate it to others (like a 'keep Austin weird' branding vibe), (2) Bring the industries we championed to future state (happening now with the new manufacturing hub), and (3) Embrace the market trends that propel us and our people forward in technology, innovation, talent and beyond.

Connect with Ája on LinkedIn.