EDGE is a 501c3 organization designed to enhance economic development in Northeast Ohio through innovation and entrepreneurship.
HOME	CEOs for NEO (EDGE Fellows) Internship Program CEOs for NEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Organizations for NE Ohio) Ask top executives in NE Ohio for great new business ideas they may have. Not new products but new business ideas! Recruit top students to perform the due diligence and feasibility analyses on the ideas. Pair students with business mentors to provide guidance through the process. Provide students with a meaningful educational experience, expose them to new opportunities and new relationships, and ideally keep them working in Northeast Ohio. Present the results to potential investors and serial entrepreneurs to create new businesses. In 2009: 16 EDGE Fellows conducted feasibility studies on eight new business ideas that may benefit NE Ohio business development in areas of Biomedical, Alternative Energy, Aquaculture, Manufacturing and Transportation. (Read Recap 2009) Special thanks to our 2009 program sponsors: The Burton D. Morgan Foundation The GAR Foundation In 2008: EDGE identified new business ideas from area business leaders in different industries and recruited 19 entrepreneurial undergraduate and graduate interns from seven NE Ohio schools as well as Cornell University who studied the feasibility of 11 new business ideas.  Students studied new business ideas submitted by business leaders from: DynaMotors, Fairmount Minerals, Graphic Laminating Company, Kichler Lighting, Lexi-Comp, Logi-Sync, Main Street Gourmet, Metaloy, NEO|SO, & Smart Solutions Testimonials EDGE asked its business mentors if they felt the students’ work efforts added value to the original idea or business, and one of our mentors, Corrine Beller (a professional consultant and Harvard Business School graduate), replied: “Absolutely!!! (The company) got a great deal on this project.  The team did actual consulting work that would have cost (the company) $50,000+ otherwise.  (The students) grasped the market, found ways to get at people to interview and made actionable recommendations.” “I was ready to take my MBA education to the next level. My summer internship (CEOs for NEO program) enabled me to take classroom theory and put it into a practical experience as a lead consultant for a growing local business.  This practical experience included using strategy, marketing, finance, accounting, economics, operations, information design and presentation skills.  EDGE provided me with access to business leaders and a quality project that I would not have been able to find on my own. Not only was my project a great learning experience, but my work also contributed to the continuing economic development of Northeast Ohio.” Christopher Schmitt, EDGE Fellow 2008 “During my internship with EDGE’s CEOs for NEO program, I gained more knowledge and understanding of the world of business and economic development in northeast Ohio and made many new contacts, since I was introduced to leaders in many different industries. I had several interviews – even during difficult economic times – and received my current full-time position as a direct result of working with EDGE.” Anand Raj Singh, EDGE Fellow 2008 Questions?  Comments? Contact Christopher Keller, CEOs for NEO Program Director	Summer Internship Find out more about the Internship position EDGE Fellows/Interns Group Picture 2009 Intern Biographies Prospective Idea Generator Role Details for 2010. Recap of Previous Programs 2009 2008 2007 pilot year Business Mentor Role Details for 2010 Contact Christopher Keller, Program Director, for more information or with questions. Download Adobe Reader to open pdf files.