Tizra Blog

In business there's only one thing more meaningful than having someone trust you to make good use of their money, and that's having them do it again! That's exactly what Rhode Island's Slater Technology Fund has done by announcing they'll increase their investment in Tizra . Slater's been involved in Tizra from the days when we were just a few guys with an idea--initially with advice, and then with investment . They've been a great partner, always pushing us to dig deeper, think harder, do better and ultimately to believe in the potential of what we're doing. Now that that potential is bearing fruit , we're thrilled to see them increasing their involvement.

Rhode Island's small, but it's got talent. I'd put the community of designers and software engineers surrounding Brown and RISD up against any I've worked with in New York or Boston. Yet technology startups haven't flourished here as you might expect, and much of Rhode Island's talent gets lured to the brighter lights of bigger cities. Yesterday, we got more evidence that the state is working to correct that when the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation approved our application for a $100,000 Innovation Tax Credit .  The credit will provide one more reason for investors to bet their capital on Tizra, and will mean Tizra can put more of those great engineers and designers to work close to home.

There's a new business development and networking site starting up for Rhode Island, the RI Nexus . I think they are still in soft launch mode to get the last bugs out, but if you follow the link you can get a peek now! It's a project of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, who are working with Jack Templin of Providence Geeks fame to make it all happen. Of course we're happy that our recent news is timed with their preparations for launch, as they've written some nice things about Tizra. Rhode Island's size is often perceived as something that gets in the way of new businesses, but it is also be a real advantage in keeping companies and people well connected. The RI Nexus is a new, more formalized way to facilitate and capitalize on this, which is a good thing. Right now it might help us a little, but I'm sure it will help the state as it continues to develop. Way to go EDC!

This is a big one for us. Rhode Island's Slater Technology Fund is betting $500,000 that Tizra will "really open the floodgates for book-based content from thousands of publishers." Their investment caps a year in which we've gone from four people , two dogs and an idea to a company that someone besides us and our friends and families believe will set online publishing on its ear. We even have our very own Forbes article . Thanks to the folks at Slater for being great advisors as well as investors, and to the many friends and family members who preceded them!