1871: Google Mentor Program Announced

We are super excited to announce a new program that connects 1871 startups with the amazing talent at Google Chicago. Google began as a startup in a garage and remains a startup at heart. They are committed to helping build a vibrant ecosystem for startups and enabling the next generation of entrepreneurs to be successful. So we have been working with them to launch a unique, three- month mentoring program that allows 1871 startups to leverage Google tech and marketing talent for advice on their strategy.

50 companies applied for the program and we just announced the first class of companies:

OurLabel is the fan-driven record label where music fans earn exclusive rewards for helping promote their favorite independent artists.

Live Local.ly provides conversation-driven mobile marketing solutions to small- and medium-sized businesses.

Sparkreel is a place where groups can share mobile video easily. Start groups. Shoot and share videos. Socialize with your group members.

Plura Financial is an online matchmaker between growing banks and small business seeking debt.

RavWare builds insanely awesome native mobile applications for any platform that are simple, fast, and clean.

groovebug is fusing the richness of box sets, the power of native apps, and viral potential of the social web to create a next-gen music experience.