FutureLAND

What FutureLAND does

FutureLAND is a Cleveland, Ohio-based nonprofit founded in 2022 that operates a year-round innovation ecosystem at the intersection of technology, art, culture, and entrepreneurship. The organization delivers its work through three interconnected pillars: Convene (flagship events and curated summits), Connect (a network aligning entrepreneurs, creatives, and investors), and Build (programs including micro-grants, mentorship pipelines, and workshops). Its primary audiences are Cleveland-area entrepreneurs and creatives seeking capital and growth pathways, investors and capital providers seeking diverse deal flow, corporate and institutional ecosystem partners, and high-school students introduced through the Next Generation program. Recurring event series include the Chase x FutureLAND Business Growth Series: Lunch and Learn (hosted at ECDI Women's Business Center of Northern Ohio), Creative Meetups (hosted at S&P Labs), and Coffee Connect.

The organization's technology footprint is centered on the Cleveland Resource Directory (directory.futurelandcle.com), a curated digital platform that categorizes 25+ resource types across funding, community/workforce, creative/innovation, industry/tech, equity/identity, spaces/studios, and accessibility/neurodiversity, with a community-submission workflow supporting ongoing expansion. FutureLAND does not develop proprietary AI or ML systems; the platform is a structured content directory rather than a data-driven recommendation engine.

FutureLAND's business model is nonprofit and event-driven. Revenue is generated through grants and philanthropic support used to fund programs and deployed capital; the organization has cumulatively raised and deployed $2M into the Cleveland innovation ecosystem, including $250K in non-dilutive grants given directly to entrepreneurs. Programming is offered free or at low cost, and growth is pursued through deepening corporate partnerships (notably Chase), expanding recurring event cadence, broadening the resource directory, and scaling the Next Generation student pipeline. Impact metrics reported include 8K+ attendees engaged, 120+ workshops/sessions, 120+ MBE/WMBE vendors supported, 240+ speakers featured, and 2M+ social media impressions.

Name

FutureLAND

Legal name

Futureland

Website

https://futurelandcle.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FutureLAND is a Cleveland-based nonprofit innovation ecosystem organization that convenes, connects, and builds pathways for entrepreneurs, creatives, investors, and high-school students through flagship events, curated summits, micro-grants, mentorship, and a digital Cleveland Resource Directory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation Ecosystem Services

akta.pro primary industry

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Entrepreneurship, Business & Innovation Camps (EDAMALAL)

Keywords

• Innovation ecosystem
• Entrepreneurship support
• Community development
• Resource directory
• Startup programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding & Program Revenue: Futureland generates revenue through grant funding and philanthropic support to operate its convening, connecting, and building programs. The organization has deployed $2M in funds raised and deployed, including $250K in non-dilutive funds given to entrepreneurs. Revenue supports event programming, workshop delivery, and ecosystem development activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

FutureLAND is a Cleveland-based nonprofit innovation ecosystem that organizes events, networking opportunities, and programs for entrepreneurs, creatives, and investors. Its work is structured around three pillars: Convene (bringing the community together through events), Connect (building relationships across the ecosystem), and Build (programs that help founders and creators advance their ventures). It also operates the Cleveland Resource Directory, a digital platform that surfaces regional resources for the local innovation community.

Product overview

Futureland is a Cleveland-based community organization operating as a unified ecosystem rather than a traditional product-platform architecture. Its core offerings center on three interconnected service pillars: Convene (event design and hosting), Connect (network building between entrepreneurs/creatives/investors), and Build (programs including micro-grants, mentorship, and workshops). Supporting these pillars is the Cleveland Resource Directory, a searchable platform aggregating resources across funding, community programs, creative industries, and technology sectors. The organization also runs recurring event series including Lunch and Learn (partnered with Chase), Creative Meetups, and Coffee Connect. Futureland's model is fundamentally community-driven, focused on economic growth, inclusive innovation, and connecting talent to opportunity in the Cleveland area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Futureland Programs: Programs under the Convene, Connect, and Build pillars focused on community events, networking, and entrepreneurial development.

Products and services

• Convene Event programming pillar that brings entrepreneurs, creatives, and investors together through community gatherings such as Lunch and Learn sessions, Creative Meetups, and Coffee Connect sessions.
• Connect Networking pillar focused on building relationships and connections across the Cleveland innovation ecosystem, linking founders, creatives, investors, and partners.
• Build Programs pillar offering structured support to help entrepreneurs and creatives develop and advance their ventures within the Cleveland innovation ecosystem.
• Cleveland Resource Directory A digital directory platform that aggregates and surfaces regional resources for the Cleveland innovation community, including founders, creatives, and ecosystem partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Deployed $2M in capital to the Cleveland innovation ecosystem with $250K in non-dilutive funds given directly to entrepreneurs
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ChasecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic monthly partnership delivering the 'Chase x Futureland Business Growth Series: Lunch and Learn' program. Monthly sessions explore business, finance, and entrepreneurship topics. First event held July 9th from 12pm-2pm at ECDI Women's Business Center of Northern Ohio in Cleveland. Partnership provides thought leadership content, brand visibility for Chase in the innovation ecosystem, and direct access to entrepreneur community.
• ECDI Women's Business Center of Northern OhiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue partner for the Chase x Futureland Business Growth Series. ECDI (Economic Community Development Institute) provides access to women entrepreneurs and small business resources in Northern Ohio. Partnership enables co-location of programming and cross-promotion to women-owned business community.
• S&P LabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue partner for Creative Meetups monthly gatherings. S&P Labs provides creative workspace in Cleveland for collaborative events bringing together Cleveland creatives to showcase work, collaborate, and build together. First event held July 13th from 5:30pm-8:30pm.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• The Venture Center: Arkansas-based nonprofit startup accelerator and innovation hub delivering programming, mentoring, and investor connections. Comparable in mission and operating model — community-driven ecosystem building with events, programs, and capital deployment.
• Cintrifuse: Cincinnati-based innovation ecosystem builder and fund connecting startups, corporates, and investors across the Cincinnati region. Comparable in operating model — events, programming, and ecosystem orchestration — though serving a different Ohio/regional market.
• Rev1 Ventures: Columbus, Ohio-based startup accelerator and venture fund combining capital, corporate connections, and programming support for entrepreneurs. Highly comparable mission and operating model in the same Ohio ecosystem, with the same potential sponsor and investor pool.
• Bounce Innovation Hub: Akron, Ohio-based innovation hub providing startup incubation, coworking, and programming. Similar mission and operating model — events, entrepreneur support, and ecosystem convening — within the broader Northeast Ohio ecosystem.

Direct peers

• gener8tor: National accelerator and venture fund operating investment programs and community convenings for early-stage startups. Comparable in its convening-plus-capital model and Midwest regional focus, though operates at a larger scale.
• Hello Alice: National small business support platform combining community, mentorship, and resource directories for entrepreneurs. Comparable in the small-business and community-driven ecosystem model, with a similar Resource Directory-style digital asset.
• 1871: Chicago-based nonprofit innovation hub supporting entrepreneurs and tech startups through events, programming, and a curated resource network. Closely comparable in mission and operating model — community-driven ecosystem building with events, networking, and programs.
• Startup Junkie: Northwest Arkansas-based innovation consultancy and ecosystem builder supporting founders through events, programming, and community resources. Comparable in the community-driven ecosystem-building model with a focus on inclusive entrepreneurship.
• JumpStart Inc. Cleveland, Ohio-based nonprofit venture development organization that supports entrepreneurs through funding, advisory, and ecosystem connections. Operates in the same Cleveland geography with overlapping entrepreneur-support mission, making it the most direct local peer.
• ECDI (Economic Community Development Institute): Cleveland-based nonprofit providing small business lending, training, and women's business center services. FutureLAND already partners with ECDI as a host venue, and the two organizations serve the same entrepreneurs in the same market with complementary programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/futurelandcle
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/futurelandcle
• Instagraminstagram.com/futurelandcle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FutureLAND