Who is Elyse Ball?
Elyse Ball is the vice president of programming at Bounce Innovation Hub where she leads entrepreneurial programming, including scaling existing offerings and developing new initiatives. Elyse is passionate about helping creators and problem solvers find markets and customers for their innovations. She has 10 years of experience in customer discovery, technology licensing and supporting startup companies in the polymer science and biomedical fields. Elyse co-founded the STRIDE Accelerator to support startup companies with high tech physical products.
She has served as an officer or board member for five Akron, Ohio based startups, including a SAAS startup that serves water treatment plants in 14 states and a specialty adhesives startup that exited in 2021.
Elyse Ball’s 2024 TEDxAkron Talk - Coming Soon, after the event!
TEDxAkron Q&A with Elyse
Q: What do you love most about working/living in Akron?
The road construction - I like being secure in the knowledge that there will always be another roadworks project on whatever route I want to take. More seriously, I love the proximity to friends and family, as well as being in a small enough city where individuals can make an impact. I’m originally from Greater Akron and it has always felt like home.
Q: What do you think you’re most known for and what might surprise people about you that most people wouldn’t know?
I think I’m most known for badgering people to talk to their customers through the I-Corps program. People might be surprised to know that I have a degree in journalism, so I’ve been badgering people with questions for most of my adult life. People might also be surprised to know that I wrote a book on patents for scientists and engineers with the late Dr. Joe Kennedy, who was a phenomenal polymers inventor.
Q: If you didn’t do what you did now, what would you do or how would you spend your time in an alternative universe?
I’ve very strongly considered pursuing a degree in engineering a few times throughout my life. I’d like to think that there is an alternative universe Elyse out there somewhere who wears a lab coat and uses words like “titrate.”
Q: What's your favorite quote or mantra and why?
“Get out of your comfort zone.” This is great advice for growing and for truly experiencing life. It’s also something I’ll have to embrace to give a TEDx talk.
Q: What is the one thing you’re looking forward to the most as a future TEDx speaker?
I’ve watched many TEDx talks and I always wonder how in the world the speakers do what they do. While I’m looking forward to the event, I’m even more intrigued to see what happens behind the curtain and how the TEDx process turns out such amazing talks.