Rely on our experience to navigate the startup process
Struggling to find the resources you need? We’ve put together a list of startup and entrepreneurial resources available in the Central Ohio Region to help you at every stage.
Founder Institute: The Founder Institute provides early-stage entrepreneurs with the structure, training, mentor support, and global network needed to start an enduring company. This paid, 3-month program helps individuals transition from employee to entrepreneur, test their startup ideas, build a team, get their first customers, raise funding, and more.
SEA Change: This 14-week accelerator program takes place here in Columbus and leverages an online curriculum to help entrepreneurs with a social mission go further, faster. SEA Change links individuals to mentors and subject matter experts, as well as provides coaching, capital, and other resources. Culminating in a Pitch Day, entrepreneurs leave the program equipped with direct actionable steps to continue moving forward.
Women’s Small Business Accelerator: Formed to help women business owners achieve their business ownership dreams, the WSBA provides support, educational programming, and mentoring to increase the success rate of women’s microbusinesses.
400 West Rich: Located in East Franklinton, 400 West Rich is a manufacturing warehouse turned multi-functional arts complex and co-working space and has grown to house 140 Columbus based artists, craftsman, designers, performers, local startups, and non-profits.
Hamilton Mill: Southwestern Ohio’s small business incubator for green, clean, water, digital and advanced manufacturing technologies. Conveniently located between Cincinnati and Dayton in the original pioneer town of Hamilton, OH. Additionally, Hamilton Mill has an Ohio Small Business Development Center located in their facility.
Brick House Blue: Brick House Blue is proud to be the first vibrant co-working community in the heart of Dublin. Offering meeting spaces, room rentals, and co-working space, enjoy a workday filled with stunning views of the Scioto River and historic Dublin, and all the need-to-have amenities like blazing fast internet and printing.
C|Suites Executive Office Space: C|Suites Offices, located in Gahanna, Ohio, are office spaces with the entrepreneur and small business owner in mind. These spaces can be tailored to fit the requirements of the company and the client at an affordable cost and at a convenient location.
COhatch Worthington: This new space is designed to meet all of your business needs while located within the community that you call home. COhatch offers spaces for co-working, meetings, private offices, events, and more.
Columbus Idea Foundry: The Columbus Idea Foundry serves as a community workshop, learning center, and creative space to entrepreneurs, inventors, designers, and more. Their resources include training and access to technologies, both conventional and high-tech, and an expansive list of shop resource tools.
Cultivate Grove City: Cultivate Grove City provides companies with coaching, mentoring, networking events, co-working space, and more. This organization is structured as a 501(c)(3) non-profit and serves the community by providing dozens of companies with the startup and small business support and resources needed to achieve success.
Dublin Entrepreneurial Center (DEC): The Dublin Entrepreneurial Center is a vibrant and energetic community of businesses working together to advance ideas and technologies of startups in Dublin, Ohio and the surrounding areas. They provide access to industry-specific experts, opportunities for shared-services and cost sharing, and numerous community partnerships to promote an environment that increases deal flow and development.
E.V. Bishoff Co.: Located in downtown Columbus, the E.V. Bishoff Co. offices come in a variety of traditional and non-traditional spaces and are provided elegantly and affordably. These spaces include executive suites, team spaces, studios, and more.
Haven Collective: Located on Riverside Drive, Haven Collective has co-working, private desks, private offices, and corporate spaces available. A space for focus, creativity, and collaboration, they offer all of the amenities that you need including drop-in child care.
Industrious: Industrious is a modern office space located in the Short North Arts District providing community and convenience to entrepreneurs and small businesses with co-working space, private offices, meeting space, and many additional resources available.
Innovate New Albany: Innovate New Albany serves as the city’s incubator for technology startups, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. Located in the New Albany Business Park, this incubator occupies 16,000 square feet and offers spaces for co-working, private offices, entrepreneurial activities and events. With their convenient location, extensive networking opportunities, and access to venture capital, Innovate New Albany is a hub for local startups, ideas, and interconnectivity.
Intelligent Office: Located at Columbus Commons Park Downtown, Intelligent Office offers a wide variety of virtual offices and staffing solutions for micro-businesses – locally-based virtual assistants, phone answering, appointment setting, lead capture and other call center services, co-working space, private offices, conference rooms, and mailboxes.
Marysville Entrepreneurial Center (MEC): The Marysville Entrepreneurial Center was created in 2008 and is focused on fostering grassroots economic development in Union County. Accessible office space, parking, and office resources make it a convenient and sensible option for entrepreneurs in any stage.
Office Evolution: Office Evolution has designed their services around understanding the modern day needs, flexibility, and unique challenges of being an entrepreneur. You can gain access to their four office locations or take advantage of virtual resources with amenities ranging from a private mailbox, to meeting space, to phone answering services.
Serendipity Labs: Located in the heart of downtown, Serendipity Labs is an upscale and hospitality driven workspace providing private offices, co-working, team rooms, work lounges and meeting spaces. Pairing an airy and inspiring ambiance with a secure cloud based infrastructure, Serendipity Labs delivers enterprise level security capable of meeting any compliance standards, regardless of industry.
The Horton Building: The Horton Building is located on the campus of the Central Ohio Aerospace & Technology Center in Heath, Ohio. The 45,000+ square foot, LEED-certified space is environmentally controlled and provides access to Boeing capabilities including 3D prototyping and a virtual manufacturing lab.
The Hub on Kenny: The Hub is a community workspace and dynamic community of all industries and skillets. Ideal for individuals and small businesses looking for a flexible, comfortable and productive work environment, they offer all the benefits of co-working without the hassles of the traditional office infrastructure, maintenance and overhead.
The Merchant: Opening in fall 2019 in Olde Towne East, The Merchant will provide a warm and welcoming, creative environment for professionals to share ideas, socialize, interact, work, and be productive.
The Perch: The Perch is a locally owned, high quality, collaborative shared office space for small businesses, startups, and freelancers located in the Short North Arts District.
The Salt Mines: The Salt Mines serve as a co-working space and community for the Columbus region. Their ample space, device lab, events, and more make it a great place for any independent professional or team.
Qwirk Co-working & Collaboration: Qwirk serves as a place for entrepreneurs, small business owners, freelancers, and more to work, meet others, and grow their businesses. Their casual, yet professional setting meets the needs of every remote worker.
Versa: Versa has two locations, one located on a lake in Grandview and the other in Arena District on the corner of Neil and Nationwide. Both boast natural light, outdoor spaces, lots of parking and a wide array of business industries. Versa has co-working, dedicated desks and private offices ranging from 1 person to 25 people. With 10 reservable conference rooms, they can handle small team huddles and 70-person events.
Zora’s House: As the only co-working and community space in Central Ohio catering specifically to women of color, their mission is to equip women of color with the clarity, confidence, and community they need to live their best lives and do their best work – all within a curated environment of sisterhood and support.
University Programs and Resources
Alleviating Poverty Through Entrepreneurship (APTE): Held at The Ohio State University, this annual event draws students, community members, and social entrepreneurs from around the globe to explore sustainable solutions to poverty.
Big Data Analytics Association (BDAA): The only undergraduate student organization of its kind at The Ohio State University. They aim to inspire students to think analytically, empower them through hands on training, and connect them to potential employers. Winner of the 2017 Outstanding Overall Organization Award and the Partnership in Industry Award, BDAA is truly Ohio State’s central hub for involvement in data analytics.
Tech License Express: The gateway to copyrighted materials, exclusive patents, research tools and software created at The Ohio State University. The Tech License Express is a global marketplace for the vast amount of intellectual property at The Ohio State University that is created, but untapped.
Business Builders Club: The Ohio State University’s Business Builders Club consists of a group of passionate students. In this organization, students collaborate with the Columbus Community as well as global organizations in the efforts to foster entrepreneurship.
CCAD MindMarket: Columbus College of Art & Design’s Mind Market, located in downtown Columbus, is an open collaborative workspace and incubator. Here, tenants are provided mentorship, business coaching, and access to many professional services, specifically those needed for art- and design-based ventures.
Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Housed at Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business, this center facilitates entrepreneurial and innovation-based learning, helps to develop new companies, and assists in the development of new products and services within existing businesses.
Design Develop Deploy, An Entrepreneurial Startup Club: D3 is an application-based organization which consists of select individuals put into groups of 3-4 people. Each group is pushed to create a prototype of a product by the end of the semester. At the end of each semester, all groups will present their products/prototypes at Demo Night.
Entrepreneurial Business Law Clinic: The Entrepreneurial Business Law Clinic (EBLC) serves startup and emerging businesses that need transactional legal assistance. EBLC students assist early-stage companies by providing legal advice and service on business formation and governance, regulation of Internet commerce, employment contracts, and more under the supervision of licensed faculty.
HackOHI/O: Over 750 undergraduate and graduate students will design, build, and demonstrate projects to a live audience of students, faculty, and representatives from tech companies. HackOHI/O is put on by OHI/O, a student-led organization that aims to build and foster the tech community at Ohio State University.
Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship (ICE) Scholars Program: The Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship (ICE) Scholars Program is a multi-disciplinary program designed to harness passion for innovation and creativity. The program will provide students with resources and support to explore their entrepreneurial ventures while connecting them with like-minded students and the global community.
Ohio Innovation Fund: Leveraging his Silicon Valley experience, founder Bill Baumel joined with founding partners The Ohio State University and Ohio University, along with additional anchor partner Kent State University, among other investors, to create the next generation of companies and industries in Ohio. The vision was collaborative in nature, promoting growth and impact across the region.
REACH for Commercialization: Inspiring female entrepreneurs, REACH helps to develop the entrepreneurial capacity of women faculty at Ohio State and beyond. This program was designed to help women faculty and post-doctoral scholars explore commercialization as a means of expanding the impact of their research.
Small Business Development Center at Columbus State Community College (SBDC): Part of America’s SBDC national network, this SBDC supports 9 counties in the Central Ohio Region and provides entrepreneurs with advising, training, specialty services, and more. They host a program called B.A.S.E., which stands for the Basis of a Successful Enterprise. B.A.S.E. will help you discover what it will take for you to build a business around your dreams and passion. Not just any business, but a business that will allow you to live, thrive and become a successful entrepreneur.
The Point at Otterbein: Partnered with leading organizations in central Ohio, Otterbein’s STEAM Innovation Center combines academics with business and manufacturing needs of the community.
The Ohio State University Accelerator Awards: This program provides funding to help further develop, validate, and commercialize promising technologies over a 3-6 month timeline. Awards are given to multiple applicants each cycle with a maximum amount of $50K per award.
The Ohio State University Technology Commercialization Office (TCO): TCO works to turn the inventions, concepts, and technologies of faculty, researchers, students, and clinicians into business opportunities and products impacting the local and global marketplace.
Venture Development and Startup Funding
Community Capital Development Corporation (CCDC): Certified by the Small Business Administration, CCDC helps small businesses obtain financing for growth and expansion by helping link small businesses to the best lending resources. Helping provide a competitive advantage to these small businesses, the CCDC is committed to providing low down payments, competitive interest rates, long-term financing, and economic development opportunities.
Drive Capital: Drive Capital is a Venture Capitalist firm based in Columbus, Ohio, investing mainly in innovative technology, healthcare, and consumer companies in the Midwest.
Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI): ECDI’s loans range from $500 to $350,000 and shows a large variety in their clients and the uses for the loans. Equipment-based loans are currently very popular, but others use the funds for entrepreneurial ventures and other operating costs. The organization supports loans for new and established businesses. Many of their other services can help develop a new business into a loan-ready client.
Kiva: An international nonprofit founded in 2005, Kiva started as a pioneer in crowdfunding and is constantly innovating to meet people’s diverse lending needs. Whether it’s reinventing microfinance with more flexible terms, supporting community-wide projects or lowering costs to borrowers, they are always testing and learning. After undergoing an application, underwriting and approval process, loans are posted to Kiva to be crowdfunded by lenders in increments of $25 or more; this provides the structure for Kiva’s loan fundraising model.
Ikove Capital Partners: Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Ikove Capital Partners is a venture capital company that focuses on making early-stage investments in technology companies. With an unusually large reach, Ikove has directors, partners, and advisors in numerous countries around the world.
Innovation Ohio Loan Fund (IOLF): The IOLF helps to provide funding to those who have limited access to capital due to the risks associated with developing new products or services. Focusing on existing companies, the IOLF supports the growth capital needs of existing young companies.
Jane VC: Jane VC is an early stage venture capital fund that invests in high-growth female led startups. They invest globally in visionary founders.
JobsOhio: JobsOhio is a private non-profit corporation designed to drive job creation and new capital investment in Ohio through business attraction, retention and expansion efforts.
JumpStart Focus Fund: JumpStart’s Focus Fund invests seed capital in tech-based companies led by female entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of color throughout Ohio – as well as those willing to move to the state. Focus Fund investments typically start at $250,000 for early stage companies who can leverage capital and IP/technology to achieve transformational growth in one of eight technology sectors.
LOUD Capital: Based in Central Ohio, LOUD Capital is an entrepreneurial collective that provides promising young startups with early stage capital, talent, and professional connections.
NCT Ventures: Founded by entrepreneurs, this VC firm passionately supports other entrepreneurs financially as well as by providing hands-on operational support.
Ohio Tech Angel Funds (OTAF): Ranked as one of the top angel investor networks in the country, OTAF engages and invests in early-stage companies with high-growth potential. Market sectors invested in include, but are not limited to, life sciences, information technology, and physical sciences.
Pipeline Angels: This network of seasoned women investors is creating capital for women and non-binary femme social entrepreneurs. Along with funding, Pipeline Angels also holds a boot camp for new investors and a pitch summit for entrepreneurs who are seeking investments.
Silicon Valley Bank (SVB): SVB provides a full range of financial services to companies of all stages and sizes to enable growth and innovation. This high-tech commercial bank has helped fund more than 30,000 startups.
Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR): The SBIR program works to encourage domestic small businesses with the potential for commercialization to engage with Federal Research/Research and Development. They do so by providing funding for technological innovation, encouraging entrepreneurs, and enabling socially and economically disadvantaged persons.
Small Business Administration (SBA): The SBA provides loans, loan guarantees, contracts, counseling services, and more to small businesses with the goal to help Americans start, build, and grow businesses. Their guide to small business financing covers more than just SBA loans including details surrounding and a comparison of different types of financing available as well as a collated list of tools, resources.
Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR): STTR expands funding opportunities for federal innovation research and development. They focus on expanding the public/private sectors partnerships to include joint venture opportunities for small businesses and nonprofit research institutions.
Technology Validation and Start-up Fund (TVSF): The TVSF’s goal is to create economic growth for technologies that are commercialized by Ohio-based companies that were spun out from higher education institutions or Ohio not-for-profit research institutions.
Economic Development Resources
Columbus 2020: This is a team made up of 20 economic development professionals and a group of allied organizations tasked with moving the regional growth strategy forward. Columbus 2020 focuses on job creation, capital investments, and increased personal per capita income within the Columbus Region.
Columbus Chamber of Commerce: Impacting Columbus for over 120 years, the Columbus Chamber of Commerce provides resources for local businesses including business connections, market research, and more.
Delaware Means Business: City of Delaware Economic Development and Entrepreneur Center helps you realize your dream every step of the way. They have a team of resource providers for pretty much anything you can think of in terms of starting your business.
Dublin Chamber of Commerce: The Dublin Chamber of Commerce serves as the voice to the business and professional community and to organizations of all sizes and industry. Membership with the chamber provides individuals with networking events, leadership development, and more.
The Fairfield 33 Development Alliance: Established in 2007, The Fairfield 33 Development Alliance is made up of a committed group of public and private entities within the Fairfield 33 Corridor. Collectively, the Alliance serves as a liaison between businesses interested in the Corridor and the many resources available to assist with business development in the area. Their goal is simple, to get companies to their first day of profit after through connecting companies to the right agencies and resources to help establish and grow their businesses.
Grove City Chamber of Commerce: The Grove City Chamber of Commerce works to help define, develop, and implement programs and services to enhance economic opportunity and create a positive environment for the development and success of businesses. Resources available through the chamber include small business advisory, data resources, and the community network.
New Albany Chamber of Commerce: The New Albany Chamber of Commerce promotes the progress, growth, and improvement of New Albany, Ohio businesses, and the professional and civic communities. The Chamber provides resources such as mentorship, leadership training, access to an extensive network, and more.
Ohio Business Gateway- 1st Stop Business Connection: This resource provides free state-level information needed to start, develop, and/or grow your business in Ohio.
Ohio Third Frontier: Ohio Third Frontier works to transform the state’s economy through the accelerated growth of diverse startups as well as early stage technology companies by providing business expertise, mentorship, capital, and talent.
Women for Economic and Leadership Development (WELD): WELD provides educational courses and networking connections to women to further their individual economic status. With chapters across the United States and one located in Columbus, Ohio, their efforts help to strengthen women’s leadership skills, strengthening the economic prosperity of their communities that they serve.
Associations/Other Startup Resources
Cintrifuse: Created by Cincinnati’s business community, Cintrifuse is more than just a startup accelerator or venture capital fund. They are a startup catalyst, a public/private partnership that exists to build a sustainable tech-based economy for the Greater Cincinnati region. Their purpose is to advocate for entrepreneurs leading high-growth tech startups – attracting, inspiring, and supporting them on their journey.
1400 Food Lab: Located in Columbus, Ohio, 1400 Food Lab is a commercial test kitchen and food experience center. With four hot-line kitchen stations, prep stations, storage space, business support and more, makers can find anything that they may need while starting their own food business.
Bunker Labs Columbus: Bunker Labs is a national non-profit created by military veterans for veterans to start and grow businesses. Their Columbus location, one of their many local chapters found across the U.S., provides educational programming, access to resources, and a thriving local network to help military veterans and their spouses start and grow businesses.
Big Kitty Labs: With their iterative prototype framework, Big Kitty Labs helps build startup concepts and prototypes quickly and affordably. Acting as a development partner, they work with web, mobile, enterprise, and more.
BioOhio: This member-guided service has nearly 400 members that combined employ over 100,000 Ohioans. This broad network works to connect and support Ohio’s bioscience community through networking, advocacy, events, talent, information, and cost savings.
CapCity Biohackers: This new community is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and community members with biohacking, indie science, and science education in Columbus, Ohio. CapCity Biohackers are part of the world-wide DIYBio movement and the first established DIYBio group in Ohio.
Central Ohio Food Truck Association (COFTA): COFTA is an industry association for advocating food trucks owners and operators providing a platform for advocacy, communication, and education for the members and those serving central Ohio.
Columbus Minority Business Assistance Center (MBAC): Hosted by the Columbus Urban League, the Columbus MBAC has a mission to advance business opportunities for minority and small disadvantaged business enterprises, and provide market access that leads to sustainable business relationships.
Columbus Business First Portal: Working in conjunction with ECDI, this portal provides their clients with access to the most recent issues, special publications, and Book of Lists online.
Columbus Collaboratory: The Columbus Collaboratory is a unique innovation ecosystem where IT and technological innovation are worked on collaboratively, expanding and upskilling Columbus, Ohio’s IT workforce.
Columbus Metropolitan Library: The Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Research Database acts as a great resource for small businesses and startups alike. Access is available to their many subscriptions to high quality research and consumer tools on a variety of topics as well as numerous research tools and databases through their website.
First Search: Launched by First Round, First Search is a free resource where you can find thousands of vetted and organized articles providing the knowledge you need, when you need it. These articles are sources from across the internet, pooling the best startup advice, written by the top minds in the industry, all in one place.
GiveBackHack: Acting as a launchpad for social impact, GiveBackHack brings the community together to confront social issues, work towards innovative solutions, establish new businesses, and more.
i.c. stars: This program provides a rigorous technology-based workforce development and leadership training program for inner-city young adults and low-income adults. By enhancing the skill set and economic standing of their participants, i.c. stars is able to positively impact the communities on a personal and economic level.
Launch Labs: This small team of engineers, designers, and strategists works with entrepreneurs to develop consumer products and launch them onto the market. With their three-phase process, Launch Labs works to minimize risk and maximize learning.
Meetups in Columbus: Meetup offers numerous groups surrounding industries of interest in the startup realm. Whatever interest you may have, join or start a meetup to bring people together to do, explore, teach, and learn about your area of interest. Specifically, in the tech space, TechLife Columbus aggregates many of the various meetups available.
National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO): NAWBO Columbus, the largest Chapter of NAWBO in the country, is central Ohio’s premier organization for women business owners. Their members, ranging from one-person start-ups to multi-million dollar corporations, contribute more than $250 million to Ohio’s annual economy and have been in business an average of 12 years. NAWBO Columbus is the trusted leader for strategic business connections, advocacy and mentorship. They envision women business owners equally supported, recognized and celebrated for their growth, revenue generation, and leadership.
Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations: The Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations (OANO) is the only statewide membership association that reflects the full diversity of the nonprofit sector in Ohio. OANO’s mission is to provide leadership, education, and advocacy to enhance the ability of Ohio’s nonprofit organizations to serve their communities.
Ohio Supercomputer Center: This center is fully-scalable with mid-range machines to help accelerate research, enhance computational science expertise, and provide a competitive advantage for small businesses and startups.
SCORE: SCORE is made up of experienced volunteer business professionals that provide free and confidential advice and mentorship to entrepreneurs on starting, managing, and growing a business.
Startup Grind Columbus: Startup Grind is the largest independent startup community actively educating, inspiring, and connecting entrepreneurs in over 250 cities to date. Hosting monthly events, Startup Grind Columbus features successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share lessons learned on the road to building great companies.
Startup Week: Over five days, entrepreneurs, local leaders, and community members are brought together to build momentum and opportunity around the local entrepreneurial environment. Startup Week’s goal is to celebrate the achievements of the entrepreneurial communities around the globe and develop and support thriving communities.
Startup Weekend: This 54-hour experience exposes participants to the trials and tribulations as well as the fun and excitement of being an entrepreneur and launching a startup. Startup Weekend provides mentors, investors, and educational resources through the process to enhance the experience as well as expose the company to individuals that can help to enable continued momentum after the weekend is over.
Startups.co: Startups.co is a startup platform located in central Ohio. This company helps startups, entrepreneurs, and small businesses with raising funding, marketing, and professional assistance.
SunDown RunDown: SunDown RunDown works to help entrepreneurs make connections, expand their businesses, and learn though providing pitch events, educational offerings, and other services to help make startups happen.
Tech Elevator: Tech Elevator is a 14 week coding boot camp that can jump start a career as a junior developer. Additional to their rapid development program, Tech Elevator supports their participants’ career goals through their hiring network and Pathway Program.
TechLife Columbus: TechLife Columbus is a Meetup group focused on enhancing the connectivity and collaboration amongst entrepreneurs and tech minded individuals in town.
Venture Ohio: Venture Ohio helps to ensure adequate capital for startups and foster a collaborative entrepreneurial ecosystem within the state of Ohio.
Women Educating Women (WEW): WEW works to break down barriers for women entrepreneurs by providing educational resources, events, and more, enabling economic viability of women owned micro-businesses.
Women’s Business Center (ECDI): With the mission of empowering women entrepreneurs with resources and tools to create strong sustainable businesses, the WBC is the only SBA-funded Women’s Business Center in the state. They provide their clients with mentoring, training and workshops, access to networks and more for a low annual membership fee.
Women in Digital: Through their Ask & Give Exchange nearly 2K members nationwide are sharing favors, knowledge and their sisterhood.
Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!): This groundbreaking program transforms students in grades 6-12 into real, confident entrepreneurs. Throughout this year long program, students work through the challenges of building a business including everything from generating an idea and writing a business plan, to launching a real company.
ZoCo Design: Working with brands that seek change, ZoCo Design connects strategy and creativity to create informed, lasting design that delivers business value. Founded in 2013, ZoCo has proudly worked with local Columbus startups, Fortune 500, and international clients. This nimble studio’s expertise extends from branding to user experience, and print to digital design.
Additional Ohio Startup Resources
Aviatra Accelerators: This educational and micro-finance nonprofit supports female entrepreneurs by providing business education, mentors and coaches, and access to debt capital.
BioEnterprise: This not-for-profit business accelerator helps bioscience startups grow. They provide access to bioscience venture capital, a network of experts, services, and equipment, strategic marketing guidance, and more.
BLK Hack: BLK hack is a social enterprise network that is engaged in the latest business, technology news and curator of black digital culture. The company helps African American entrepreneurs and people of color grow, nurture, and scale their businesses by providing access to an engaged and supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem. BLK hack is committed to innovating the solutions for creating more inclusion and diversity globally for startups, minority entrepreneurs, innovators, and technology enthusiasts.
CincyTech: CincyTech provides advice and capital to entrepreneurs, helps in the commercialization of technologies from research institutions, and catalyzes investment from individuals and institutions into regional companies. Focusing on life science and digital companies, CincyTech acts as a trusted partner for high potential technology companies in Southwest Ohio.
Bounce Innovation Hub: Bounce Innovation Hub was founded in January 2018 and is the region’s first open innovation hub serving northeast Ohio’s entrepreneurial and innovation community. Located in downtown Akron in the former B.F. Goodrich plant, the building comprises more than 300,000 square feet of office, lab and light manufacturing space. With more than 50 organizations in the building, Bounce accounts for more than 200 people working and creating.
Flashstarts: The Flashstarts mission is to recruit, develop, and fund early stage startups in becoming successful seed stage businesses. They do this through a unique system of resources, formal programming, events, and collaboration.
Hillman Accelerator: Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Hillman Accelerator was built specifically to attract and accelerate tech companies founded by women and minorities. This 12-week program provides entrepreneurs with seed investments, mentoring, business strategy cultivation, and more.
I-Corps@Ohio: The I-Corps@Ohio program provides Ohio faculty with hands-on training to help accelerate the commercialization of Ohio’s University-based technologies. Some of the resources provided include education, exposure to experienced professionals, and market validation research.
NextTech: NextTech Ohio’s mission is to identify and assist entrepreneurs as they maneuver the paths to successful commercialization of their technologically-based concepts. NextTech is the regional provider of the Ohio Third Frontier’s Entrepreneurial Services Provider (ESP) Program.
The Entrepreneurs Center: Dayton is a growing technology and startup hub and TEC can accelerate your growth and our community’s potential by investing in your development as a technology entrepreneur. TEC brings together regional partners, mentors, and funding opportunities, including Ohio Third Frontier, to work with you and your business in their tailored process.
JumpStart, Inc.: This Cleveland-based non-profit accelerator works to foster entrepreneurs, build ecosystems, and impact economies. Through their program, they are able to provide high-impact assistance to diverse entrepreneurs and small business owners on a personal level.
North Coast Angel Fund: North Coast Angel Fund works to accelerate technology startup success and improve the state of early-stage funding in Ohio. By creating a more effective and accessible investing community, entrepreneurs can reach capital and achieve growth.
Ocean: Ocean is an independent business accelerator located in Cincinnati, Ohio that is uniquely faith backed, focused on building into the founder. Each startup receives a $50,000 seed investment, mentorship, and 20 weeks of curriculum focused on spring boarding their company into the marketplace.
Queen City Angels (QCA): This group of experienced entrepreneurs, CEOs, and investors are committed to helping grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Cincinnati, Ohio. Some of the services that QCA provides startups include mentoring, coaching, and funding.
River Cities Capital Funds: River Cities Capital Funds provides high-potential healthcare and IT companies with growth equity and business acumen. Being one of the most active and experienced growth equity funds in healthcare and IT, they currently have nearly $500M under management and more than 100 investments made.
TechGrowth Ohio: TechGrowth Ohio works with startups in Athens, Ohio and the surrounding areas to help validate opportunities and prepare companies for investment. Their access to experts, alignment of resources to accelerate commercialization, and more help them create an ecosystem for growth.
The Brandery: The Brandery is an accelerator focusing on digitally native, full stack products, including Consumer Packaged Goods providing mentorship, partnership opportunities and introductions in Cincinnati, Ohio. Beyond these services, The Brandery also provides small businesses, entrepreneurs, and startups $50K in funding.
UpTech: This nationally ranked tech accelerator program focuses on data-driven startups that are developing tech-enabled solutions. UpTech selects up to 10 startups annually to go through the 6-month accelerator program driven by intensive entrepreneurship education, one-on-one mentoring, up to a $50,000 seed investment, and extensive community involvement.
If you notice that we missed something that should be added to the list, send the suggestion to us.