Cintrifuse

From big pitch wins like Kameron Seabrook to closing $600K+ pre-seed rounds, our Venture Velocity alumni are proving that this program drives real growth. If you’re an early-stage, high-growth startup preparing for a venture capital raise, this is your moment. Venture Velocity Cohort 4 is designed for founders who are: 💡 Building scalable, market-ready startups 📈 Showing early traction or customer interest 🤝 Ready to engage fully in our 8-week, in-person program at Union Hall 🔥 Bringing innovative ideas that stand out from the crowd Don’t miss your chance to join a community of ambitious founders making big moves and up to $250K in pre-seed investment. Applications close October 31st. https://lnkd.in/gh8ECCm6

StartupCincy Community, What an incredible week! StartupCincy Week was a true reflection of the energy, creativity, and grit that make our region so special. None of it would have been possible without the founders, investors, partners, mentors, volunteers, and friends who showed up, leaned in, and helped us shine. Your passion for innovation and collaboration is what fuels this community. The conversations, connections, and ideas sparked this week will continue to ripple forward, strengthening our startups, attracting new opportunities, and showcasing Cincinnati as a place where bold ideas don’t just start, they scale. From the inspiring panels to the packed networking events, the enthusiasm was palpable. Thank you for bringing your best, for supporting one another, and for proving once again that Cincinnati is a vibrant, thriving entrepreneurial community. We’re deeply grateful to every person who played a role in making this week such a success. Because of you, the future of StartupCincy burns brighter than ever. Let’s keep building, keep connecting, and keep proving what’s possible when this community comes together. Here’s to the next big idea and to the people right here in Cincinnati who make it happen. With gratitude, J.B. Kropp

Big ideas belong everywhere. Opportunities belong everywhere. Startups belong everywhere. These three simple statements define everything we believe at Cintrifuse, and they couldn’t have rung more true than during our Annual Meeting at StartupCincy Week. A huge thank you to our community for showing up in force to celebrate the startups, investors, and partners fueling Cincinnati’s momentum. 🚀 To Guy B. Persaud, our Board Chair, for championing the vision 🚀 To Joshua Reid, for sharing his incredible founder story 🚀 To Abby Grimm, for curating such a vibrant, connected community 🚀 And to J.B. Kropp, our CEO, for leading with boldness, clarity, and conviction about where this ecosystem is headed next. This year, we were proud to highlight a fabulous group of our portfolio companies, Vixiv, Lyceum, Cloverleaf, Pay Theory, Noshable, Tembo, Kernel (YC S25), Narratize, and Airtrek Robotics and announce several new initiatives designed to strengthen every stage of the founder journey: ⭐ The Cintrifuse Capital Angel Network, connecting local investors to early-stage founders. ⭐ The Expert-in-Residence Program, pairing experienced operators with startups for targeted growth sprints. ⭐ The Startup Fellows Program, creating meaningful pathways for students and emerging talent to work in high-growth startups. ⭐ And the StartupCincy Awards, celebrating the founders, builders, and champions driving our region forward. Every one of these wins and initiatives move our mission forward: to make Cincinnati the best place in the Midwest to launch and scale a high-growth startup. The momentum is real, and it’s only growing.

Big thanks to Mark Fahner and the altafiber team for their continued partnership and support of Cintrifuse and StartupCincy Week 2025! Altafiber has been a longtime champion of our region’s innovation ecosystem, and their partnership helps make next week’s StartupCincy Week (Oct 6–9) possible. From bold founder stories to hands-on sessions, investor meetups, and unforgettable networking moments, this is where Cincinnati’s startup community comes together to learn, connect, and grow. We’re grateful for partners like Altafiber who believe in the power of entrepreneurship to shape the future of our region. 📅 StartupCincy Week kicks off Monday — don’t miss it: https://lnkd.in/g5JbdyX9

Last night we gathered at Pepp & Delores with our biggest supporters and incredible founders for an evening of connection and celebration. The food was fabulous, but the company was even better. Thank you to both familiar faces and new friends for coming together to celebrate the strength and spirit of our ecosystem. We couldn’t do this without you! 👏 Thank you Helen Yen, Emma Scharfenberger Off, Kiran Jain, Bill Tucker, Nate Sowder, Kameron Seabrook, Thomas Lebesmuehlbacher, Doug Groh, Mark Fahner, Sean Kwiat, Brandon Tudor, Logan Hille, Eron Bucciarelli, Paul Ehlinger, Patrick Longo, Joshua Reid, Nicole D., Randi Thomas, Vance VanDrake, Russell Hamer, Barbara Hauser, James Zimmerman, Orlie Benjamin, Tim Schigel, J.B. Kropp, Abby Grimm, Taylor Wallbrech, Kyndal Michel Marks, Ilana Habib, Kate Hursh

Startups are shaping the next decade of how we learn, work, and connect. At the Cintrifuse Annual Meeting during StartupCincy Week (Oct 6–9), hear bold perspectives from leaders shaping the future: 🎤 Joshua Reid — CEO of LunchTable & Cintrifuse Capital portfolio founder, on how Cintrifuse support helped transform a bold idea into a scaling company. 🎤 Guy B. Persaud — President of New Business, Procter & Gamble & Cintrifuse Board Chair, on why startups aren’t just companies, but the future of our cities. 🎤 J.B. Kropp — CEO of Cintrifuse & Managing Director of Cintrifuse Capital, on what’s next: talent, capital, community, and education. To attend, purchase your StartupCincy Week ticket, download the StartupCincy App, and add the Cintrifuse Annual Meeting to your Tuesday agenda. Don’t miss this look at the future of innovation in Cincinnati. RSVP: https://lnkd.in/g5JbdyX9

Last month, we wrapped up Venture Velocity Cohort 3 with a celebratory lunch, and what a special afternoon it was! This cohort brought together an incredible group of founders building bold businesses and fresh ideas right here in Cincinnati. It was inspiring to hear their stories, learn about their ventures, and celebrate how far they’ve come. A huge thank you goes out to the mentors who guided them along the way: Matthew Robben, Margot Matouk, Tsavo Knott, Paul Bessire, Aaron Chow, Tim Donovan, Heather Harris, John Hutchinson, Robert Kalutkiewicz, Tim Metzner, and Jake Whitman. Your time, energy, and wisdom make all the difference. And of course, congratulations to our Cohort 3 founders: Ben Wolber, Jeremy Hill 🤖, Andrew Lukas, Orlie Benjamin, Omar Nuruzade, and Gular Ismayilova. You inspire us with your vision and energy—we can’t wait to see what you do next!

👏 Congratulations to our CEO, J.B. Kropp, on being named a finalist for the Cincinnati Business Courier’s 2025 C-Suite Awards! This recognition highlights outstanding leadership and impact across Greater Cincinnati. We can’t wait to celebrate alongside so many inspiring leaders who are shaping the future of our region. https://lnkd.in/gERyixZn