In the 11 month since Cincy Inno’s official debut, we’ve published more than 175 original stories to showcase the people, companies and trends that are helping transform the Queen City into a burgeoning innovation and startup hub.
And, today, we wanted to highlight 50 of them.
We are pleased to introduce our inaugural 50 on Fire, a celebration of the early-stage businesses, enterprises and innovators who are doing especial work to set the ecosystem ablaze.
We’ve written about some of them, and will continue to do so until the party we’re hosting on Sept. 27 to celebrate the finalists. At the event, there will be networking, libations and bites, as well as the reveal of the seven Blazers. From now until the event, we will have a panel of judges select the “Inno Blazer” in each category (one each), which will be announced live at 50. We look forward to celebrating the entire 50 on Fire with the Greater Cincinnati tech and startup communities on Sept. 27 at Union Hall. We hope to see all of you there.
From a language learning platform for preschoolers to accelerator founders and serial entrepreneurs, 50 is designed to reflect the breadth of Cincy's innovation economy, with representatives from across a variety of industries and stages.
And now, we’re so pleased to announce our 50 on Fire. Said companies are outlined below, with description insights culled from Inno profiles, Crunchbase, company websites and nominee submissions.
Education/Government
- Abre: A startup that developed an open-source tool for educators. This year, the company has unveiled a host of new programs and offerings, like its Abre Everywhere initiative that looks to help teachers build curriculum from their interesting experiences outside the classroom. [Read more here.]
- FamilyTech: Formerly ChoreMonster, FamilyTech offers a host of tech tools to help family members of all ages better pitch in and get engaged around the house. So far, the company has raised $5.1 million in funding since 2011. [Read more here.]
- Putting Women In Their Place, Inc.: This organization is not even a year old and has already produced and delivered 75 low-cost videos that look to "right the imbalance of power in government by supporting and promoting women running for office at the state and local level nationwide." So far, PWiTP, a full-service production company, has raised more than $7,000 to support its free video campaign and signed contracts to create custom campaigns with a host of candidates. Women owned and operated, the organization is based in Cincinnati and has a national scope.
- Unveil: A company that utilizes augmented reality to help teach emergency medical responders in tactical military environments, Unveil has debuted its patent-pending software that works with a physical manakin for comprehensive training.
- Zid Zid: This subscription-based language learning platform for preschoolers is a Brandery and UpTech grad, and it has big plans. Namely, to expand nationally thanks to a partnership with one of the country's largest preschool chains. [Read more here.]
FinTech
- Finix Payments: A "B2B payments platform for banks, acquirers and enterprises to enable push payments over debit card," the San Francisco and Cincy-based Finix has had a big year. It received a significant undisclosed investment from Visa and launched in the U.S. and Canada (with plans to launch in six additional Latin American countries this year).
- SoLo Funds: The Hillman Accelerator grad and peer-to-peer lending exchange disclosed it has raised an unspecified round from five investors earlier in 2018. Additionally, the company announced it was accepted into the Techstars Kansas City accelerator. [Read more here.]
- Wunderfund: This startup allows "anybody" to invest in startups. This year, the company will open an additional Boston office, and Wunderfund and tech accelerator UpTech announced a partnership. Those accepted into the UpTech's program will have the opportunity to launch an equity crowdfunding campaign via Wunderfund, using UpTech’s final milestone investment of $10,000 as a seed kickstarter. [Read more here.]
Food & Drink Tech
- Drop Water: Winner of the accelerator Pipeline H2O's Class of 2018 cohort funding, Drop Water works to remove plastic waster via its state-of-the-art kiosk and compostable bottle. The company has received $2 million in funding from Draper International and has plans to establish itself as a resource in international airports.
- Nikki Ridenour: Nikki has had extensive experience in the local ecosystem, working with LISNR and launching Plantalytics, which she developed during gener8tor's inaugural Cincy gBeta accelerator program. Plantalytics helps small- to medium-sized farms keep better records. It's an imperative move as the FDA will require detailed reports beginning in 2020. Should farmers refuse to comply with these new regulations, they could face jail or large fines. Plantalytics, which is currently undergoing beta testing, wants to make this process of digitizing easy. [Read more here.]
- Vegy Vida: Did you know that children have three times the taste buds that adults have? Yup. That's why they often struggle to enjoy the same foods we do. Enter Vegy Vida, a dip for kids to help them develop a liking for veggies. The company boasts a line of five different dips, $1.8 million in funding and recognition from "People" magazine.
- Water Warriors: A participant in accelerator Pipeline H20's Class of 2018, Water Warriors looks to treat water so that it doesn't include nitrogen and phosphorus. The best part? It's an inexpensive process to do just that. This year, the company has grown its presence both in-state and across the country.
Health Sciences
- CRäKN: This software-as-a-service boasts technology that allows those in the death care space to better communicate, collaborate and ultimately do their jobs better. Since 2017, they raised over $2 million in two rounds of funding, and received an undisclosed amount of capital from the Queen City Angels in each round. [Read more here.]
- Eccrine Systems: This startup develops and manufactures “advanced sweat sensors for medicine, industry and sport.” These sensors allow better analytics of sweat which in turn provide “market-enabling predictive values that have been validated in on-body studies.” In 2017, Eccrine Systems won the Frost & Sullivan 2017 North American Technology Innovation Award and raised more than $3 million in funding.
- Enable Injections: The Evendale-based startup, which helps patients suffering from chronic conditions better administer their medications via an at-home device, has about 75 employees and more than $30 million in funding — with plans to begin producing their device in Ohio. [Read more here.]
- Genetesis: In June, Mason-based Genetesis, a startup focused on developing medical technology for better diagnosing patients with chest pain, closed an oversubscribed $7.5 million Series A round, led by CincyTech.
- IncludeHealth and Ryan Eder, CEO: Formerly IncludeHealth, this digital health platform has had a banner 2018, thanks in part to the leadership of its CEO, Ryan Eder. The company has seen several of its initial production units at work in health care facilities across the country; it boasts more than 20 awards for its work, and Eder himself "holds numerous patents on key elements of his designs."
- ReadySet Surgical: The ReadySet Surgical technology is a cloud-based platform that allows hospitals and medical device companies to coordinate the vender-managed inventory needed for a procedure in real time. Over 100 hospitals use the platform, with the company having plans to develop more software offerings in the future. [Read more here.]
- Warmilu: The organization has developed and produced the ‘InstaWarmer,' a non-electric warming technology used by primarily by hospitals in developing countries keep newborns warm. Run by Grace Hsia, the Hillman Accelerator grad is nearing the $1 million funding mark, with $100,000 in revenue. [Read more here.]
Inno Pick (Other)
- Candice Matthews: Founder of both the Hillman Accelerator, which is on its second cohort and focuses on underrepresented technology founders, and the Black Founders Network, Matthews is an experienced entrepreneur and startup maven, as well as advocate and mentor to other founders.
- Catherine Couretas: Ultmatley, Couretas works to "bridge the gap" between tech talent and companies on high-growth trajectories. Officially, she serves as the program manager for the Miami University's Digital Innovation Program, helping students find full-time opportunities at local startups like tilr.
- Healthy Roots Dolls: Cincinnati-based toy and lifestyle company Healthy Roots Dolls won the grand prize and the people’s choice award at the American Underground’s Startup Stampede pitch competition in Durham, N.C., in May, as well as first place at the New Voices Pitch competition in June. Currently, its flagship product, the Zoe doll, has become so popular it sold out, with interested buyers having to get on a waitlist. [Read more here.]
- Lewis Goldfarb: Goldfarb wears many, many hats in the #StartupCincy ecosystem. A professor of clinical law at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, he holds positions as UC's director of clinical programs, member of the board at MORTAR Cincinnati, director of UC's Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic (which he founded himself in 2011) and co-director of its Patent and Trademark Clinic — another entity he founded in 2017. Through the ECDC, Goldfarb has helped facilitate meaningful internships for students at startups throughout the ecosystem, led pro bono legal consultations (over $1.3 million worth), established Spanish-language legal services and more. In 2018, Goldfarb took over the The Legal Access Project @ Cincinnati Law, a program that provides affordable legal services to lower-income Cincinnatians.
- Summer Crenshaw: A serial entrepreneur, Crenshaw has raised more than $8 million for tilr, the company she founded, eventually scaling it to 17 markets within a year and a half. Additionally, Crenshaw has worked as a mentor and advocate for female entrepreneurs in the region.
- Pipeline H20: An accelerator for companies with a water technology focus, Pipeline H20 was launched by The Hamilton Mill and other stakeholders like Cintrifuse and Confluence. So far, the accelerator has graduated two cohorts. [Read more here.]
Nonprofit
- Aviatra Accelerators: Aviatra has a statewide scope, allowing women entrepreneurs to establish, develop and scale their businesses through mentorship, access to capital and more. It's worked with more than 1,500 women since 2010, helping to secure around $850,000 in low-interest loans. "Our women have received over $6 million in follow-on funding and have generated over $68 million in sales revenue upon completion of our program," its website states. [Read more here.]
- Craig Young: The founder of Inspiring Service, Young's other project, Cincinnati Cares, is an online service that facilitates connections between interested volunteers and the organizations that need them. The site includes more than 400 nonprofits with over 700 opportunities for volunteers to serve. Wrote the individual who nominated Young on his work: "Craig's platform solution to volunteer matching is not only making a difference in Cincinnati, but other communities are taking note, and fueling his nonprofit organization's growth. His is a scalable social sector disruptor."
- Hillman Accelerator: This accelerator has the distinction of being the only program in the Midwest for tech companies established by underrepresented founders. It's led by Executive Director Candice Matthews. She founded the program along with Dhani Jones and Ebow Vroom in 2017. Hillman just unveiled the members of its second cohort. [Read mere here.]
- Ocean Accelerator: Ocean, a faith-based accelerator that looks to galvanize founders from a "whole person" perspective as they develop their startups, had a full 2018. It launched its first licensee branch in NE Indiana, graduated a class of startups (two of which went on to Techstars) and developed its annual Ocean conference that is gearing up to have a bigger reach with an illustrious lineup of speakers. That's not the accelerator's only event, either; it boasted a program with The Reds, is a partner in Startup Week and is gearing up for its fifth cohort. [Read more here.]
Tech/Startups
- Advantech: In 2018, industrial computer manufacturer Advantech, which has offices across the country and around the world, had $1.5 billion worth of sales.
- Ahalogy/Quotient: It's an odd thing to celebrate, but regardless, Quotient Technology Inc.'s near-$50 million purchase of Ahalogy, a marketing technology platform that helps brands connect seamlessly with their consumers’ interests, is a move that burns bright. The move was hailed as a massive win for the local ecosystem. [Read more here.]
- ActionStreamer: This integrated live streaming solutions provider gives users a helmet-eyed perspective to football and baseball games. It's raised $1.9 million in funding and expanded its partnership with Monumental Sports Network, a D.C.-based digital, regional sports network.
- Astronomer: The 3-year-old tech company had big news in 2018: It would "shift [its] focus from their software-as-a-service product Clickstream to the open-source workflow development tool Apache Airflow." It was a big move that came with additional changes: like the addition of Airflow Podcast episodes, increased plugins, guides and trainings and an Airflow data engineering team "that can be borrowed for short periods of time to power data engineering." [Read more here.]
- Cladwell: Just last week, the Cincinnati-based app that allows users to make the most of their current wardrobe, Cladwell, joined Science Inc. as one of its newest portfolio startups. Thus far, the startup has raised $2.8 million in funding since its launch in 2012. [Read more here.]
- Cloverleaf/Founders Darrin Murriner & Kirsten Moorefield: This SaaS company focuses on the relational elements of business, empowering them to up performance. The company has sustained momentum that began with its $1 million funding round in 2017, and has been increased customer base and enhanced platform performance.
- ConnXus: Mason-based ConnXus wants to help ensure that companies are partnering with a diverse array of minority and women-owned suppliers. Now, it has a customer base of Fortune 500 companies, and since 2013, ConnXus has seen revenue growth increase more than 100 percent year-over-year — and has grown from four to 30 employees with nearly $10 million in venture capital raised from investors like Techstars Ventures, Serious Change LP, Impact America Fund and CincyTech. [Read more here.]
- Contact CI: A haptic hardware company, Contact CI has been an integral force behind theCincinnati VR Meetup. Considered a "convergence point for newbies, old hats, hobbyists, and professionals and anyone in between interested in the VR space," the events allows tinkerers and experts alike to learn and develop their skills, experience new tech, share their pieces and network. [Read more here.]
- CrownMob: An online marketplace for African-American hair and skin care beauty products, CrownMob has raised $32,000 from 94 investors in the African-American community over 60 days. [Read more here.]
- Differential: Have a company growth problem? Differential has the tech for you. It's worked with entities like AirBnB, Lexmark and more, and is considered the leading Meteor.js development studio around.
- Helium SEO: Understanding search engine optimization, or SEO, can be an ordeal. Getting it to work to a company’s benefit is just as difficult. Enter Helium SEO, a bootstrapped company that steps in and assists the clients with its artificial intelligence-powered software. Helium SEO got its start in late 2017, and has already been profitable and has a host of long-term goals, such as using this technology to take a closer look at digital marketing. [Read more here.]
- Immersed: The company utilizes virtual reality to provide workers to telecommute into a virtual reality workspace from wherever they plug in. A graduate of the Techstars Chicago accelerator, the company has already raised over half a million dollars. [Read more here.]
- LISNR: I'll let LISNR itself describe its tech: "It's an advanced, near-ultrasonic, ultra-low power data transmission technology that enables fast, reliable and secure communication between devices via any speaker and/or microphone." It's had a massive few years, bringing in $14.4 million, and is considered Cincinnati's highest-funded startup with oodles of press (most recently, a CNBC-curated list with the likes of Elon Musk's SpaceX).
- Losant: As we've said before, Losant, an Internet of Things platform, has a simple goal: using IoT to make building connected solutions from real-time data collection simple. Begun as a passion project, the company participated in Techstars accelerator and raised $11 million dollars to date — with its most recent fund wrapping up in February. [Read more here.]
- Powernet: This tech company helps connect across the globe, and called 2018 "the year for growth and opportunity." Why? It launched a host of products and services, like the Public Safety Signal Booster technology (it allows first responders to keep communicating during an emergency) and Dial An Engineer. Additionally, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital granted the company to expand their to expand our public WiFi network to Avondale community, and it completed its acquisition of Florida-based Maxis360.
- Roadtrippers: A travel planning platform that's considered the country's fastest growing, Roadtrippers boasts 5.5 million trips booked. That's not all: While the CincyTech funded company was purchased for an estimated $50 million by Thor Industries, it will keep its headquarters in Cincinnati and the deal is considered a win for the viability of in-ecosystem developed startups overall.
- Spatial: It provides location analysis by aggregating social media data, and Spatial's work has earned it partnerships Uber, Waze, Ford and more. So far, it's raised $2.1 million in funding. [Read more here.]
- tilr: This startup automates the recruitment process by matching the skills of job seekers to the requirements of an open position. The company has raised more than $8 million, eventually scaling to 17 markets within a year and a half. This year specifically, the company entered 13 new markets.
- VECTRE: While immersive tech company VECTRE may only be six months old, it already has partnerships with a host of Fortune 200 companies and boasts a self-sustaining financial model.
- Venture Smarter: An entity "dedicated to smart governance and growth," Venture Smarter debuted its 2018 Smart Infrastructure Challenge with an extra incentive to participate: a $50 million prize pot for project financing and funding, with up to $3 billion available “for the right projects."
- Wyzerr: The startup provides AI that turns survey feedback into actionable insights. Since its inception, its raised around $1.9 million in equity funding from investors like Connetic Ventures, Rough Draft Ventures in Boston, The Brandery and more. [Read more here.]
