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An accelerator program geared toward growing the roster of sustainability-focused startups in the region has launched its latest class with backing from some of the city’s greenest companies, including MadTree Brewing, Michelman and more.
SustainableCincy, a program by Over-the-Rhine’s Flywheel Social Enterprise Hub, welcomes five new companies for its fall 2022 cohort. The nine-week entrepreneurial training program will culminate with a pitch contest to investors and others in mid-November.
Flywheel, which also operates Elevator and Elevate Equity accelerators, is investing $40,000 in the selected companies with the help of Philanthropreneur, its impact investing group, and other supporters.
The organization also is investing another $50,000 in in-kind programming, coaching and business services.
Four of the companies selected are led by underrepresented founders, Laura Randall-Tepe, executive director of Flywheel, said. All are based in Cincinnati.
“This year’s cohort is truly amazing,” Randall-Tepe said in a release. “Each founder is wicked smart, nimble, creative and has a great product or service. It’s an honor to be working with them to refine their business plans and help them get the pilots and relationships they need.”
Those participating include:
- Intersect Agriculture is a startup centered on upcycling food waste. The company uses a unique process to create protein-rich animal feed from black soldier fly larvae. The process also generates other byproducts that have agricultural market value.
- Uplift-5P has developed an enterprise software platform that enables companies to leverage curated environmental, social and governance (ESG) insights for companies in the consumer packaged goods, retail and industrial manufacturing industries. Uplift-5P is based at Union Hall in OTR.
- Cleanup Collective is a community litter cleanup empowerment initiative. The process starts with a stocked and specifically outfitted portable cart designed to bring neighborhoods together for safe and efficient litter pick up. Cleanup Collective also is based at Union Hall in OTR.
- Sprout is an e-commerce platform that provides personalized outdoor and indoor plant recommendations centered on a user's needs and local availability.
- Armbruster Impact Management develops major corporate social responsibility initiatives using a consultancy model, offering environmental, social and governance (ESG) consulting; food waste consulting; and impact narrative services.
As part of SustainableCincy, each company is matched to a coaching team for additional support including connections to potential customers, business partners and capital.
The program ends with a demo day presentation Nov. 16 at MadTree in Oakley, when the companies will pitch to investors, potential partners and future supporters.
Besides MadTree, a number of Cincinnati companies are SustainableCincy sponsors for 2022, including Donovan Energy, Electrada, Michelman, University of Cincinnati’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropreneur.
Both Kevin Kushman, CEO of EV charging startup Electrada, and Kate Harmon, executive director of the UC Center for Entrepreneurship, said supporting SustainableCincy creates broader benefits for the ecosystem at large.
For UC, “supporting green business development and Flywheel’s extensive work in this space" creates stronger talent pathways for students to secure jobs, Harmon said. Green jobs are among the highest in demand.
“When we support Flywheel, our investment rolls forward and gains momentum by leveraging more innovation in sustainability," Kushman said. "It’s a compelling value proposition.”
Other program supporters include the Haile Foundation, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, United Way and the city of Cincinnati.
Flywheel partners include Cintrifuse, Alloy Development Co., Cincinnati 2030 District and Green Umbrella.
This is the third SustainableCincy class since the program’s launch in 2020. The program's 12 current graduates include B the Keeper; Cincinnati Recycling and Reuse Hub; Naturally Homegrown Co.; Transmissions LLC; Our Harvest Co-op; Swrm Urban Farming Initiative; Blue Ocean Solids; Carbon Harvest; Solawna; and Responsible Products.
