Larry Horn
Title: CEO
Company/organization: Amplify Louisville Inc.
Hometown: Louisville
Lives: Louisville
Education: Bachelor of science in marketing, University of Louisville; MBA, UofL
Hobbies: Spending time with friends, golfing, supporting local sports teams (Go Cards!)
Describe what you do.
I lead an extraordinary team of entrepreneurs who are devoted to igniting the potential of tech-enabled startups. We strive to be a pivotal and accessible venture hub within our community’s network for early-stage companies seeking growth.
Our approach includes providing personalized founder coaching, serving as navigators to essential resources within the community, coordinating events and steering founders through the complexities of the startup ecosystem. Our mission is centered on elevating both our founders’ ambitions and our community’s capacity for innovation.
How did you get involved in innovation and/or entrepreneurship?
My entrepreneurial journey launched in the trenches of a growth-focused company, where I first began to look at business through an entrepreneurial lens. My ambition blossomed at the University of Louisville, where I chased an MBA in entrepreneurship and dove headfirst into co-founding several ventures.
What’s a goal your organization has for 2024?
Amplify’s objective for 2024 is to persistently guide founders, collaborators and entities within our complex ecosystem. Our strategy involves the diligent gathering and analysis of data to precisely direct our resources and assistance. Moreover, we are committed to enhancing and elevating the stature of fellow organizations dedicated to supporting regional entrepreneurs.
Who is an unsung hero in Kentucky’s entrepreneurial ecosystem?
In our ecosystem, there are many unsung heroes, mentors and supporters. However, if I were to highlight one individual, it would be Bryce Butler of Access Ventures. Bryce has rendered tremendous support to our state's ecosystem through various venture initiatives, such as launching Render Capital, partnering with Kiva and WeFunder and providing growth loan opportunities for early-stage founders.
He played a pivotal role in the legislation of the Public Benefit Corp. Furthermore, he established the First Dollar Program, which awards $5,000 grants to underrepresented founders and the Reconstruct Challenge, offering a $100,000 grant to companies addressing some of our community's most pressing social issues.
Ultimately, Bryce's influence on the organizations, founders and the community is rooted in a "give first" mindset and prioritizes creating impact over maximizing shareholder value.
