Aviatra Accelerators

Aviatra Accelerators is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2010. Our multi-state organization enables women to start and sustain businesses by giving them the resources they need to be successful. Through our expertise in business basics, guidance from mentors and coaches, and access to capital, we continuously encourage our members to move forward, and we embrace them when they return, helping to refuel and reignite their passions.

BioEnterprise

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.

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.

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.

Ocean

The Ocean is an independent business accelerator located in Cincinnati, Ohio, 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 springboarding their company into the marketplace.

Social Enterprise Accelerator

This 14-week accelerator program occurs 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 and provides coaching, capital, and other resources. Culminating in a Pitch Day, entrepreneurs leave the program equipped with direct, actionable steps to continue moving forward.

The Brandery

A nationally-ranked accelerator that leverages the expertise of the Cincinnati region, namely branding, marketing, and design. In addition to an elite mentor network, startups are paired with world-class creative agencies and have access to some of the biggest companies in the world, including Procter & Gamble and Kroger. The Brandery runs one, 16-week accelerator program a year for five companies. The participating startups each receive $100K, a year of free office space, and over $200K in additional benefits.

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.

1400 Food Lab

A maker space for food and drink in Columbus, OH, with 16,000 square feet of a commercial kitchen, production, and event space for aspiring food entrepreneurs, professional chefs, and food enthusiasts.

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, craftsmen, designers, performers, local startups non-profits.

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.

COhatch

COhatch offers spaces for co-working, meetings, private offices, events, and more.

COVA

COVA is reimagining the work experience by bringing diverse peoples together in one space and giving them the tools needed to connect, create and thrive.

Parents, entrepreneurs, and small businesses do amazing things every day, and we should support them. Through the combination of coworking, childcare, and community, we make a workspace that works better for everyone.

Cultivate Works!

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

The Dublin Entrepreneurial Center is a vibrant and energetic community of businesses working together to advance the 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.

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.

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 offers all of the amenities you need, including drop-in child care.

Idea Foundry

The Columbus Idea Foundry serves as a community workshop, learning center, and creative space for 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.

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 co-working spaces, private offices, entrepreneurial activities, and events. With its 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

The Marysville Entrepreneurial Center was created in 2008 and focuses on fostering grassroots economic development in Union County. Accessible office space, parking, and office resources make it a convenient and sensible option for entrepreneurs at any stage.

Office Evolution

Office Evolution has designed its 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.

Qwirk

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.

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 skillsets. 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

The Merchant is located in Columbus, OH, in the Olde Towne East neighborhood. Inspired and driven by their own professional journeys, the owners sought to create a space that would serve as a “home away from home” for working individuals, and they aim to engage and inspire those who enter its doors. The Merchant serves as a creative hub where professionals can share ideas, socialize, interact, work, feel inspired, and be productive. It’s a historic “gem” that will serve as a gathering space for coworking, office space, and events for many years to come.

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.

City of Delaware Economic Development and Entrepreneur Center

The 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.

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.

Dublin Chamber of Commerce

The Dublin Chamber of Commerce serves as the voice to the business and professional community and organizations of all sizes and industries. Membership with the chamber provides individuals with networking events, leadership development, and more.

Fairfield 33 Development Alliance

Established in 2007, the Fairfield 33 Development Alliance comprises 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 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 businesses’ development and success. 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 mentorship, leadership training, access to an extensive network, and more.

Ohio Third Frontier

Ohio Third Frontier works to transform the state’s economy through the accelerated growth of diverse startups and early-stage technology companies by providing business expertise, mentorship, capital, and talent.

One Columbus

Working with both state and local partners, the dedicated team at One Columbus is focused on helping new and existing businesses grow in the Columbus Region.

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.

Small Business Development Center at Columbus State Community College

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.

BLK Hack

We Build Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive ecosystems. Highlighting founder’s stories through events, workshops, and collaborative programs, we aim to create change and breed progress.

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.

Startup Grind

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 entrepreneurial communities’ achievements around the globe and develop and support thriving communities.

Startup Weekend

This 54-hour experience exposes participants to the trials and tribulations and 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 and expose the company to individuals that can help to enable continued momentum after the weekend is over.

TechLife Columbus

There are a ton of great startup events and groups to help you explore new technology in Columbus.  You can find out about all of them with us, and attend the same day.

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.

Bunker Labs

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.

Cap City Biohackers

The Cap City Biohackers are dedicated to demystifying and democratizing science (with an emphasis on biology and technology) for people of all backgrounds. Founded by Drs. David Taffany and Jessica Fleming in Columbus in 2015, the Cap City Biohackers are a part of the world-wide DIYBio movement and the first established DIYBio group in Ohio.

National Association of Women Business Owners

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 for 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.

Startups.com

Education, Community, and Tools to help startups launch faster.

Women for Economic and Leadership Development

Women for Economic and Leadership Development (WELD) develops and advances women’s leadership to strengthen the economic prosperity of the communities it serves. We provide women with specific tools to enhance their individual economic status, and we build programs, events, and a community to support female leadership development and business growth.  WELD is a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit organization.

Women’s Business Center

The Women’s Business Centers of Ohio are the Economic & Community Development Institute’s initiatives and are the only SBA-funded Women’s Business Centers in the state.

The WBC at each location can guide individuals at any stage of the business process.  Through one-on-one counseling sessions with WBC staff and volunteers, you can get the direction and resources to meet your goals. Business advisors want to help you successfully start a business or grow and expand your existing business — increasing revenue and creating jobs for the local economy.

Big Data & Analytics Association

The only undergraduate student organization of its kind at The Ohio State University. We aim to inspire students to think analytically, empower them through hands-on training, and connect them to potential employers. Winner of the Outstanding Overall Organization Award two years running (2017-2018) and the Partnership in Industry Award, BDAA is truly Ohio State’s central hub for data analytics involvement.

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 and global organizations in the efforts to foster entrepreneurship.

Business For Good

Business For Good, formerly Alleviating Poverty Through Entrepreneurship (APTE), is a student organization at Ohio State University exploring how social impact can be at the core of any business. We are focused on building awareness of social entrepreneurship and fostering connections between our members and the social impact community in Columbus.

CCAD

CCAD creates outstanding collaborative learning partnerships for talented students and alumni, expert faculty, and forward-thinking organizations to solve the real-world challenges of today and tomorrow.

D3

Design Develop Deploy, An Entrepreneurial Startup Club: D3 is an application-based organization that 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 startups, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations in need of transactional legal assistance. The clinic, which began operation in 2012, is the school’s newest, and it operates within a very active entrepreneurial community in the Columbus metropolitan area.  Through the clinic, third-year students have the opportunity to represent entrepreneurs and their businesses while simultaneously supporting and furthering the university and the state’s mission of promoting sustained economic growth.

HackOHI/O

Over 750 undergraduate and graduate students will design, build, and demonstrate projects to a live audience of students, faculty, and tech companies’ representatives. HackOHI/O is put on by OHI/O, a student-led organization aiming to build and foster the tech community at Ohio State University.

Ohio Innovation Exchange

The Ohio Innovation Exchange (OIEx) provides a powerful, centralized web platform that connects business and industry with faculty research, equipment, and facilities at Ohio’s universities, facilitating partnerships and fostering economic development throughout the state. OIEx consolidates academic resources into a single easily accessible portal, eliminating the need for business professionals to search each university site individually.

OSU | Center for Innovation Strategies

Housed at Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business, this center facilitates entrepreneurial and innovation-based learning, helps develop new companies, and assists in developing new products and services within existing businesses.

OSU Corporate Engagement Office

OSU Corporate Engagement Office 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.

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.

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.

The Point at Otterbein

Pioneering technology and state-of-the-art facilities at your fingertips. Leverage the cutting-edge tools, labs, and maker space while setting up shop at The Point. Or, stop by to connect with a network of impassioned founders, students, thought leaders, and makers. Newly constructed and accessible to the community, The Point is over 61,000 square feet of learning labs and maker space, think tanks, networking facilities, event space, and designated co-working areas and offices. Connect with passionate do-ers to build your dreams and shape the future of education and innovation today.

CincyTech

CincyTech provides advice and capital to entrepreneurs, helps commercialize 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.

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 builds 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.

Columbus Minority Business Assistance Center

The Ohio Development Services Agency (DSA) selected the Columbus Urban League to help develop and grow Ohio small, minority-owned, and socially and economically disadvantaged businesses through the Minority Business Assistance Centers (MBAC) Program.

The centers serve the needs of Ohio’s small, minority, and socially and economically disadvantaged businesses. The centers provide important services, including technical assistance, professional consulting, access to capital, and assistance obtaining contract opportunities. A primary objective of the program is to identify emerging businesses and cultivate their growth and sustainability. The realization of this objective will strengthen the minority business community, support job creation, and further economic growth in Ohio.

Community Capital Development Corporation

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’s loans range from $500 to $350,000 and show 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.

Ikove

Ikove is a venture development company founded to pursue early-stage investments with an emphasis on technology commercialization. Through its proprietary Startup Nursery, in partnership with multiple U.S. research institutions, Ikove identifies and validates developing high-impact technologies, providing capital and commercialization resources to bridge the gap between R&D and VC-funded rounds.

January Ventures

January Ventures invests early and opens doors for the founders of the future. We believe the next decade’s founders will look fundamentally different: more female, more diverse, and more distributed. We back founders based on their tenacity and ambition, not their pedigrees or who they know. Our vision is an equal opportunity tech ecosystem.

JobsOhio Loan and Grant Programs

Ohio offers performance-based incentives to assist companies starting, relocating, or expanding operations in the state. Funding decisions are based on many project factors, including but not limited to job creation, payroll figures, fixed-asset investment commitment, project location, and project return on investment.

JumpStart

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 that can leverage capital and IP/technology to achieve transformational growth in one of eight technology sectors.

Kiva

An international nonprofit founded in 2005, Kiva started as a crowdfunding pioneer 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 borrowers’ costs, 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 Kiva’s loan fundraising model structure.

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.

North Coast Ventures

We invest in early-stage entrepreneurs and connect them with on-demand access to intellectual capital through our member network and deep links to corporate decision-makers, leading to game-changing opportunities.

Ohio Innovation Fund

OIF is focused on delivering top-tier venture returns to our Limited Partners. Managing Director Bill Baumel has a track record of successful investments that have provided impressive return multiples in Silicon Valley. He applies the same Silicon Valley principles and growth strategies with a Midwestern spin to this region’s top startups.

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.

Queen City Angels

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.

Silicon Valley Bank

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 Administration

The SBA provides loans, loan guarantees, contracts, counseling services, and more to small businesses to help Americans start, build, and grow businesses. Their guide to small business financing covers more than just SBA loans, including details surrounding and comparing different types of financing available and a collated list of tools and resources.

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 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.

Central Ohio Food Truck Association

COFTA is an industry association advocating food truck owners and operators, providing a platform for advocacy, communication, and education for the members and those serving central Ohio.

First Search

Find the best articles ever written about building great companies and careers, now fully searchable and discoverable in First Search.

Flashstarts

Flashstarts is a technology development and tactical innovation firm. We help organizations to navigate uncharted territory, learn more before they spend, accelerate work, and improve outcomes.

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.

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.