2025 Central Ohio Spotlight Presenters announced!
Eight inspiring entrepreneurs from Central Ohio will step into the spotlight at the 2025 Cbus Showcase event + 10th Bday Party on Saturday, August 9 for a shot at substantial cash and in-kind awards!
Each presenter will take the stage for about 8 minutes—giving them space to tell their story, wow the judges, and win the crowd. (That means YOU!)
Meet the eight presenters!
Will one of them win Central Ohio’s 2025 Crowd Favorite? Watch their 60-second pitches, then cast your votes to help decide the winner!
1. All THAT Works
All THAT - Teens Hopeful About Tomorrow empowers teens through a student-run marketplace selling snacks, beverages, hygiene products, school supplies, and small gifts, teaching retail and business management skills while funding programming. Teens also gain workforce training through microbusinesses like catering, food service, and pop-up coffee carts or smoothie bars, learning customer service, cash handling, and entrepreneurship. Proceeds from these ventures support All THAT activities, creating a sustainable model for teen development.
Founder: Danella Hicks
Website: all-that.org
LinkedIn: Danella Hicks
2. Buds in Bloom
Welcome to Buds in Bloom in Canal Winchester, Ohio, where we reconnect people with nature through forest therapy, conservation, and wellness. We offer guided walks, workshops, and handcrafted products to support mental, physical, and relational health. Our five-acre sanctuary provides retreats for children, small groups, and corporate teams, with a focus on reducing stress and improving well-being. We partner with local metro parks and healthcare providers to expand access to forest therapy. Through sustainable practices, we nurture both people and the environment, creating a harmonious space for healing.
Founders: Michelle Ward & Douglas Ward
Facebook: @budsinbloomwellness
Instagram: @budsinbloomwellness
LinkedIn: Buds In Bloom
3. Countbubble
CountBubble, LLC offers a web-app that simplifies data collection and reporting for human service nonprofits, saving time and resources for small organizations managing multiple programs. By replacing inefficient tools like spreadsheets and paper files, it generates reports quickly, allowing nonprofits to focus on their mission. The affordable software aims to make high-quality data management accessible to even the smallest nonprofits.
Founders: Ryan Brooks & Uriah McCanna
Facebook: @countbubble
YouTube: @countbubble
LinkedIn: countbubble | Ryan C Brooks | Uriah McCanna
4. Freedom Pipeline
Freedom Pipeline, founded by software developers aiming to reduce recidivism, provides a platform with document storage, goal tracking, and a resource hub to streamline the transition from incarceration. The organization aims to break down barriers and create opportunities for lasting change through technology. A pilot program will pay individuals in a reentry workforce development program to provide feedback on the application’s effectiveness.
Founders: Stephanie Navarro Lopez + Miranda Kolker
LinkedIn: Freedom Pipeline | Stephanie Navarro Lopez | Miranda Kolker
Instagram: @thefreedompipeline
5. Language Treehouse
Founded in 2024, The Language Treehouse provides in-school translation services for English Language Learner students, fostering inclusive learning environments that honor their native languages. The organization empowers new American students to engage fully with their curriculum and thrive academically. Its mission is to bridge language gaps in public education, ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed.
Founder: Esha Sharma
LinkedIn: The Language Treehouse | Esha Sharma
6. Makerspace Central
Makerspace Central is a Columbus, Ohio-based nonprofit focused on providing high-quality STEM/STEAM experiences to underserved & under-represented K-12 youth. The organization fosters hands-on learning to inspire creativity, innovation, and career readiness in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM). Through our pop-up makerspace events, student participants use foundational STEAM principles on a path of self-discovery, empowering the next generation of problem-solvers.
Founder: Iddrisu Seidu
Instagram: @makerspace.central
LinkedIn: Makerspace Central | Iddrisu Seidu
Website: makerspacecentral.org
7. Mecca Beverage House
Mecca Beverage House (MBH) is an incubator and production facility empowering Black and minority-owned craft beverage brands with affordable contract brewing, mentorship, marketing support, and distribution access. The organization fosters an inclusive ecosystem to remove barriers and help underrepresented entrepreneurs thrive in the competitive craft beverage industry. Its mission promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion while supporting sustainable business growth.
Founder: Sizzle Perry
Instagram: @meccabevhouse
LinkedIn: Mecca Beverage House | Sizzle Perry
8. Raise the Bar
Raise The Bar (RTB) is more than just a sports bar—it’s a movement creating a vibrant, inclusive space in Columbus, Ohio, where fans can gather to watch women’s teams while enjoying locally sourced food and drinks. RTB redefines the sports bar experience by building a community around women’s sports, offering programming like training for female coaches and resources for local athletes to grow their careers. By leveraging the surging popularity of women’s sports and Columbus’s sports culture, RTB aims to make the city a hub for women’s athletics, fostering connection and opportunity.
Founder: Amy Cooper
Instagram: @raisethebarcbus
Facebook: @raisethebarcbus
Website: raisethebarcbus.com
Don’t miss the BIG party!
These ventures are READY to share their visions—and you can have a front row seat at our BIG 10th Birthday Party. Come watch it live on Saturday, August 9 from 4:30-9pm at the Little Grand Market, Columbus, Ohio!