2026 Central Ohio Signature Cohort Participants!
Central Ohio—Announcing the 2026 Central Ohio Signature Cohort! Say hello to the newest Social Entrepreneurs from Central Ohio. Over the next 16 weeks, they'll grow, refine, and prepare to pitch their Social Enterprises at a grand finale Showcase event on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. RSVP!
2026 Central Ohio Ventures
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We are beekeepers focused on mental health. Honey bees help anxiety, depression and specifically PTSD.
We hold events to suit people up, take them into our hives so they can experience the therapeutic sound, smell & rhythm of the hives. These events are always free for veterans and first responders. To keep them free, we sell specialty honey and merch.
Founder: Keith Barley & Megan Barley
Instagram: @barleymoonbotanicals
Facebook: Barley Moon Botanicals
TikTok: @Barleymoonbotanicals
Website: barleymoonbotanicals.com -
Frisch Family Farms started with a vision to emulate the neighborly nature of mushrooms by providing healthy, local foods and resources throughout our communities.
We seek to nourish our neighbors' bodies and minds with mushrooms, and drive positive impact through our skillshare network. Our goal isn't to optimize profits; it's to optimize people through stronger connections and sustainable, nutrient-dense foods.
Founder: Braedon Frisch
Facebook: Frisch Family Farms
Website: frischfarms.com -
HelpNet is a mission driven technology company committed to supporting marginalized and vulnerable individuals by strengthening the communities around them.
We believe that the help people need already exists in every community, but fragmentation, language barriers, and disconnected systems keep it from reaching the people who need it most. Our work is rooted in a deep respect for the organizations on the front lines of human services, the volunteers who show up for their neighbors, and the individuals navigating extraordinary challenges in search of stability and self-sufficiency. We build technology that connects all three, because we believe that when communities are truly connected, everyone is uplifted.
Founders & Team: Andrew Love | Matthew Metzger | Christy Schaffner
LinkedIn: HelpNet Solutions
Website: helpnetsolutions.com -
Homegroup is a platform designed to support recovery communities and peer-led support groups.
Many recovery fellowships rely on in-person meetings and informal communication to stay connected. Important things like announcements, phone lists, service roles, meeting information, treasury and group conversations often live in scattered texts, email chains, or paper lists. That fragmentation makes it harder for members to stay engaged and for groups to function smoothly.
Homegroup provides a simple digital home for 12 step groups. Within the app, meetings have their own spaces where members can communicate, share updates, organize service positions, manage group information, and support each other between meetings. Members can also track personal recovery practices, reflect on daily progress, and stay connected to the people who support their sobriety.
The goal is not to replace meetings, but to strengthen them—making it easier for recovery communities to stay connected, organized, and supportive in everyday life.Founder: Ryan McKeith
Website: homegroup.tech -
Hunger Helper assists residents in finding Community Meal Sites via SMS or the online database. AI transforms scattered food data into simple, organized conversations.
Built by the community, for the community, it helps people find food fast—especially when it matters most.
Hunger Helper also uses AI to power food access planning for community organizations, civic leaders, and philanthropists—improving how data drives decisions and community outcomes.”reduce hunger tomorrow.Founder: Leah Lambert
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Inspired Finances combines financial education with mindset and behavior coaching to help working individuals and families reduce financial stress and take control of their money.
Through workshops, accountability coaching, and customized money management frameworks, they guide clients through repairing and rebuilding their financial foundation.
Unlike budget apps that offer tools without support, Inspired Finances provides the personal coaching and accountability that make lasting change possible.
Founder: Kayla Feagin
LinkedIn: Inspired Finances LLC
Instagram: @myinspiredfinances
Facebook: Inspired Finances LLC
YouTube: @myinspiredfinances
Website: inspiredfinances.com -
We begin with stakeholder engagement to provide linkage to resources and services and to improve structures and functions of systems toward preventing and reducing major exploitation, illnesses, mortality, and enhancing self-advocacy and upward mobility through improved resource access & utilization skills for those in the unhoused, trafficked, reentry, military veterans, and LGBT+ communities.
Key programs include smart-tech & cloud-based vending machine network involving just-in-time intervention approach, and coordinated organizational collaboration to leverage tech for communication information exchange.
Founders: Edwin Szeto
LinkedIn: Kindfulness
Instagram: @kindfulness.usa
Website: kindfulness-usa.org -
Mother’s Trust Alliance (MTA) is a Black-led Social Enterprise advancing maternal health equity and economic mobility for Black mothers and birthing people.
MTA focuses on a critical moment: pregnancy, when financial stress can significantly impact maternal and infant health. By combining income with community care—such as doula support, economic mobility coaching, and peer connection—we reduce stress, improve birth outcomes, and support long-term family stability.
We are not only delivering support—we are building a new economic infrastructure for maternal health, designed by and for Black mothers and birthing people.Founder: Christina Ratleff
Website: motherstrustalliance.org -
MyLec uses proprietary audio streaming technology to deliver users live audio signal of the speaker in real time.
It is best described by the example of a student sitting in the back of a 500 person lecture hall (like at OSU) who cannot clearly hear the professor. Using the MyLec system, they are able to connect to the live audio stream and put in their headphones to listen to the professor live, adjusting the volume and audio to their liking. This way, they can hear what is going on and can learn just as the students in the front are learning, while also tuning out distractions.
Students bring their own devices and connect to the web app in a similar manner as the app "Kahoot," connecting via a specialized code for that specific classroom/stream lecture session.
Founder: Abrianna Gallo
Website: my-lec.fly.dev -
Nurse Angela LLC is a startup company that aims to provide comfortable and accessible clothing for individuals with chest central lines.
The company will offer a Super Port Vest for infants/toddlers and young children and a Ports Bra for preteens, teenagers, and women. The innovative clothing will provide the modesty, comfort, and dignity these individuals deserve!
Founder: Angela Shaw
Facebook: nurse.angela.llc
TikTok: @angelashaw018
Website: nurseangelallc.com -
PRETTY TALK transforms how people understand themselves and communicate with others by curating and cultivating brave conversations.
Our vision is to elevate character and strengthen leadership by delivering transformative mentorship and coaching sessions, and hosting customized conferences. We offer youth empowerment and leadership development through motivating and interactive best practices.
Founder: Jasmine Davis
LinkedIn: PRETTY TALK LLC
Instagram: @prettytalkllc
Facebook: prettytalkllc
TikTok: @prettytalkllc
Website: prettytalkllc.com -
Sharks & Lilies, LLC. is a faith-rooted Social Enterprise that specializes in holistic jewelry design, blending artistry with certified crystal and chakra healing practices to promote wellness and intentional living. Each intentionally designed piece is created to serve as a meaningful, wearable reminder of healing, resilience, and purpose.
Rooted in lived experience, Sharks & Lilies, LLC provides programming and mentorship for youth and young adults impacted by the foster care system, reinvesting a portion of sales into initiatives that support educational growth, confidence, leadership, emotional wellness, and character development.
More than a brand, Sharks & Lilies, LLC. is a movement committed to restoration, identity, and transforming creativity into community impact.Founder: Shaneece Green
LinkedIn: Sharks & Lilies, LLC
Instagram: @sharksandlilies.llc
Facebook: Sharks & Lilies, LLC
Website: sharksandlilies.com -
SortyX Inc. creates innovative smart trash bins that use AI, IoT technology, and advanced sensors to automatically sort waste into categories like glass, plastic, metal, and paper.
Our bins feature a built-in camera that uses AI-powered image recognition to identify the material, while infrared sensors and weight sensors confirm the type. The bin then sorts the waste into separate compartments, ensuring accurate recycling and reducing contamination. We also provide cloud-based analytics for businesses and municipalities to track their recycling efforts, improve sustainability, and optimize waste management strategies.
Founder & Team: Neha Kumar, Subathra Rajendran
LinkedIn: Sortyx
Instagram: @getsortyx
Website: sortyx.com -
We work with our South Side Columbus neighbors to cultivate a community of wellness that collectively heals our bodies, souls, and minds. Through our urban farm sites, we address food insecurities and provide space for discussion, learning, and reflection. We encourage all to walk in the faith of planting to bring forth fruit and nourishment.
Our mission is to increase access to fresh produce and generate awareness of its health benefits among our neighbors, educate our community about agriculture best practices, and create economic avenues in agriculture through entrepreneurship among economically disadvantaged black and brown communities especially.
In service of this mission, our programs include 1) production and distribution of organically-grown, nutritious fruits and vegetables to food-insecure families, 2) community education to spread knowledge about producing food at home, and 3) education and career preparation in the form of summer camps and after-school clubs to youth who would otherwise not receive that programming.Founder: Min. Aaron K Hopkins
LinkedIn: South Side Family Farms
Instagram: @southsidefamilyfarms
Facebook: South Side Family Farms
Website: southsidefamilyfarms.com -
The Gathering of Black Women (GOBW) is a platform that creates intentional spaces where professional women—particularly Black and brown women—build meaningful relationships, engage in thoughtful dialogue, and explore the city through curated experiences and collaborative programming.
Offerings include discussion-based gatherings, activity-driven social events, speaker sessions, and partnerships with other women-centered organizations.
Since launching in 2023, GOBW has convened small groups designed to foster genuine conversation, strengthen bonds, and expand networks.
The initiative supports connection, collaboration, and leadership among women while fostering a more inclusive environment.Founder: Kimberly Cole
LinkedIn: The Gathering of Black Women (GOBW)
Instagram: @gobw.co
Website: eventbrite.com/cc/the-gathering-of-black-women-2343789
Save this date!
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Be in the room where it happens—watch live pitches, connect with these entrepreneurs, and vote for your Crowd Favorite at this grand finale Showcase event!
Tickets are always free!