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Mike Supeck shared thisWhen Ryan MacAvoy and I went to Miami University together, he spent more time on the phone building his business than I do now for the OAC (which is a lot). Couldn’t be more excited for him to be launching Mesh! Congrats brother!Mike Supeck shared thisThe last decade has been a mix of everything: college days, early internships, the first companies I joined, the ones I tried to build, the late nights, the wins, the mistakes, and the artists and creators who bet on me before anything was real. All of it shaped how I work and who I am today. Today I’m launching The Mesh Company with Anthony Abbondanza something we’ve slowly built out of all those experiences across music, brands, and digital. Mesh isn’t meant to be another agency. It’s the system behind the work. A culture we’ve been building for years with the people who’ve been part of the journey. A place where artists, creators, and brands actually overlap, and the ideas that come out of that don’t disappear into a Google Doc. Creative work should have a backbone. There should be intention behind it. That “method to the madness” line should actually mean something. Mesh is built around three divisions: Mesh - artist management, digital talent, original series Mesh Partners - brand partnerships, digital + music marketing First Gear - creative production, social acceleration, digital strategy This is the version of the industry I’ve wanted to build for a long time. Intentional, structured, built to scale. Welcome to Mesh.
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Mike Supeck shared thisThe Columbus Business Hop is BACK! The last few Columbus Business Hops created some of my best memories of bringing great people together. Columbus is a special place in the Midwest. People here are open to connecting, collaborating, and genuinely want to come together to make things happen. The Columbus Business Hop is where I see that energy show up most. No matter your background, industry, or stage of life, if you value good conversation with good people, this is the place to be. Make sure to RSVP ASAP if you're able to make it! https://lnkd.in/gdvhvk9NMike Supeck shared thisWelcome to the Business Hop 9.0 in Columbus! At its core, the Midwest is built on a spirit of generosity, mentorship, and lifting one another up. This February 26th, 2026, The Business Hop is coming back to Columbus (our 5th in the city and best one yet!) bringing together 75 of the area's top mentors and 150 of the most promising mentees for a high-caliber evening of connections, mentorship and impact. Our Last Events: The Cincinnati Business Hop in November was held at the SparkHaus co-working and entrepreneurial space in Covington, KY featured over 200 amazing leaders across the tri-state area with incredible keynote speakers like President and CEO of Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment Britney Ruby Miller and Founder, Partner of The O.H.I.O. Fund Mike Venerable. This January, we are taking the Business Hop for it's first time to Louisville in the heart of Whiskey Row at Solyco Capital HQ! Our Next Event: For our 9th edition, we are bringing it back to where it all began in Columbus, partnering with JobsOhio and Allied Capital and Development at the elite Ivory Room at 2 Miranova Place overlooking the beautiful downtown skyline. The Format: At the core of The Business Hop is a belief in the Midwestern spirit of giving back and lifting others up. The evening will feature: * Curated “Hop-style” Networking: Small-group rotations designed for authentic dialogue. * Thought-Provoking Discussion: Each session led with impactful mentorship questions to spark meaningful conversation. * Elite Community Building: Carefully paired groups that shift throughout the event, allowing participants to connect deeply across industries and backgrounds. Event Details: Date: Thursday, February 26th, 2026 Location: Ivory Room at 2 Miranova Place in Columbus, Ohio Time: * 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM | VIP Pre-Event Bourbon Tasting * 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM | General Admission Check-In * 6:00 PM – 7:30PM | Hop Sessions * 7:30 PM - 8:00PM | Featured Speakers & Closing Remarks Experience Includes: * Full event programming * Three curated cocktails from our beverage partners * Gourmet hors d’oeuvres from top local chefs * Access to sponsor activations and tailored experiences * A contribution toward our local nonprofit partner (10% of all proceeds) Thanks again for having a heart of abundance and giving back to the community we love so much! RSVP now and we can't wait to see you there! https://lnkd.in/gKZcUJEu Josiah Myers Patrick Klein Kevin Marginian Wolf Starr Will Zell Corey M. Genine Fallon Dominic Petrozzi Ross Lanford JP Nauseef Sibu Janardhanan Ryan J. Beal Chelsea Wagner Amit Rastogi Khushi Punyatoya Mohapatra Mike Supeck Mason Seitz Cas Maxwell Trace Johnson David Latiolais Boston Weber Casey Robertson Dan Brumbaugh, CPP Scott Somma
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Mike Supeck shared thisIf you don't know, Spilt Social has been hosting some of the best networking events that Ohio has seen. So many great people coming together with an open and collaborative mindset, hosted at awesome locations. At every event, I've met dozens of new people that have turned into friends, business partners, and collaborators. The events are not just to meet people to do business with - but for people to provide mentorship to the next generation of amazing contributors to the ecosystem. I remember seeing this first-hand at the first Business Hop in Columbus. I didn't know how much impact one networking event could have on so many people. Now, the Business Hop series is coming to Louisville for the first time, pulling together the best in the region. If you are in the Louisville area, or would like to travel there, we would love to see everyone there! https://lnkd.in/gtdKJsHj RSVP at the link above! See you soon Patrick Henshaw! Josiah Myers Patrick Klein Kevin Marginian Wolf Starr Will Zell Sibu Janardhanan Ryan J. Beal Cas Maxwell Evan Ballmann Boston Weber Amit Rastogi Corey M. Chelsea Wagner Khushi Punyatoya MohapatraThe Louisville Business Hop | Spilt Social | Thu, Jan 29, 2026 | Solyco Capital Louisville HQThe Louisville Business Hop | Spilt Social | Thu, Jan 29, 2026 | Solyco Capital Louisville HQ
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Mike Supeck shared thisAnother great Business Hop coming to Cincy! These events have been huge for bringing communities together in Ohio and I’m looking forward to seeing all of my Cincy friends there!Mike Supeck shared thisYet another Hop underway! Welcome to the Business Hop 7.0 in Cincinnati! The essence of this Midwestern community is giving back and lifting up. This November 13th, 2025, The Business Hop returns to Cincinnati bringing together 75 of the area's top mentors and 125 of the most promising mentees for a high-caliber evening of connections, mentorship and impact. Our Last Event: The Columbus Business Hop Elite at BBI Logistics Headquarters featured over 150 amazing leaders across Central Ohio with incredible keynote speakers like Ohio State Head Basketball Coach Jake Diebler, Olympian & Real Estate Leader Brandon Wynn, and Founder & President of AI Owl Trace Johnson. We look forward to having the same eliteness and energy in our 2nd round in Cincinnati. THE FORMAT At the core of The Business Hop is a belief in the Midwestern spirit of giving back and lifting others up. The evening will feature: - Curated “Hop-style” Networking: Small-group rotations designed for authentic dialogue. - Thought-Provoking Discussion: Each session led with impactful mentorship questions to spark meaningful conversation. - Elite Community Building: Carefully paired groups that shift throughout the event, allowing participants to connect deeply across industries and backgrounds. EVENT DETAILS - Date: Thursday, November 13, 2025 - Location: SparkHaus (727 Madison Ave) in Covington, KY - Time: 4:30PM - 5:30PM | VIP Pre-Event Bourbon Tasting 5:30PM - 6:00PM | General Admission Check-In 6:00PM - 7:30PM | Hop Sessions 7:30PM - 8:00PM | Featured Speakers & Closing Remarks - Experience Includes: Full event programming Three curated cocktails from our beverage partners Gourmet hors d’oeuvres from top local chefs Access to sponsor activations and tailored experiences A contribution toward our nonprofit partner (10% of all proceeds) - Dress Code: Business casual attire is recommended - Parking: Street parking and several lots and garages surrounding SparkHaus are available - Contact: Please contact Josiah Myers or Spilt Social Team with any further questions. Thanks for having a heart of abundance and giving back to the community we love so much! - PK, Corey, Josiah & the entire Spilt Team🎟️ Corey M. Patrick Klein Sibu Janardhanan Genine Fallon Evan Ballmann Mike Supeck Andrew Burchwell Ann Mooney Dominic Petrozzi Khushi Punyatoya Mohapatra Kevin Marginian Sandeep Amin Brady McCurdy
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Mike Supeck posted thisHuge moment for our team at Vessel. We just had the first close of our Shipyard Studio fund — backed by incredible partners like The O.H.I.O. Fund — and launched our first studio company: Heylo, a remote support platform already helping states like Kansas and New York transform care for people with I/DD. This is what we dreamed about when we started Vessel: Build from scratch, not just invest. Tackle problems that actually matter. Prove that the Midwest can launch world-class startups year after year. Grateful for everyone who has worked with us so far in this journey - not just at Vessel, but at Ohio Angel Collective as well! Our entire network of partners are equally responsible for what we've accomplished. It does not stop here! https://lnkd.in/gsAmBTPb Corey M. Will Zell Patrick Klein Sibu Janardhanan Amit Rastogi Ryan J. Beal Khushi Punyatoya Mohapatra Wolf Starr Mason Seitz Jonas Kleiner
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Mike Supeck shared thisFrom day one, the Ohio Angel Collective has been powered by people — not just capital. Yes, we’ve funded 11 startups. Yes, we’ve brought over 300 angels into the fold. But what’s driven this movement forward is the trust, alignment, and shared purpose of the people building it. That’s why today’s launch of the United States Angel Collective means so much. We’re not just adding states — we’re building with leaders we believe in. Leaders like: • Patrick Henshaw in Kentucky — a force for unlocking capital and lifting founders. • James Edward Feagin IV in Michigan — visionary who leads with heart and knows what it takes to build inclusive ecosystems. These aren’t just partners — they’re people we’re proud to link arms with as we expand this platform across the country. This is what angel investing should look like: community-driven, founder-first, and led by people who care. Let’s build something big — together. https://lnkd.in/g5dy3awZ #OAC #USAC #AngelInvesting #MidwestInnovation #FoundersFirst #EcosystemLeadership #Startups #PartnershipDriven #FlyoverFuture #BuildWithBelief
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Mike Supeck shared thisThe United States Angel Collective is an initiative that we have been dreaming of for a long time. But dreams are only as strong as the people who lead them. Having Wolf Starr and Khushi Punyatoya Mohapatra at the helm is more than we could’ve hoped for. When we started the Ohio Angel Collective in 2023, we had no clue what the path was going to look like, but we knew it was going to lead to something special. Thank you to everyone on the Vessel team for making this a reality, and a special shoutout to Patrick Henshaw and James Edward Feagin IV for leading the charge in Kentucky and Michigan!Mike Supeck shared this🚀 ANNOUNCEMENT: The United States Angel Collective has officially launched. 🚀 A bold movement is underway to reshape the future of innovation in America, and it starts in the heart of the country. Today, we proudly introduce the United States Angel Collective (USAC): a national platform built to activate regional angel capital, support high-potential founders, and challenge the idea that the best startups only come from the coasts. Born from the success of the Ohio Angel Collective, which deployed capital into 11 startups in just 12 months, the USAC is now expanding across the Midwest with the launch of two new collectives: ➡️ Michigan Angel Collective led by James Edward Feagin IV, Black Bottom Ventures ➡️ Kentucky Angel Collective championed by Patrick Henshaw, Render Capital Alongside local operators and supported by partners across each state’s venture ecosystem, these collectives are focused on investing in pre-seed and seed-stage startups while expanding access to angel investing for accredited individuals. Together, we're building a network of regionally rooted, nationally connected angel syndicates, one that is fast-moving, founder-first, and committed to unlocking untapped potential across overlooked regions. This is more than a platform. It’s a movement — and we’re just getting started. Explore the model, meet our leaders, and join us at: https://lnkd.in/eXM69R3a Learn more from Columbus Business First: https://lnkd.in/ev-53v4m #angelinvesting #startups #venturecapital #innovation #midweststartups #foundersfirst #economicdevelopment #usangelcollective #flyoverfuture Will Zell, Patrick Klein, Corey M., Wolf Starr, James Edward Feagin IV, Patrick Henshaw, Khushi Punyatoya Mohapatra, Mike Supeck, Ryan J. Beal, Mason Seitz, Amit Rastogi, Sibu Janardhanan, Jonas KleinerOhio-focused investor group expands to Michigan and Kentucky, eyeing more states - Columbus Business FirstOhio-focused investor group expands to Michigan and Kentucky, eyeing more states - Columbus Business First
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Mike Supeck reposted thisMike Supeck reposted thisWe're proud to announce G2 portfolio company AssetWatch®'s $75M Series C funding round led by Viking Global Investors, with participation from new investor Harmonic Growth Partners and existing investors, including ourselves! AssetWatch began with a simple yet powerful vision: eliminate unplanned downtime forever. Today, they've built the leading condition monitoring platform that combines AI-powered insights with human expertise to protect critical assets across manufacturing facilities worldwide. What continues to excite us most about AssetWatch: 🏭 Clear market validation: Hundreds of industrial teams now rely on AssetWatch to safeguard operations 🏭Sustainable impact: By extending equipment life and preventing failures, AssetWatch reduces waste and energy consumption—perfectly aligning with our focus on sustainable industrials 🏭Exceptional execution: The team's disciplined execution has driven impressive growth in customers, talent, and partnerships This new funding will accelerate AssetWatch's international expansion and platform innovation, strengthening their position as the trusted partner for manufacturers seeking to eliminate downtime and optimize asset performance. Congrats Brian Graham, Will Zell, and the entire AssetWatch team!
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Mike Supeck shared thisThis meeting was one of the most impactful during all of the time that Wolf Starr Sibu Janardhanan and I spent in Austin for SXSW. The future is bright for the midwest! s/o Dawn Batts James Edward Feagin IV Ted Velie!Mike Supeck shared thisThis is a very controversial post for someone who grew up a block from The Ohio State University campus... I do give a damn about the whole state of Michigan. The Ohio/Michigan cross state collaborations are vital to our regional growth. It is an honor to work with people like Dawn Batts and James Edward Feagin IV to do our best work TOGETHER! Thank you Ted Velie and the Midwest House team for hosting us at #SXSW.
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Mike Supeck liked thisMike Supeck liked thisYesterday I spent the day in Columbus, and it was one of those days that reminds you how quickly things are evolving… and how important it is to stay in the room. The day started with a lunch I was invited to attend on AI in marketing hosted by Marketing Works and Bill Kiefaber at the The Refectory Restaurant . It’s incredible to see how AI is not just changing the landscape, but creating real, positive impact across industries. Thank you Alan Abouhassan for the connection. From there, I had the opportunity to connect with and have meaningful conversations with some truly incredible people. The kind of people who aren’t just talking about change… they’re actively creating it. I’m always energized to see what is happening in Columbus and the impact my friends are making! Grateful for the conversations, the connections, and the perspective gained in just one day. There’s a lot happening right now… and being part of it matters.
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Mike Supeck liked thisMike Supeck liked thisHow do you change the world? One step at a time. And this week, we took another big one. We’re excited to welcome Dr. Seth Stewart to the Apricity Robotics team as our new Mechatronics Engineer. A career builder and graduate of top-tier engineering institutions, Seth brings deep expertise in precision electromechanical systems, controls, and hardware integration. He has built complex systems where reliability, safety, and real-world performance matter — exactly the kind of thinking required in medical robotics. Seth is joining us in Ohio to help give our robotic ultrasound platform something incredibly important: a physical sense of gentle touch, real-time patient responsiveness, and intelligent feedback. Because in robotic imaging, precision isn’t just about position — it’s about pressure, feel, and trust.
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Mike Supeck liked thisMike Supeck liked thisCheck out the latest episode of The O.H.I.O. Fund Report, featuring Will Zell — Founder of Vessel and Executive Chair of AssetWatch®. Will has lived the Ohio founder journey from every angle: early failures, capital scarcity, scaling a venture-backed company past $100M raised, and now building the infrastructure to support the next generation of founders. In this conversation, we unpack: • Ohio’s venture capital gap — and what the data really says • AssetWatch’s journey from spinout to high-growth industrial tech leader • What near-zero runway actually feels like • Why Vessel was created to expand access to early-stage investing • How the Ohio Angel Collective is mobilizing capital across the state • Why abundance — not scarcity — must define Ohio’s startup culture This is a conversation about capital, culture, and building something worthy of decades of pursuit. 🎧 Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gvMYbiKR Will Zell | Ryan J. Beal | Josiah Myers | Corey M. | Mike Supeck | Amit Rastogi | Wolf Starr | Patrick Klein | Jack Swartley
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Mike Supeck liked thisMike Supeck liked thisThe future of the Cincy ecosystem is in good hands. I genuinely believe that. The Miami University Side Hustle Club visited Cintrifuse today. Watching college students ask questions about fundraising, what it takes to build, what failure actually looks like… it reminded me exactly why I do this work. Huge thank you Ilana Habib for breaking down venture and what VCs look for (and what they avoid!). To Evan Garcia for walking students through the building and making the ecosystem feel tangible. And to Omar, Gular, Ty, Divyesh, and Connor for showing up and sharing their stories of building a startup!! If you’re a student founder in the Cincinnati region, please reach out! Always love connecting with students and being a resource if I can.
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Mike Supeck liked thisMike Supeck liked thisDan Gilbert is headlining the 2026 North Coast Ventures Annual Meeting! We could not be more excited to welcome him to the NCV community for a fireside chat on 3/31 at 4:00 EST (RSVP to the virtual event in the comments). The greatest entrepreneurial story in the Midwest is also one of the most important AI stories in enterprise technology. Dan has built iconic companies from the heart of the Midwest and has a front-row seat to how AI is reshaping the industries we back. This will be a conversation worth showing up for. Special thanks to Thompson Hine LLP for sponsoring the event! Rocket, Rocket Mortgages, Redfin, Bedrock, Cleveland Cavaliers, OhioX, Ohio Department of Development, Ohio Third Frontier, JobsOhio, Vytalize Health, Bloomfilter, Axuall, Primum, ForMotiv, NaviStone, Narratize, FinOpsly, Alviere, Real Time Intelligence, Society Brands, Remesh, Redi Health, Healia Health, ReadySet Surgical, Ninety, Hark, Cycle Labs, Spearfish, Jonathon Vinocur, Sean Ganley, Nic Barlage, Daniel Luketic, Michael Leonard
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Mike Supeck liked thisMike Supeck liked this🎉 Big news: Our company, Lyceum, has been acquired by Perceptyx. UNLEASH just named this one of the five 2026 HR tech acquisitions putting HR buyers in a strong position - and I couldn't agree more with their framing. Perceptyx CEO Ross Wainwright sees this as the end of the "insights era" and the beginning of the "activation era," and that's exactly the problem Lyceum was built to solve. Links in the comments. After years of teaching tech entrepreneurship at Miami University, I had the rare privilege of actually doing it - and rarer still, of reaching an exit. I'm deeply proud of everything we built at Miami, and I leave that work in incredibly capable hands. It's time for the next chapter. I'll be joining Perceptyx full-time as Principal Learning Strategy Architect - not just to bring Ellie to a larger market, but because this is a genuine 1+1=3. Perceptyx's listening and nudge platform combined with Lyceum's comprehension-based microlearning creates something new-to-the-world: an employee experience platform that doesn't just listen, doesn't just report, doesn't just hand you analytics - it actually drives, delivers, and measures behavior change that moves the bottom line. That's crazy exciting. And the team? Ridiculously brilliant, genuinely kind, and fully aligned on where this is going. Everyone is rowing in the same direction and we are moving fast. Special thanks to Ross Wainwright, David Hollady, Christopher Chadwick, and Joseph Freed - an outstanding leadership team that saw the potential in an early-stage startup and made this happen. None of this would exist without the Lyceum team. Russell Hamer, Sumit Gupta, Jessica Staubach, Jacob Shalkhauser, and Michael Flierl. Thank you. You believed in something hard and built it anyway. To our investors: Thank you for taking a chance on a founding team that didn't fit the typical mold. That faith meant everything. Cintrifuse deserves special recognition. Every single person on that team: Mark Wood, Max Dworin, Ilana Habib, Abby Grimm, Madeline Martini, Kate Hursh, Emma O'Dell, David Walters, Claire Ballaban Prather, and J.B. Kropp was critical to our success. You were there early and never stopped showing up. Thank you also to JumpStart Inc., Ohio Angel Collective, Hurricane Ventures, Miami University Social Impact Fund, Miami University College@Elm, Rafael Garcia, Daniel Arnold, Christine Rizk, Nate Sowder, Larry Lutz & Mary Lutz (the first people who believed in this vision!), Mike Supeck, Apurva Desai (for brilliant financial insight), Mark Richey, Chris Bergman, Andre Martin, Stacey Browning, and John Gardner. The road from idea to exit is not a straight line. I'm grateful for every person who helped us find our way. I am sorry I can't list them all, but there were so so many members of this ecosystem, who made this happen. On to what's next. 🚀 #LearningAndDevelopment #HRTech #Perceptyx #LyceumAI #Acquisition #FutureOfWork
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Mike Supeck liked thisMike Supeck liked thisI remember starting Cariqa. Back then, every single conversation began with explaining why the market doesn’t work the way it should. Why CPOs lose control. Why drivers pay marked-up prices. Why it’s all unnecessarily complicated. I remember Power2Drive 2024. Our product wasn’t even fully out yet. The concept was solid, and once people sat down with us, they saw the point. Now something has shifted. With recent additions like TEAG, CITYWATT and daemobil, CPOs are starting to say: “Hang on… maybe those guys are onto something.” Maybe there is a better way. People are coming to us now because they’re looking for a real alternative. One that puts the CPO back in control. One where EV drivers buy energy directly from the source. No detours. No distractions. It’s actually a simple idea. My focus is now shifting to the demand partners of Cariqa: With Cariqa Connect, we’re making offering charging as simple as the click of a button. (To all engineers - I know I am trivialising lol) Yes, charging APIs have existed for years. But have you seen the prices? Heavily marked up. We don’t do that. Platforms integrating Cariqa Connect get the ACTUAL prices set by the CPOs on our platform. Direct. Transparent. I’ll probably be banging on about this quite a bit in the coming weeks… so bear with me. Also, a big shout-out to the two incredible people who just joined the team: Denise Feierabend and Luca Degen. Both bringing industry experience from completely different angles. Very lucky to have them on board. ⭐ André Dittrich danke für dein tolles Interview!
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Mike Supeck liked thisSo excited to see the next phase of Heylo with Heylo Health! The idea that we can support the person with meaninful supports in their daily lives and health is critical to this field of work.Mike Supeck liked this“And in the future, I am excited because we have key strategic partnerships that will build on the foundation we’ve created at Heylo through integrating the other critical pieces individuals need, from health insights to community-based supports.” Brian Hart, CEO and Cofounder of Heylo That’s what this next chapter is about. Heylo started by building a strong foundation — a reliable, human-first remote support platform that agencies can trust. But the future isn’t just about monitoring. It’s about integration. Health insights. Community-based supports. Connected systems that work together — not in silos. Technology in the I/DD space has historically been fragmented. Agencies are forced to manage multiple platforms. Families navigate disconnected tools. And the people being supported experience technology that was never designed to work together. We believe Heylo changes that! Strategic partnerships allow us to extend the platform thoughtfully — bringing together health, safety, communication, and support into one cohesive ecosystem, while keeping the experience simple and human. The future of Heylo is about connection. Connection between systems. Between providers and technology. Between safety and independence. We’re just getting started and we’re excited for what’s ahead. Brian Hart Shelly May Shivani P. Zach Mayer ShiftAbility Will Zell Patrick Klein Corey M. Amit Rastogi Khushi Punyatoya Mohapatra Benjamin Horn André Natal Chris Baron Ritwik Rastogi
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Abia State Public-Private Partnership and Investment Promotions Office
285 followers
Here’s How PPP Helps Your Small Biz Thrive Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) aren’t just about large infrastructure they’re a game-changer for small businesses too. Whether you’re a fashion vendor, techpreneur, farmer, or logistics startup in Abia, here’s what PPP can unlock for you: ✅ Better Infrastructure: Roads, power, and internet access improve with PPP projects making it easier to reach customers, reduce costs, and stay connected. ✅ Access to Finance: Many PPP models include low-interest loans, grants, and MSME funding schemes that reduce financial pressure and help you scale faster. ✅ Training & Digital Tools: PPP-backed programs often provide free training, tech access, and business support services to boost your efficiency and market reach. ✅ New Markets: Public-private initiatives open doors to government contracts, exhibitions, and business networks that increase your visibility. ✅ Supportive Policies: With PPP driving development, small businesses benefit from friendlier regulations and policies that support local entrepreneurship. 📢 Don’t just hustle in isolation plug into the ecosystem. Abia’s PPP momentum could be your next breakthrough. #PPPforMSMEs #AbiaBusiness #SmallBizNaija #PublicPrivateGrowth #SupportLocalEntrepreneurs #MSMEDevelopment #BusinessInAbia #PolicyAndProfit #AfricaRising #NaijaInnovators
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Larry Horn
Amplify Startups • 6K followers
Fundraising rules are shifting — quietly, but meaningfully. Between the INVEST Act moving in Congress and potential SEC changes to who can invest in startups, early-stage fundraising may look different in the near future — especially for founders outside major tech hubs. Here’s what matters for Kentucky founders: • You may be able to pitch in more rooms without triggering solicitation rules • Local micro-funds may have more capacity to invest • More professionals may qualify as accredited investors • Early rounds could move faster — with more scrutiny This creates real opportunity. It also raises the bar on preparation. Before changing your fundraising strategy: 👉 Talk to your attorney. At Amplify, we’re not legal counsel — we’re translators and connectors. We help founders understand what’s changing, pressure-test their approach, and connect with trusted legal and VC partners across Kentucky. We put together a short, practical field guide with next steps as the rules evolve. 👉 Download it here: https://bit.ly/4oWyZvZ Build carefully. Ask good questions. Good luck out there. #startuplou #KentuckyStartups #FounderEducation #AngelInvesting #AmplifyEverywhere Amplify Startups
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Middesk
8K followers
Plaid is built to make it easier for businesses to build and scale financial products that people trust. That trust starts with knowing who you’re working with. As Plaid helps platforms onboard and support millions of businesses, verifying business identity accurately and efficiently is foundational. That’s why Plaid partners with Middesk to automate business verification during onboarding — confirming core business details, reducing manual review, and helping teams make confident risk decisions without slowing down the customer experience. Together, we help Plaid deliver faster onboarding, stronger compliance, and a more durable foundation for growth across the financial ecosystem they power. We’re proud to support Plaid as they help teams move fast while maintaining trust at scale. #KYB #KYC #AML #BEV #businessverification #financialservices #onboarding #compliance #smallbusiness #SMBs
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Dr. Franklin Luke
Franklin F Luke jr. PLLC… • 743 followers
Your business can't scale if accountability requires your presence. Most founders confuse proximity with accountability. They think being in the room creates performance. Here's the framework we use to build distributed accountability: 1. Define outcomes, not activities 2. Install weekly scorecards (3-5 metrics per role) 3. Create peer-to-peer review cycles 4. Separate reporting from problem-solving meetings Accountability isn't about watching people work. It's about designing systems where performance is visible, measurable, and self-correcting. When your team can hold each other accountable without you in the room, you've built something transferable. Which step challenges your current structure most?
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How To SaaS
5K followers
Founders are often optimistic about growth. Sometimes, that confidence leads to funding ideas that don't fully pan out. Royalty-based growth capital is structured to limit downside risk compared to traditional venture-backed paths. Vik Thapar of Cypress Growth Capital explains that, even if outcomes fall short of early expectations, founders often still exit with meaningful results because they retain the majority of ownership. 🎙️ Tune into the Private Equity Value Creation Podcast: https://lnkd.in/gxkEsH3Z 👇🏽 Find Us Here https://lnkd.in/gTdPMk8P #privateequity #privateequitypodcast #privateequityvaluecreation
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OnlyFounders by Founders Hub Network
676 followers
🚀 Stop chasing investors blindly. Here's the 5-step system that gets startups funded: Define financial needs (12-18 months) Research aligned investors Build a killer pitch deck Systematize outreach Prep due diligence docs Most founders skip steps 1 & 5. Don't be like most founders.
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SKIN STUDIOS
42 followers
Fundraising Is a Sales Funnel Takeaway: Treat investors like prospects. Context: Too many founders pitch randomly. Fundraising works when you build structure. Advice: Create a lightweight investor CRM (Airtable, Notion, HubSpot). Track stage: intro, 1st call, due diligence, soft commit. Follow up weekly—investors invest in the founders who stay top of mind. Closing thought: Your investor funnel is just like your customer funnel—build it, track it, close it. At SKIN STUDIOS, we help founders cut through the noise, launch scrappy, and evolve fast. Because in the startup game, speed of learning is your greatest edge. → sitg.studio | dom@sitg.studio | DMs open #foundertips #fundraising #venturecapital #startupadvice #skinstudios
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FundingAdvisor
106 followers
Funding Tip: Use 0% business credit cards as bridge capital — not just startup cash. Stacking 3–5 cards for $50K–$150K can give business owners breathing room while waiting on larger financing. -Bridge the gap while an SBA loan closes -Cover marketing or inventory ahead of cash flow -Keep projects moving while waiting on accounts receivable Advanced move: Know which banks pull which bureaus. Sequence strategically, and you can stack approvals without triggering denials. #BusinessCredit #FundingStrategy #SmallBusinessGrowth #FundingAdvisor
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Rebhav Bharadwaj
Dodge AI • 7K followers
Last week, I was at Good Ol’ Kentucky to attend the ASUG Tech Connect 2025. Here’s everything I learned: 👉 Lift and shift doesn’t work: Even though this is the most popular way to migrate, most firms who have done this are worried that they never got the full Return on Investment of the new capabilities of S/4 HANA. 👉 The future of IT is about intent not syntax: This is a popular theme I have heard across conferences and SoRs. Commodization of Codegen is leading to consensus that the future of IT is about the intent from the Business user and not the syntax to achieve it. 👉 Lean Core is the new Clean Core: A lot of RISE with SAP paths are now following the approach of lean core - 80% clean core and 20% custom on the things that are absolutely essential. Dodge AI's roadshow is already beginning to show results, in the last 2 weeks, I have been to 11 states. More on this soon :) #ASUGTechConnect2025
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Walker Deibel
BuildWealth • 29K followers
You can turn $100,000 into a $50 million business through acquisitions. This is closer to capital allocation than traditional entrepreneurship. Here's the deal structure. First, the capital stack. You buy a business the same way you buy a house. Equity in, bank covers the rest. With SBA loans: 90% loan, 10% equity. A million dollar business might require $100K to $200K down. Target companies with $1 to $3 million in earnings. Go to sellers that are NOT at market. Brokered deals are competitive and sellers want cash at close. This only works off-market. Here's what you propose: Seller keeps 20% equity in a new entity. Asset sale, their company moves into newco, they keep running it at fair market salary. You write them a check for 60% via bank loan. Remaining 20% is a seller's note: 10% straight note, 10% performance earnout. From the bank's perspective, you created 40% equity. The truth? It's really only 20%, and it's the seller's. Your money in? Approaching zero. But you own 80% of Enterprise Value. Why would a seller agree? Tell them: my goal is to make your 20% as valuable as the 80% we're giving you today. What are the odds you double the value on your own in 3 to 5 years? Now stack earnings. $2 million average per company. Buy 10 just like this. $20 million combined earnings under one entity. Centralize marketing, accounting, HR, governance at HQ. You bought each at 4 to 4.5x. A $20 million earnings business sells for 7 to 7.5x or more. That's multiple expansion, just by combining them. Close the first one. Negotiate the next $100K for the next business. Then newco sells to PE for 7, 8, 9x your $20 million in earnings. That's the path from $100K to $50 million. If you're considering buying a business in the next 12 to 24 months, we built Acquisition Lab for exactly this. walkerdeibel.com
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26 Comments -
Shane Ray Martin
B Ventures Group • 39K followers
I interviewed the man behind 60 VC funds. Chris Rizik has backed 800+ startups and built the Midwest startup ecosystem. Here are 10 lessons that can save you years ↓ 1 - Back the learner Chris invests in GPs who: learn fast and own their mistakes. 2 - Democratize to outperform More voices = better deal flow. Broad networks find top 1% founders. 3 - Know when to walk If trust slips, end it early. Protect your time and LP capital. 4 - Specialize to win In the AI era, specific focus beats broad ideas. Niche expertise compounds. 5 - Be founder-first Help with intros, hiring, and strategy. Service earns allocation. 6 - Play long games Great returns come from patience not impatience. 7 - Make your story investable Simple thesis. Clear edge. Evidence of repeatability. 8 - Treat LPs like customers Communicate early. Report clearly. Show how your fund works. 9 - Build local, scale global Strong regions create repeat founders and faster cycles. 10 - Do the unglamorous work Reference calls. Post-mortems. Portfolio help. This is the job. If you’re a founder, GP, or investor, this episode is a field guide. Want the link? DM me for the Spotify episode.
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Abhijith Preman & Co. LLP Chartered Accountants
10K followers
ESOPs are a retention tool that most startups design too loosely at the start. Vesting schedules, cliff periods, exercise prices, pool size relative to the cap table each of these decisions has downstream implications for hiring, fundraising, and eventual exits. Founders who build their ESOP policy before they need it rarely have to undo a bad one mid-round. The best time to get the structure right is before the first grant goes out. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gKcsbPNM #ESOPStructuring #StartupEquity #EmployeeStock #AbhijithPremanAndCo #APCALLP
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Vridhi | GTM Partner
134 followers
The $1M solo founder playbook: Year 1: Just you - Validate the idea - Build small, ship fast - Learn everything - Stay profitable Year 2: You + contractors - Hire for weak spots - Keep overhead low - Scale what works - Bank 60%+ profit Year 3: Micro-team (2-3 people) - Strategic hires only - Systems over headcount - Maintain founder-led sales - Protect the margins Most founders hire too fast. The best businesses stay lean by design. Small teams, big outcomes.
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