Cincinnati is known for huge, influential corporations like Procter & Gamble, Kroger, GE Aerospace, Western & Southern, and Fifth Third Bank. They contribute millions of dollars annually in taxes, support city initiatives and nonprofits, and bring workers to town who establish roots and make life interesting for the rest of us.
On the other end of the business world are entrepreneurs starting and running small companies, chasing big dreams with shoestring budgets and help from friends and family. They don’t get as much attention as our Fortune 500 institutions, but startups also pay taxes, support the city, and attract new residents to the region—and they’re increasingly building Cincinnati’s reputation as one of the Midwest’s best cities for launching and investing in new ideas.
StartupCincy Week, now in its ninth year, returns to Over-the-Rhine October 6–9 to bring start-up founders, funders, corporate leaders, and students together to mix, mingle, and do some business. Connecting entrepreneurs to mentors, networking, and investments helps them feel a little less alone on their journeys, says J.B. Kropp, CEO of Cintrifuse, which hosts the week at Union Hall on Vine Street and in multiple nearby spaces. “There’s a lot that goes into turning an idea into a business,” he says, “so we connect innovators with experts in human resources, legal, marketing, manufacturing, technology, and anything else they need.”
Kropp expects between 1,000 and 1,500 attendees for StartupCincy Week, with about 40 percent from outside of Cincinnati. All meeting spots are walkable from Union Hall, and attendees are encouraged to explore OTR between events.
Attempting to create more of a real-life community for local entrepreneurs, Cintrifuse recruited local photographer Romain Mayambi to document start-up founders exploring and enjoying iconic Cincinnati locations. As you’ll see, today’s innovators represent a variety of ages, backgrounds, experiences, and outcomes—much like Cincinnati itself.
Photograph by Romain Mayambi
Emily Wolff at Fountain Square
Otto’s Restaurant Group, Co-Owner
Why Here: I love Cincinnati’s history of using art and sculpture to create a beautiful sense of place.
What I’ve Learned: The start-up journey has helped instill a strong sense of grit and grace in me.
Photograph by Romain Mayambi
Derrick Braziel in Mainstrasse Village
Pata Roja Tacos, Owner
Why Here: I like out connections to Germany because my twin brother lived and met my sister-in-law there.
What I’ve Learned: Success doesn’t come alone but from investing in people and letting them invest in you.
Photograph by Romain Mayambi
Airtrek Robotics team at Longfellow (from left to right)
Huzefa Dossaji
Cofounder & CTO
What I’ve Learned: Building cool technology is fun, but what really drives me is focusing on the “why” and having our work actually make a difference for someone.
Jon Taylor
Cofounder & COO
Why Here: All three of us have been working in OTR in this start-up, so we have a lot of good memories here both for work and socially.
What I’ve Learned: Start-up founders have to be resilient. I anticipated it would be easier to get initial traction and fund-raise.
Chris Lee
Cofounder & CEO
What I’ve Learned: Who you create with is more important than what you do.
Photograph by Romain Mayambi
Lyceum Learning team at Bar Saeso (left to right)
Russ Hamer
Cofounder & CEO
What I’ve Learned: I’m more action-oriented than I’d previously thought about myself. Given the need to get things done, I’m ready to step in and do it.
Glenn Platt
Cofounder & Chief Growth Officer
Why Here: Saeso is intimate with a chill vinyl soundtrack that makes it just as easy to have a deep conversation as it is to dance under the disco ball.
What I’ve Learned: The start-up journey is pulling on interesting threads to see what happens and then embracing the unexpected with a yes.
Photograph by Romain Mayambi
Victoria Littlejohn and Gabby at Gallery at Gumbo
Rent-a-Prenuer, Founder & CEO
Why Here: The gallery reminded me of what every entrepreneur in this city is fighting for and how important it is that we support each other.
What I’ve Learned: Each person is unique. It’s impossible to walk someone else’s path.
Photograph by Romain Mayambi
Camille Awator at Mellotone Beer Project
Mimbbo, Founder & CEO
Why Here: This space captures the same energy I see in the start-up community: local, creative, and bringing people together.
What I’ve Learned: Doubt and dread live right alongside vision.
Photograph by Romain Mayambi
Michael Ragsdale at Union Hall
Bailout Systems, Founder & CEO
Why Here: I’ve been working for a decade to be a part of the start-up ecosystem. To now be photographed at Union Hall, the very building where that momentum began, feels full circle.
What I’ve Learned: How to lead under pressure, adapt constantly, and keep going without a road map.
Photograph by Romain Mayambi
(From left to right) David Walters, Connor Paton, and Mason Williams at Washington Park
David Walters
Cintrifuse, Community Operations and Experience Manager
What I’ve Learned: My role is more indirect by providing space at Union Hall as well as resources and connections, but it’s awesome to know I’m contributing to something bigger than myself.
Connor Paton
Noshable, Founder & CEO
What I’ve Learned: Every successful founder shares one trait: irrational self-belief. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome is often called “insanity.” For us, it’s just Tuesday.
Mason Williams
Kernel, Founding Engineer
Why Here: The park has always been a hub or the start-up community here, whether it’s casual meetups, events, or just grabbing coffee with other founders/operators.
What I’ve Learned: I like owning my future and putting it in my own hands.
Photograph by Romain Mayambi
Sharod Holmes at Washington Park
Holm, Founder & CEO
What I’ve Learned: I have seasons when it comes to productivity and energy, so I mnake sure my responsibilities fit the season at hand.
Photograph by Romain Mayambi
D Sangeeta at Blue Oven Bakery
Gotara, Founder & CEO
Why Here: That’s easy. I love freshly baked sourdough bread.
What I’ve Learned: That taking risks pays off and that hiring and retaining the best talent is the key to success.
Photograph by Romain Mayambi
Kesha Williams at the Mercantile Library
Cool Comforts, CEO
Why Here: I feel deeply connected to the library because its origins mirror my own journey. The men who founded it came from disadvantaged backgrounds with limited resources, yet they were driven by an intense hunger for knowledge, just like me. That really resonates with me.
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