Startup-driven employment is accelerating across the region, reinforcing the sector’s role as a key driver of economic growth in Cincinnati.
Today, the region is home to 32,046 startup-related jobs, with 12,389 new roles created in the last five years. This level of growth is competitive with higher-growth ecosystems like Nashville, signaling that Cincinnati is not only creating startups but scaling them into meaningful employers.
As this momentum builds, one challenge remains clear: retaining top talent.
Cintrifuse is addressing that challenge head-on through the Startup Fellows Program, made possible through the support of the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation. The highly competitive initiative drew over 200 applications this year and is designed to connect emerging talent with high-growth startups and ensure the next generation of builders has a reason to stay and build in Cincinnati.
“We know that to keep incredible talent in our region, we have to create real opportunities inside high-growth startups. That’s exactly what the Startup Fellows Program is built to do.”
Two Tracks, One Goal: Build the Next Generation of Founders and Operators
No two entrepreneurial paths look the same; that’s why the Startup Fellows Program offers two unique tracks:
Startup Fellows
Fellows are working at some of the region’s most innovative and high-growth companies, contributing directly to their growth while gaining critical hands-on experience. Startup employers include: Picture Health, Cloverleaf, Soundtrace, Payload, Lasoh, Flamel AI, Finopsly, Trovio, Pay Theory, LiverRight, Kernel, QicScan, and OBAI.
These placements equip students with practical, career-building experience while providing critical talent that helps Cincinnati-based startups scale and thrive.
Builder Fellows
Our builder fellows will spend the duration of the program building their own startups, supported by a $10,000 non-dilutive grant, mentorship, and a structured, founder-focused curriculum.
Our inaugural Builder Fellow cohort is tackling challenges across healthcare, environmental compliance, civic technology, education, AI adoption, and more. Below are the ventures launched by students through the program, which Cintrifuse is excited to see scale throughout the program.
- OPEF AI — AI assistant that helps teams write and review environmental permits in days instead of years.
- TissuTrak — Symptom-tracking app that helps people with chronic illness spot patterns and share useful data with their doctors.
- Stump — Campaign finance software that helps political candidates track spending and auto-file compliance reports with their Board of Elections.
- Motiv — All-in-one app for middle and high school athletic departments, messaging, scheduling, and fundraising in one place.
- Kattan — Drone defense technology built for West African markets.
- AI Answered —Plain-English AI education and automation for older adults and small businesses.
A Regional Talent Engine
The 2026 cohort represents top talent from universities across the country, including:
University of Cincinnati: Adam Nassif, Amelia Wares, Ayushi Sharma, Gabriella Morehouse, Grace Shorter, Griffin Mitchell, Hyndavi Ravuri, Ilyaas Kapadia, Jaden Walton, James Johnson, Jasper Surya Chowdary Kota, Jaydee Lorenzo, Johnathan Russell, Lekha Reddy Surakanti, Narayan Shanku, Nida Aslam, Phuong Le, Sahil Thakare, Siju Saji, Tess Weyer
Miami University: Connor Sakemiller, Grace Milton, Noah Kruthaupt
Ohio Wesleyan University: Aarav Singh, Inesh Tickoo
Vanderbilt University: Adyanth Ganesh
The Ohio State University: Jack Swartley
New York University: Mackenzie Lightner
Xavier University: Moussa Seye, Tyler Bush
By connecting students to startups early in their careers, Cintrifuse is building a stronger pipeline of talent prepared to contribute to and lead high-growth companies in the region.
Building What’s Next
Every iconic Cincinnati company started with someone willing to take a chance on an idea.
Programs like Startup Fellows ensure that the next generation of founders and innovators have that same opportunity. By investing in talent early, Cincinnati is creating a pipeline of future entrepreneurs, startup employees, and business leaders who will launch companies, create jobs, attract investment, and drive economic growth for years to come.
The companies shaping Cincinnati’s future are being built today, and many of the people building them are sitting in Cincinnati’s classrooms, coworking spaces, and startup offices this summer through the Startup Fellows Program.
The Startup Fellows Program is made possible through the support of the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation, whose investments in entrepreneurship, workforce development, and regional economic growth help create opportunities for the next generation of founders and startup leaders.
__
These materials were prepared exclusively by Cintrifuse, and the opinions expressed herein are current as of the date of publication. Information prepared from third-party sources is believed to be reliable though its accuracy is not guaranteed. Opinions expressed in this commentary reflect subjective judgments of the author based on conditions at the time of writing and are subject to change without notice. Cintrifuse is an SEC registered investment advisor. Registration does not imply any level of skill or training.