New $200K pitch competition to anchor StartupCincy Week

StartupCincy Week, the Midwest’s largest entrepreneurship festival, returns Oct. 6-9 with a new spotlight event: a live pitch competition awarding $200,000 in investment capital to a local founder.

Organized by the nonprofit Cintrifuse and powered by Connetic Ventures, the competition aims to do more than write a check. It’s designed to connect early-stage entrepreneurs with capital, mentorship and visibility – three of the biggest hurdles to growing a business.

Five finalists will take the stage Oct. 7 at Union Hall on Vine Street before a live audience of investors, corporations and peers. Each will pitch their vision and receive direct mentorship from a panel of judges who bring their own startup experience to the table:

• Kirsten Moorefield, co-founder of Cloverleaf, a coaching platform serving global teams
• Somesh Saxena, founder and president of Pantomath, a data observability company
• Raf Garcia, co-founder of Kernel, a Y Combinator–backed Cincinnati startup

“This is not your standard startup week,” said J.B. Kropp, CEO of Cintrifuse, based in Over-the-Rhine. “It’s a citywide movement where founders don’t just listen to panels, but walk away with capital, connections and momentum.”

More than a competition

Cintrifuse launched StartupCincy Week as a way to bring thought leaders, entrepreneurs and startups together to share ideas, swap lessons and highlight what makes Greater Cincinnati such fertile ground for growing a business.

This year, the spotlight is brighter than ever. Beyond the pitch contest, the four-day event will showcase hundreds of founders on a national stage, draw more than 70 venture capital investors and feature programming shaped by more than 20 ecosystem partners.

The agenda is packed with practical workshops on sales, scaling and raising capital, along with conversations about inclusion and the realities of balancing family life as a founder. And it’s not just talk. Throughout the week, attendees will have access to curated networking and matchmaking opportunities designed to spark real connections at venues scattered around OTR.

With more than 100 panels, showcases, workshops, fireside chats and keynotes, StartupCincy Week offers something for every stage of the journey. There’s even a session specifically for artists looking to turn their creations into a profitable business.

Investing in Cincinnati’s future

Sponsors such as Procter & Gamble and Fidelity Investments say their backing is about more than brand visibility. For them, supporting StartupCincy Week is an investment in the region’s future and its growing innovation economy.

“Entrepreneurs fuel innovation, economic growth and opportunity in our communities,” said Jason Hammond, vice president at Fidelity Private Shares. “By backing their ideas with capital, mentorship and visibility, we’re investing in a stronger innovation economy that benefits everyone.”

The new pitch event represents a milestone in the region’s startup ecosystem. By spotlighting local founders and providing real dollars to scale their ideas, StartupCincy Week is working to further position Cincinnati as a national stage for entrepreneurial talent.

Guy B. Persaud, chairman of Cintrifuse and president of new business at P&G, described the event as a “celebration of the energy, creativity and progress driving Cincinnati’s startup community.”

“P&G grew our roots here in Cincinnati and we helped found Cintrifuse to nurture this thriving innovation ecosystem. We believe a strong startup culture in and around our global headquarters is key to attracting and retaining top talent,” he said. “I’m inspired by today’s founders and startups and excited to see how they’ll shape the future.”

StartupCincy Week