Five Cincinnati-Based Startups Selected For Accelerator
gener8tor and CincyTech welcome the gBETA Cincinnati Spring 2025 cohort
Cincinnati, OH – Five Cincinnati-based companies have been selected to participate in a local startup accelerator program. GardenIQ, Mixicles, Mulch Mound, Nabu Optical Systems and Welcome Compass will participate in the gBETA Cincinnati program through national venture capital firm gener8tor.
gBETA Cincinnati is a free seven-week accelerator program designed to set a path for startups to pursue investment opportunities. Startup founders receive intensive concierge coaching and access to gener8tor's national network of mentors, customers, corporate partners and investors.
gener8tor received dozens of applications from across Cincinnati for the program. The five selected companies were chosen based on their growth potential and investor readiness. See below for more details on each company.
“I’m thrilled to get to work with these five incredible Cincinnati-based companies on their growth,” said Amory Lenarz, gBETA Cincinnati Program Manager. “This program not only supports these five companies, but brings opportunity and economic development to the entire Cincinnati community.”
The program is made possible by a partnership with CincyTech.
At the end of the gBETA program, the startup founders will pitch their companies to investors, community partners and the public at a showcase event in June, with details to be announced.
Startup companies and founders interested in learning more about gBETA’s programming and resources or applying to a future program can visit the generator gBETA website, or reach out to Amory at amory@gener8tor.com. Those interested in mentoring these companies or getting involved in other ways are also encouraged to connect.
gBETA Cincinnati Spring 2025 Cohort
Nabu Optical’s patent-pending machine fits into the process for semiconductor chip manufacturing, making the process more accessible for small-batch testing and prototyping by low- to mid-volume contract manufacturers or in-house manufacturers. Nabu’s tool is much smaller and approximately 3% the cost of traditional methods, reducing the manufacturing process by months and, often, the costs by millions. Nabu has received a $230K grant from Ohio Tech and will have products available for sale this summer.
Founder: Imad Agha | imad@nabulitho.com
Mixicles is redefining ice as a versatile medium for flavor and wellness. Its flagship line of botanically infused ice cubes has been sold in over 340 retail and food service locations across the Midwest and direct-to-consumer nationwide. Currently available in a frozen format in Cincinnati-area retailers and online, Mixicles is expanding its versatility with a patent-pending, shelf-stable version of its all-natural beverage enhancers and actively exploring entry into the healthcare sector as a novel delivery system for nutrition and therapeutics.
Co-founder and CEO: Jen Morales | jen@mixicles.com
Mulch Mound sells landscaping materials on an e-commerce platform, modernizing the experience for landscape suppliers and convenience-seeking homeowners. Mulch Mound partners with suppliers to list materials such as mulch, soil, rocks and sand on its website, and DIY landscapers can order materials for delivery without leaving the comfort of their homes. Mulch Mound has earned over $85K in revenue in the last 12 months, up 450% over the previous year, and tripled the number of suppliers on the platform.
Co-founder: Tyler Edsall | tyler@mulchmound.com
Welcome Compass solves decision fatigue for travelers. Instead of endless Googling, travelers effortlessly access unique recommendations from knowledgeable locals who truly know the area best. Each automated guide is one-of-a-kind – tailored specifically to the traveler’s preferences – covering exactly where to eat, stay and explore, so they never miss out on something amazing. Future applications support any of life’s major decisions such as home buying, parenting, pet ownership and more.Welcome Compass launched travel guides in January of 2025 with 100%+ month-over-month revenue growth, and has expanded to provide guides across the U.S. and in seven countries.
CEO: Andrew Lukas | andrew@welcomecompass.com
GardenIQ makes enterprise-grade marketing available to businesses of all sizes. Utilizing AI, GardenIQ harvests analytics to generate, optimize and execute complex marketing campaigns in 15-20 minutes instead of 3-4 days. GardenIQ has generated $70K of annual recurring revenue, growing over 20% month-over-month, from a mix of 44 business-tier and enterprise customers.
CEO: Dom Shamblee | dom@gardeniq.io
About gener8tor
gener8tor is a global venture firm and accelerator network that supports startups, workers, employers, artists and musicians across race, place and gender. gener8tor partners with companies, governments, universities and nonprofits to operate programs and conferences in more than 41 communities across 22 states and two countries. Fast Company named gener8tor one of the Best Workplaces for Innovators in 2021 and 2022. The International Trade Council recognized gener8tor as Global Venture Capital Firm of the Year in 2022.
About gBETA
gBETA is a non-equity accelerator that facilitates the growth of early-stage companies through a network-driven program. This accelerator supports five startups per cohort and requires no fees for startups and takes no equity. Since launching in 2015, gBETA accelerator alumni have raised more than $836M in capital and created more than 5,000 jobs.
About CincyTech
CincyTech is a venture capital firm that invests in innovative founders tackling the world’s complex challenges. Their experienced team collaborates with researchers, inventors, and entrepreneurs who bring deep domain expertise and market foresight. CincyTech partners early to help transform ideas into world-class companies. Supported by Ohio Third Frontier, CincyTech is one of the Midwest’s most active seed funds.
For more information, visit gener8tor.com and cincytechusa.com.