Alloy Growth Lab

🌱🔥 Big News at the Alloy Growth Lab! 🔥🌱 We’re thrilled to welcome Ecoshell LLC and its visionary founder Andrew Bliss to the Alloy Growth Lab family! 💡💼 EcoShell is on a mission to revolutionize sustainable packaging – and Andrew is bringing serious energy and innovation to the table. His passion for eliminating plastic waste and building a greener, smarter future aligns perfectly with Alloy’s values and our community of bold, purpose-driven founders. 🌍♻️ This is the latest stop on EcoShell’s incredible journey through the #StartupCincy ecosystem – and we’re proud to be part of this collaborative momentum that’s fueling innovation across the region. 🙌 From big ideas to scalable impact, we’re here to help EcoShell take the next leap forward! Let’s give them a HUGE Alloy welcome – we’re excited to support your journey, amplify your impact, and grow together right here in #Ohio! 💪🚀 #WelcomeToAlloy #StartupCincy #Sustainability #EcoShell #FounderJourney #AlloyGrowthLab #InnovationLivesHere #CincyStartups #PackagingRevolution #GreenTech #CleanTech #ClimateTech #OhioInnovation #Entrepreneurship #ScaleUp #CollaborationIsKey

Early customers aren’t always strangers—sometimes they’re already in your circle. 👥 This week’s #StartupSnacks breaks down how founders can tap into existing communities to find their first champions. Worth a read if you’re building and selling. 🛠️📣 👉 https://lnkd.in/gidREy8R #StartupCommunity #FounderTips #StartupMarketing #BuildInPublic

🚀🔥 Ready to Think Like a CEO? 🔥🚀 This Wednesday at 11:30am, we’re turning up the energy at Alloy Growth Lab (Room 129) — and lunch is on us! 🍕🥤 Join us for June's Think Like a CEO session with none other than Jeremiah Landi (Landi Industries) — a serial founder who's lived the startup rollercoaster 🎢 and is bringing the real talk on: ⚡ Pitching your first big deal ⚡ Navigating tough partner dynamics ⚡ Building sales engines that scale ⚡ Turning rejections into momentum ⚡ Surviving the pressure of founder life This isn’t theory — it’s what really happens behind closed doors. 💡 💥 Seats are limited — RSVP now and come hungry for knowledge (and food!) 👉 https://lnkd.in/gzYTnwiU #StartupCincy #AlloyDevelopment #AlloyGrowthLab #ThinkLikeACEO #FounderLife #StartupJourney #ScaleUp #EntrepreneurMindset #FounderTips #CincyStartups #GrowthLab #BusinessGrowth #SerialFounder #PitchPerfect Alloy Development Co.

🚀 The Top 5 Perks of Building a Business at Alloy Growth Lab We’re not just filling space — we’re fueling momentum. At Alloy Growth Lab, founders don’t just rent an office — they join a launchpad designed for scale: ✅ Purpose-built space ✅ Hands-on coaching ✅ Direct funding connections ✅ Real traction support ✅ A community of doers 🌱 Summer 2026 move-ins are filling now. Want in? 📩 DM us or schedule a tour via the link below: https://lnkd.in/g8-vKi_R #StartupGrowth #FounderFriendly #AlloyGrowthLab #TechStartups #IncubatorLife #CincyStartups Jane Martin Curtis H. Antony Seppi Patrick Longo Trisha Sefakis Leah Wyman Alloy Development Co.

🔥Big congratulations to all the incredible startups recognized in this year’s Cincy Inno Fire Awards - we will see 👀 you this Wednesday at the 1819 Innovation Hub!!!🔥 We’re thrilled to see such a strong and diverse showing of innovation, impact, and hustle across Greater Cincinnati. Special shoutout to Wellspring Material Ventures, Sense Neuro Diagnostics, and Subterra - all have connectivity to the Alloy Growth Lab and are pushing boundaries in the advanced materials space, neuroscience space, and environmental services/urban infrastructure space. Your recognition is well-deserved, and we’re honored to support your journeys! 👏 To all the finalists: your work fuels our region’s entrepreneurial spirit. Keep building. Keep setting the bar higher. #startupcincy #cincyinno #fireawards #entrepreneurship #innovation #alloygrowthlab #cincinnatistartups Jane Martin Curtis H. Antony Seppi Patrick Longo Trisha Sefakis Leah Wyman Gregg Malofsky George Shaw Gary Kurdziel, MBA Robert Lee Alloy Development Co. Chuck Joffe Steve Levin

🚀 Proud to be an active partner in last week’s #CityAsALab press conference! The event showcased the power of the “City as a Lab” mentality—treating public infrastructure as a platform for innovation. One standout example: Airtrek Robotics, which is piloting its technology in collaboration with Lunken Airport. This is what innovation looks like when startups, public assets, and ecosystem leaders come together to test and scale real-world solutions. Alloy is grateful to be working alongside the City of Cincinnati, Councilmember Mark Jeffreys, and partners such as Cintrifuse, CincyTech, and the 1819 Innovation Hub to help shape what comes next. The momentum is real—and we’re just getting started. Patrick Longo, Emma Scharfenberger Off, Marvin Abrinica, Nikki Boehmker, J.B. Kropp, Antony Seppi, Mark Jeffreys #CityAsALab #CincinnatiInnovation #PublicPrivatePartnership #Airtrek #SmartCity #StartupEcosystem #UrbanInnovation

0 to 500K Users: LoopLingo's Global Takeover They made learning a new language addictive and viral. LoopLingo, a Columbus-based edtech startup, launched its gamified language app in January 2024. By December? 500,000+ users, 32% international. 📲 The Big Win: Closed a $3.2M seed round led by a top-tier West Coast VC. Why they stood out: ✅Daily dopamine: Every lesson unlocks a ‘loop badge,’ triggering shareable achievements. ✅Community-first beta: Built an active Discord with 5,000+ testers before launch. ✅Localization fast: Used AI to translate UI and adapt for cultural nuance within weeks. Lessons: ❗Gamification isn’t a gimmick; done right, it builds habits. ❗Global scale starts local; they did not market globally until they saw pull from users overseas. 🌎 What would happen if you designed your product for obsession, not just utility? #ConsumerBrands #StartupSuccess #RetailInnovation #BrandBuilding #FounderJourney #Entrepreneurship #AlloyGrowthLab Curtis H. Antony Seppi Patrick Longo Trisha Sefakis Jane Martin Leah Wyman

From Prototype to Purchase Orders: How VantaSkin Landed Target They went from lab samples to shelf space in just 10 months. Meet VantaSkin, a Cincinnati-based skincare startup with a team of 4 and one bold mission: make melanin-first products backed by real science. 🧴The Big Win: In May 2024, they landed a 3-store test run with Target and sold out in 2 weeks. How they pulled it off: ✅ Laser-focused R&D: Partnered with local university labs to test formulas clinically. ✅ UGC-first marketing: Prioritized authentic customer testimonials over polished ad campaigns. ✅ Retail mentorship: Leaned heavily on an accelerator partner with Target vendor experience. Lessons: ❗Test with real users before scaling. Feedback was their fuel. ❗Relationships open doors, especially in retail, where trust is everything. 🚀What doors could open if you invested in customer-led product development? #ConsumerBrands #StartupSuccess #RetailInnovation #BrandBuilding #FounderJourney #Entrepreneurship #AlloyGrowthLab Curtis H. Antony Seppi Patrick Longo Trisha Sefakis Jane Martin Leah Wyman

💰 Wrapped Your Pitch Deck? It’s Time to Grow Beyond the Raise.In May, Startup Snacks tackled the funding fundamentals: ✅ Investor-ready pitch decks ✅ Funding types (VC, angels, grants) ✅ Outreach strategies ✅ What investors really look forBut money...

🚨Celebration Idea #4🎉- Founder-for-a-Day Perk Want to celebrate a team member? Let them be boss for a day. No, not to make company-changing decisions. But to choose the playlist, set meeting themes, pick the lunch spot, or declare “no Slack hour.” “Founder-for-a-Day” perks are a playful, empowering way to recognize someone’s effort. It costs nothing but gives visibility and a sense of ownership. Recognition paired with autonomy fuels motivation. It also humanizes leadership and builds connection. Your team works hard to build something, they’ll love having a say in how the day runs (at least once). ❓If you could declare one rule as Founder-for-a-Day, what would it be? #StartupLife #TeamCulture #LeadershipTips #CelebrateWins #LowCostHighImpact #Entrepreneurship Curtis H. Antony Seppi Patrick Longo Trisha Sefakis Jane Martin Leah Wyman