Cincinnati's Boldest Building a Better Tomorrow
In a world that often seems preoccupied with the bottom line, there’s something exhilarating happening right here in Cincinnati — a movement that reminds us that business, at its best, isn’t just about profits. It’s about people. It’s about communities. It’s about purpose.
This spring, Flywheel Social Enterprise Hub is once again proving that startups can do more than disrupt industries; they can heal them, strengthen them, and reimagine them for the better. Through its Elevate Impact accelerator, Flywheel has hand-picked five ambitious startups — and if you’re betting on the future of Cincinnati, these are the names you’ll want to remember.
Meet the New Faces of Change
The Magical Adventures at Park Clinic is not just an animated series. It’s a revolution in how children experience healthcare. In an era when navigating the medical world can feel daunting even for adults, founder Dwylett Montgomery is empowering kids — particularly those from marginalized backgrounds — to see healthcare not as a source of fear, but as a space they can confidently navigate. Through culturally relevant storytelling, Park Clinic isn’t just closing health literacy gaps — it’s nurturing emotional resilience and autonomy for the next generation.
Then there’s Prtty Pckup LLC, founded by Marissa Dumas, who is tackling a problem far too often brushed aside: women’s transportation safety. In a world where a simple ride home can come with risk, Prtty Pckup offers security and dignity, proving that the mobility economy can and should prioritize women’s well-being. At its heart, this venture isn’t just about rides — it’s about reclaiming independence, one safe journey at a time.
Elevate Impact 2025 Founders (clockwise from left): Allyson West, Dwylett Montgomery, Marissa Dumas, Candice Crear, Kia Davis)
And for anyone who believes that art is a luxury rather than a necessity, meet Cindependent Film Center, founded by Allyson West. Expanding on the success of the Cindependent Film Festival, this venture aims to create a year-round haven for filmmakers and film lovers alike. Through workshops, screenings, and events, it’s cultivating a sustainable, inclusive indie film culture right here in the Queen City — ensuring that diverse stories have a stage, not just for one festival weekend, but every day.
Of course, no conversation about building confident futures would be complete without talking about Early Affirmation Dolls, led by Kia Davis. At a time when children’s mental health is making headlines for all the wrong reasons, Kia is offering a simple, powerful antidote: affirmation. The Kyya Doll, which speaks empowering phrases, isn’t just a toy — it’s a tool for self-esteem, resilience, and hope. With free community "Power Hours," Early Affirmations is planting seeds of confidence that could blossom for generations.
Finally, there's Fearless Beauty, founded by Candice Crear, who has brilliantly merged beauty, business, and mental wellness. Imagine a salon that’s also a mentorship hub, a workforce development program, and a sanctuary for emotional health. Fearless Beauty is redefining what it means to prepare young women — particularly marginalized ones — for the workforce. It’s not just giving them haircuts or resumes. It’s giving them belief in their own boundless potential.
Not Just a Program — A Movement
None of this would be possible without Flywheel’s forward-thinking model — a rare blend of philanthropy’s soul and entrepreneurship’s edge. Their approach recognizes that while heart can spark change, business acumen sustains it. Over the course of nine intense weeks, founders will dive into hands-on coaching, rigorous workshops, and community networking that could change the trajectory of their ventures — and Cincinnati itself.
Flywheel’s Philanthropreneur® donors are equally crucial, providing not just dollars but partnership — investing $25,000 into the cohort and contributing over $50,000 worth of coaching and services. It’s a real-world demonstration that when the private sector and the social sector collaborate, amazing things happen.
Backing this effort is Tabelsense Kids, the program’s presenting sponsor and a nonprofit committed to youth wellness. In the words of Table Sense CEO and Flywheel board member Mark Davis, Flywheel’s model doesn’t just get ventures off the ground — it sets them soaring.
"Over the years, Flywheel has helped launch numerous ventures that have had a sustained positive impact on the community — in many cases, ventures that never would have achieved lift-off otherwise."
Why It Matters — Now More Than Ever
Cincinnati is at a crossroads. Like cities across America, we are grappling with widening inequities, fractured trust, and systemic challenges that cannot be papered over. The five startups selected for Elevate Impact 2025 aren’t sidestepping those realities — they are staring them down with audacity, creativity, and humanity.
At a time when many accelerator programs are focused on "the next big app" or "the next unicorn valuation," Flywheel is asking a different, more urgent question:
What if the greatest startup success stories weren’t about becoming billionaires, but about making a billion lives better?
The founders of Park Clinic, Prtty Pckup, Cindependent Film Center, Early Affirmations, and Fearless Beauty are living that question. They are proof that when you give bold dreamers the right resources, the ripple effects touch us all — not just economically, but culturally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Cincinnati doesn’t just need more companies. It needs more companies like these. Companies that are fearless in their pursuit of equity. Companies that are relentless about inclusion. Companies that, in every customer served and every community strengthened, remind us that business can be a beautiful force for good.
As the cohort prepares for Demo Night on June 26, 2025, one thing is clear: the future isn’t just coming. Thanks to Flywheel and these remarkable founders, it’s already being built. And it looks dazzling.