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Six Ohio ventures receive early-stage funding through the Technology Validation and Start-up Fund, with support from Entrepreneurs’ Center.
DAYTON, OH, April 21, 2026 – Six organizations engaged with Entrepreneurs’ Center (EC) secured a combined $1,100,000 in grant funding from the Ohio Third Frontier Commission. EC clients Hyphen Innovations, LittleSeed, Inc., Snow Troopers, Vitruvian, and Wokkah were each awarded $200,000 in Phase 2 grants, while Bowling Green State University received $100,000 in Phase 1 funding.
“These awards reflect the depth and diversity of innovation happening across Ohio,” said Scott Koorndyk, President of EC. “We’re proud to support a group of founders and organizations that are tackling complex challenges and building technologies with meaningful, real-world applications.”
Hyphen Innovations secured its second $200,000 TVSF grant to advance its manufacturing technology, streamlining how it designs and produces parts across industries. While focused on expanding the capabilities of aerospace systems, Hyphen Innovations already applies its technology in motorsports, golf, and space, demonstrating its versatility and broad commercial potential.
“Being selected for a TVSF award means more to us than simply having the capital to do the work,” said Dr. Onome Scott-Emuakpor, CEO and Founder of Hyphen Innovations. “The selection is validation that others see our vision and believe in our ability to achieve the goals we’ve set. That support and confidence are what drive us to keep pushing toward new heights every day.”
LittleSeed, Inc. secured $200,000 to scale its medical innovation platform, translating clinical research into deployable healthcare solutions. Headquartered at the Hilliard City Lab, LittleSeed serves as an innovation hub that transforms clinical breakthroughs into global medical assets. With a track record of advancing technologies like the ACTIVEwsv computer-vision tool and the EZ Induction gaming platform, the company partners with institutions such as Cincinnati Children’s and Nationwide Children’s to deliver engineered solutions that reduce patient anxiety, improve outcomes, and ensure critical innovations reach the patient’s bedside.
“The support from the Entrepreneurs’ Center has been a catalyst for our growth,” said Jeff Penka, President and CEO of LittleSeed. “This TVSF Phase II award reflects the strength of our partnership with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and provides the resources needed to move from development to scale. With this support, we’re initiating manufacturing and placing our aromatherapy product in early adopter sites. The EC’s mentorship ensures we’re not just building a product, but a sustainable business that can impact pediatric care globally.”
Snow Troopers secured $200,000 to support its transition to a tech-first platform, equipping local, qualified contractors with the administrative and connectivity tools needed to deliver essential snow and ice management services more efficiently. Operating since 2018, the company has achieved consistent year-over-year growth and is now focused on scaling its impact through technology-enabled service delivery.
“The EC team has been an invaluable sounding boards throughout the refinement of our proposal,” said Mariah Paul, Co-Founder & CEO, and Javier Jones, Co-Founder & COO of Snow Troopers. “Their support helped us effectively communicate our vision and mission, making our presentation more efficient and compelling.”
Vitruvian secured $200,000 to advance its HALO product line and expand its use of 3D printing technologies to accelerate the delivery of attainable housing and infrastructure. Based in Southeast Ohio, Vitruvian is an advanced construction and manufacturing company focused on addressing workforce shortages through scalable systems and state-recognized training programs. By bridging education, workforce development, and real-world project delivery, Vitruvian delivers innovative, high-quality solutions to residential, commercial, and public-sector markets.
“EC’s support has been instrumental in helping us move the HALO product from concept to commercialization. The direct feedback from their team helped us define our go-to-market strategy, strengthen our operational model, and accelerate deployment,” said Stefano Alva, Director of Operations at Vitruvian. “Their guidance, especially around articulating our vision for the business, significantly improved how we position and communicate our work and has already translated into stronger opportunities for growth. We’re grateful for their partnership and look forward to staying closely engaged as we scale.”
Wokkah secured $200,000 to advance its AI operating system for startups, helping founders turn ideas into production-ready software through structured requirements, governed development workflows, and AI-assisted execution. Wokkah developed the platform to address common challenges in software projects, including unclear requirements, coordination breakdowns, and late-stage security issues. By embedding execution discipline, security analysis, and real-world collaboration into the development lifecycle, Wokkah enables teams to build reliable software faster while creating structured pathways for emerging talent to contribute to production environments.
“Entrepreneurs’ Center has a very rigorous and well-structured process for supporting founders,” said Dr. Iyanuoluwa Odebode, Founder & CEO of Wokkah. “The team worked closely with us to challenge our assumptions, refine our narrative, and clearly communicate the value of what we are building. That dialed-in process played an important role in helping us successfully navigate the application and position Wokkah for this opportunity. We’re incredibly grateful to the team—we couldn’t have done this without them.
Bowling Green State University secured $100,000 to advance its Technology Validation and Pre-Commercialization Program, supporting early validation activities that strengthen pathways to licensing, startup formation, and industry engagement for university-developed technologies. Developed in coordination with EC, the program will be led by the Paul J. Hooker Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership in partnership with Research Technology Transfer within BGSU’s Division of Research. An external review committee of leaders in research commercialization, entrepreneurship, economic development, and investment will guide program activities. The initiative will also include an intern role to support commercialization efforts while providing hands-on experience in technology transfer and startup development.
Hyphen Innovations, LittleSeed, Inc., Snow Troopers, Vitruvian, Wokkah, and Bowling Green State University are engaged with Entrepreneurs’ Center, which supports a wide range of technology ventures and universities by delivering strategic guidance, commercialization support, and access to resources that accelerate growth and drive regional economic impact.
“We’re already seeing significant traction in TVSF this year, with $2.3 million secured for EC-supported ventures,” said Paul Jackson, VP of Strategic Programs at EC. “That level of early progress reflects both the strength of the organizations we’re working with and the effectiveness of our approach in helping them compete for and win this highly competitive funding.”
Today’s awards underscore the value of sustained investment in Ohio’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. As the innovation economy evolves, EC remains committed to equipping founders with the tools, guidance, and connections they need to navigate challenges, scale their ventures, and deliver solutions that matter.
About Entrepreneurs’ Center
Entrepreneurs’ Center (EC) is a modern venture development organization that powers progress and prosperity through entrepreneurship. Annually, EC works with over 1,000 entrepreneurs to start and grow companies, create jobs, generate revenue, and attract investment. EC empowers main street and technology businesses through complimentary professional services, including business planning, mentoring, training, networking, commercialization, and capital investment. EC’s talented and experienced team of advisors, entrepreneurs-in-residence, and staff design and facilitate diverse, world-class business acceleration programs on behalf of corporations, higher education institutions, and government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Defense, from their headquarters at The Hub Powered by PNC Bank in the historic Dayton Arcade. Learn more at EC Innovates.
About Ohio Third Frontier
Managed by the Ohio Department of Development, Ohio Third Frontier (OTF) is an internationally recognized $2.1 billion economic development initiative supporting technology entrepreneurship and growing jobs across the state of Ohio, positively changing the trajectory of its economy. Through a statewide robust network of resources, entrepreneurs with compelling business models for near-term market opportunities based on technology and tech-enabled products and services have access to the technology, business assistance, capital, and talent to turn great ideas into thriving companies. OTF is driving this expanding, vibrant community of high-growth technology companies and making Ohio a top destination for tech entrepreneurs. Learn more at Ohio Third Frontier.
For More Information, Contact:
Leslie Klenke, Director of Marketing
Entrepreneurs’ Center
[email protected]
