Our firm is an active participant in the growing Cincinnati area entrepreneurship ecosystem.

An entrepreneur is one who organizes and assumes the risk of a business undertaking or innovation. Entrepreneurship is a major driver of economic growth and, as a result, many organizations exist to support entrepreneurs, including business incubators, startup accelerators and angel investor groups. Entrepreneurs may finance their business venture through bootstrapping, friends and family, angel investors and/or venture capital investors.

The Cincinnati market has developed a vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystem and is at the forefront of startup activity and innovation. Our firm is an active participant in the Cincinnati area entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Queen City Angels

The Queen City Angels is a Cincinnati-based angel investor group comprised of approximately 50 investors that invest in validation and early stage start-up companies with exceptional growth potential. Since inception in 2000, various Queen City Angel funds and related sidecar investment vehicles have provided over 70 portfolio companies with leveraged investment capital of approximately $400 million. The group invests in a number of diverse industries, many with a technology element. Queen City Angels is one of the top ten most active angel funds in the country. John L. Ward is a member of Queen City Angels and is actively involved in screening and conducting due diligence on potential portfolio companies.

HCDC Business Incubator

Established in 1983, HCDC, Inc., formerly Hamilton County Development Co. Inc., helps build businesses and promote job creation through business incubation, business lending and economic development services. HCDC has nurtured over 300 resident companies, financed over $1 billion in projects and helped attract and create tens of thousands of local jobs. HCDC’s top-rated business incubator helps entrepreneurs launch innovative and scalable businesses through business coaching, programming, connections and flexible work environments in one of the largest and longest-running incubators in the midwest. John L. Ward is an advisor to a number of companies in the HCDC business incubator.

Morning Mentoring

The Morning Mentoring program is an entrepreneurial coaching program that matches startups and early stage companies with experienced entrepreneurs and other successful business professionals. The goal is to grow the entrepreneur’s business by removing barriers and creating solutions in a confidential and learning environment. HCDC and the Queen City Angels present this monthly program. John L. Ward is an active participant in the Morning Mentoring program.