Six Northern Kentucky businesses were awarded grant funding from Cincinnati-based entrepreneurial support organization Main Street Ventures during the firm’s fourth-quarter funding round.
Main Street Ventures has distributed approximately $360,000 in equity-free funding to 23 Northern Kentucky companies throughout the year — more than any prior year.
The Northern Kentucky Entrepreneurship Fund aided this increase, an initiative launched this January by Northern Kentucky entrepreneurial resource and advocacy group Blue North. The fund aims to assist and fund various support organizations, startups, educational vehicles and accelerators in the region.
In the Greater Cincinnati region as a whole, Main Street Ventures has awarded over $1 million worth of grants that went toward supporting 64 companies.
“We continue to be impressed with the quality of early-stage businesses in our community that apply for funding from Main Street Ventures,” Executive Director Sean Parker said in a press release. “As we approach our 25th anniversary next year, we’re excited to continue empowering entrepreneurs to transform their innovative ideas into thriving businesses.”
Main Street Ventures provides two types of grants: Launch and Leap Funding — each designed for businesses in different developmental stages.
Launch Funding provides pre-revenue businesses with $5,000 to $10,000 of equity-free funding at the prototype or product stage. This funding looks to increase the company’s odds of reaching the market entry stage and beyond.
Leap Funding provides revenue-generating businesses with $10,000 to $30,000 of equity-free funding to scale their business and increase their overall sustainability.
Founded in 1999, Main Street Ventures is quickly approaching its 25th anniversary. Parker said he hopes the organization can continue to empower entrepreneurs throughout the region.
“Over the last five years, our grant recipients have generated more than $14 million in sales and provided 400 jobs throughout the community,” Parker said. “We can’t wait to see what happens in year 25.”
Launch funding
Brewed & Frothy Coffee is a Florence-based small-batch coffee roaster and mobile coffee cart that provides catering at several private social functions like anniversary dinners, bridal parties, weddings, brunches, birthday parties and more.
Outmore Gear is a Newport-based company that designs, manufactures and distributes outdoor recreation gear for activities like rock climbing and snorkeling.
Leap funding
Beards & Bellies is a Newport-based New Orleans-style barbeque restaurant and catering service that focuses on cooking with locally sourced ingredients.
Commonwealth Sanctuary is a comedy club based in Dayton. It’s the only comedy club in Northern Kentucky.
The Delish Dish is a Covington-based full-service catering and events company that specializes in serving events with anywhere between 10 to 500 guests. Additionally, focus on making their food from scratch.
Spotted Yeti Media is a Covington-based video marketing and production company that produces advertisements and marketing videos for companies and events across the Greater Cincinnati region.
