StartUP Columbus

10/26/2026

18 days until someone walks away with $40,000. 👀💰

Meet Sergio Garcia, founder of RIF Robotics and one of four finalists taking the LaunchCon stage!

His big idea? AI-powered robots that assemble surgical instrument trays, giving hospital staff more time to focus on what matters.

Now THAT'S innovation worth watching. 🤖

📍 LaunchCon | November 13 | Cunningham Center
🎟️ FREE to attend!
RSVP: https://www.startupcolga.org/launchconcolumbus

10/23/2026

Week 2 CO.STARTERS assignment: know your customer.

Like REALLY know them. 😂

What do they buy? What can they afford? Where do they hang out? And apparently… what handbag are they carrying?

This cohort is putting in the work. 👏

📸: Gear Guard Logistics, Fountain City Golf

10/21/2026

Starting a business is hard enough. Doing it in a new city where you don’t know anyone? That’s a whole different challenge.

For Salome and Bryan of World Class BnB, finding StartUP Columbus meant finding their people. A workspace became a network they could actually lean on while building.

Their advice to other founders? Just start.
You’ll figure out the rest as you go. 💪

10/19/2026

25 days. $40K. One winner. 👀

Yeah, you’re gonna want to be in the room for this.

LaunchCon. Nov. 13. Cunningham Center. FREE to watch.

RSVP now. https://www.startupcolga.org/launchconcolumbus

10/16/2026

Before the storefront, there was a “what if?” 💭

Now look at them. 👏

Meet a few of the founders bringing their ideas to life at Highside Market through retailLAB.

🤝 The Crowned Beauty Company, Taste of the Sea Reef, Star Spangled Tea

Then come cheer for founders like these at LaunchCon on Nov. 13. Free to attend!

10/16/2026

$40,000. Four finalists. One stage.

They were selected from 65 applicants across Columbus and the surrounding 150-mile radius. On November 13, they will pitch live in front of judges and an audience of founders, funders, and neighbors.

Sergio Garcia of RIF Robotics. Elsie Lappin of Echo Oracle. Isabella Barreiro of Chifforo. Victor Nguyen of Prestige Foods.

Robots in hospitals. AI that inspects welds. A campus fashion marketplace. Software for the seafood supply chain. Four very different bets and one night to make the case.

You can be in the room. It’s free. Friday, November 13, at 5:30 PM at the Cunningham Center. RSVP here: https://hub.catalyzerapp.com/public/events/launchcon-pitch-competition-3080-1

Comment the finalist you’re rooting for. Tag who you’re bringing.

LaunchCon 2026, presented by Wells Fargo.

10/12/2026

The expensive way to find out nobody wants your idea? Build the whole thing first. 😬

Talk first. Build later. Your future budget will thank you.

10/07/2026

And just like that, Columbus has a whole new crew of founders to watch. 👀👏

Meet our Summer CO.STARTERS graduates:

🚀 JP Performance
💼 The HR Office
🚐 Teresa School & Activity Rides
🐠 Taste of the Sea Reef Shop
🎨 Huck Creative Agency
⭐ Second and Third Order LLC
👗 Tressed
🌮 Our Culture Latin Food Truck
🍝 Linea Fast Casual Italian
🏖️ Beach Express

Different businesses. Different ideas. One thing in common: they showed up ready to build. 💪

Drop a 👏 for our Summer CO.STARTERS grads!

10/05/2026

10/05/2026

42 days until Columbus gets a front-row seat to a $40,000 moment. 💰

Four finalists. One stage. And someone has no idea yet how BIG November 13 is about to be for them.

The best part? You get to watch it happen LIVE.

📍 Cunningham Center
📅 November 13
🎟️ FREE. No ticket. Just show up. https://www.startupcolga.org/launchconcolumbus

Tag who’s coming with you. 👇