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State of Startups: Kentucky Q2 FY26 Startup News
- Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
The State of Startups: Kentucky report is shared live each quarter during an online update from Kentucky’s six regional innovation hubs. Read below for highlights from Q2 FY26 and register online to hear the next report in real time.
Welcome to Kentucky
New to Louisville, Chris Reitz with Elevance Health is shaping the future of leadership with AI through systems thinking, narrative intelligence and empathy.
General Matter, a startup establishing a uranium enrichment facility in far western Kentucky, is receiving millions of federal dollars to support private uranium enrichment efforts. A $900 million task order will fund construction and startup costs for the facility, which broke ground in August and is expected to accelerate production timelines by years. Sprocket Innovation, the region’s innovation hub, has been highly engaged with General Matter since site selection last year.
Also, welcome to VERY | Virtual Eating Recovery for You, a tech-enabled virtual psychiatry, therapy, nutrition and coaching company focused on eating disorder care. Co-founders Dr. Erin Knopf, MD, CEDS and J. Brandon Johnson moved to Bowling Green in 2025 and have connected with the growing healthcare community through CREATE.
Recent Wins
Congratulations to the organizers of Startup Weekend Louisville, where participating teams launched approximately eight new startups in just 54 hours, receiving training, mentorship and essential startup tools.
The 25th anniversary Vogt Awards Demo Day took place in November, celebrating months of hard work by founders across the region. Thank you to the Community Foundation of Louisville for hosting and for supporting entrepreneurs through grants and technical assistance since 2000.
Congratulations to Timothy Tweet of Proper Pilots, winner of $8,000 at The Next Big Thing 2025 pitch competition in southern Indiana.
Awesome Inc and partners hosted the 15th anniversary Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, recognizing the impact of entrepreneurship across the state, including:
Mentor of the Year:
Randall Stevens | CEO, AVAIL
Investor of the Year:
Brook Smith | President, RSLP Ventures
Emerging Entrepreneurs:
Julia Regan | Founder & CEO, RxLightning
Jake Rouse | Co-Founder & CEO, Braxton Brewing Company
Wicked Technologies, developers of a washable, reusable sensorized bed pad that detects moisture in real time, was recognized by the National Institute for Dementia Education (NIDE) as a Product of Excellence. The company also celebrated the grand opening of its new facility with a ribbon cutting today!
Congratulations to Kentucky Coffee Trail, founded by Jenni Kaus, for joining the Accelerate 606 Program and earning its first major sponsorship — $10,000 from Morehead–Rowan County Tourism — while continuing to connect communities through Kentucky’s coffee culture.
WholeNote was selected to pitch at the inaugural Music Tech Startup Showcase at Confluence in Charlotte, gaining exposure, expert feedback and new industry connections.
Also, big congratulations to the 22 companies selected as KY Inno’s Startups to Watch in 2026, representing communities across Kentucky:
AnimaSol (Harrodsburg)
Another Nine (Covington)
Apollo Automation (Lexington)
BumptUp Labs (Bowling Green)
Clareo Biosciences (Louisville)
DataRovers (Paducah)
DealVue (formerly DataVue) (Elizabethtown)
Defying Dementia (Bowling Green)
Due Gooder (Louisville)
Essential Innovations (Louisville)
FourCorners (Louisville)
Gary Lōks Premium Cigars (Louisville)
Inno Engine (Bowling Green)
Leapfrog (Frankfort)MercenaryMarketing.ai (Louisville)
MoneyBot (Bowling Green)
OwnAChord (Paducah)
The Nori Project (Louisville)
Proper Pilots (Georgetown, Indiana)
Simbryo Technologies (Covington)
Toothsure (Hazard)
Valent (Lexington)
Kentucky’s entrepreneurial ecosystem closed out the year with several signature events, including:
Awesome’s Kentucky Investor Summit
CREATE’s Small Business Summit
Blue North’s Brand Fusion
Exits
A startup exit is when the founders and investors of a startup cash out — usually by selling the company or taking it public. It’s essentially the endgame for most startups, where all the effort (and risk) ideally turns into a financial reward.
We have one exit to celebrate this past quarter! Journey Warehousing, led by Lydia Henshaw, who acquired the company through entrepreneurship via acquisition (ETA), was acquired by Neace Transportation for an undisclosed amount.
Capital
Since January 1 of this calendar year, Kentucky has had 76 startups funded with $187,520,698 in early-stage investment.
Of note this past quarter:
In the Awesome Inc region, Bespoken Spirits raised $12.39M of venture funding from undisclosed investors. Their production includes whiskeys, rum, brandy and tequila produced by replacing the antiquated and wasteful barrel aging process with sustainable science and technology.
In the Amplify region, DesiCorp raised $5M in a seed round from Keyhorse Capital and other undisclosed investors. DesiCorp is developing freeze-dried, red blood cell technology to extend the shelf-life of blood.
Kentucky Innovation Hubs News
Larry Horn, executive director of Amplify, is an entrepreneur and community builder who has dedicated his career to enabling innovation and supporting founders throughout Kentucky as a founder, startup coach and ecosystem builder. Congratulations on his recognition with the 2025 University of Louisville Alumni Ambassador Award.
Congratulations to Dave Knox, executive director of Blue North, named to the Cincinnati Business Courier's Power 25 list. Under his leadership, Blue North has cemented itself as the center of gravity for entrepreneurship in Northern Kentucky. This includes launching transformative initiatives like SparkHaus, the NKY Entrepreneurship Fund and CincyETA.
Also with Blue North, we congratulate Reese Watson, their Chief of Staff, who was named among Cincinnati Inno’s 25 Under 25.
And finally, congratulations to Monica Bilak and the Sprocket team who launched a satellite office in Hopkinsville to better support those entrepreneurs.
About the Kentucky Innovation Hubs
The Kentucky Innovation Hubs, managed by KSTC and funded by KY Innovation at the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, are a network of six regional centers across the state with the purpose of driving economic development through entrepreneurship and innovation. Each Hub acts as their region’s “front door” to deliver services — while leveraging local partnerships and regional organizations — and assists entrepreneurs across industries and stages of development as they advance their businesses.
Key Services Provided by the Hubs for Tech Startups
Startup Coaching:
Provide tailored, consultative coaching to numerous startups, helping founders refine their business models and strategies.
Facilitate access to essential resources such as capital, customers, mentors, and talent.
Access to Capital:
Assist startups in securing funding through various channels, contributing to their financial stability and growth.
Organize pitch events and investor meetings to connect startups with potential investors.
Customer Acquisition:
Support startups in identifying and reaching their target markets, leading to increased customer acquisition.
Provided strategic introductions to key industry players and potential clients.
Mentorship Programs:
Match startups with experienced mentors who provided guidance and support throughout their entrepreneurial journey.
Conduct regular mentorship sessions and workshops to enhance the skills and knowledge of founders.
Talent Development:
Help startups in sourcing and recruiting top talent to build strong, capable teams.
Offer training programs and workshops to improve the capabilities of startup teams.
Strategic Introductions and Networking:
Facilitate networking events and strategic introductions that encourage collaboration and partnerships within the ecosystem.
Enable startups to connect with industry experts, potential partners, and other key stakeholders.
Through these initiatives, the Kentucky Innovation Hubs have significantly contributed to the growth and success of startups, strengthening the state's tech economy and fostering a thriving entrepreneurial environment. We are committed to maintaining this momentum and continuing to support the innovators and entrepreneurs who drive Kentucky's vibrant startup ecosystem.