Ready to Thrive? Startup with StartupCincy.

We’re excited to introduce Stashpouches, the brainchild of founder and former college athlete, Molly Michalak, who turned a personal pain point into a product helping women stay prepared—stylishly. Here’s a closer look at what she’s building: “I started Stashpouches during my senior year at Eastern Kentucky University, with zero business experience and a volleyball scholarship. The idea itself came from my own daily frustration. As an athlete dealing with aches and pains—and someone who has struggled with chronic migraines—I always had meds on me. But carrying bottles of Excedrin or loose pills in my bag or pockets was messy and inconvenient. There just wasn’t a sleek, compact, stylish way to carry medication and my daily essentials. So I asked, ‘What if I made something that works for me?’ I wanted it to hold just enough meds or vitamins for a few days, plus cards, birth control, cash, keys—even lipstick. I also wanted it to look good. That’s how Stashpouches was born. Today, Stashpouches are made of premium leather with a sleek gold zipper, key loop, and interior pockets that include a pill case with six compartments. It’s compact, functional, and designed to stash your essentials without sacrificing style. 2024 was our best year yet. We hit a new high in sales, showed up at pop-ups across Ohio, and landed in two retail stores right here in Cincinnati. We also expanded our team in 2025, bringing on a marketing specialist and social media influencer to help grow the brand. Marketing has been our biggest hurdle, but we're tackling it head-on this year—with big goals around in-store growth, online sales, and finding the right investors. Being part of the StartupCincy community helped get us here. Last year, I was invited to participate in StartupCincy events, and it truly opened doors. I connected with bold entrepreneurs and supportive women who shared advice and encouragement. Because of those connections, I was able to participate in local pop-ups, reach more customers, and grow as both a founder and a brand. We’re just getting started—and I can’t wait to see how far we can go.” #PeopleOfStartupCincy

In a setting where small moments can shape lifelong memories, nurse practitioner Abby Hess is transforming the surgical experience for children—with innovation, empathy, and the power of breath. “As a nurse practitioner and clinical researcher in anesthesiology at Cincinnati Children's, I saw firsthand how deeply anxious kids could be before surgery. Research shows that preoperative anxiety is linked to negative outcomes—and I knew there had to be a better way to help. The breakthrough came after I saw how a friend handled her child’s anxiety in the hospital. Her son was about to undergo surgery. To calm him, she suggested he pretend he was the Big Bad Wolf when he breathed through the anesthesia mask. He huffed and puffed—and drifted off peacefully in several big breaths. That spark of imagination inspired me to create what would become EZ Induction, a breathing-controlled video game designed to reduce surgical anxiety for kids. With no background in product development, I applied for funding through Cincinnati Children’s Innovation Ventures, and in 2016, I became the first nurse at the hospital to receive an innovation grant. Today, EZ Induction is a patented app developed in collaboration with Innovation Ventures, the hospital’s commercialization team, and licensed to LittleSeed, a Columbus-based startup bringing the product to market. Through this collaboration, children across the country can experience a calmer, more empowering start to surgery. Being an intrapreneur has allowed me to stay close to what I love—caring for patients and conducting research—while also bringing innovation into the hands of the clinicians and families who need it most. This past year, I had the incredible opportunity to present EZ Induction at the ANCC Nursing Conference, where over 14,000 nurses gathered. I was so proud to share our story—and showcase how our health system supports nurse-led innovation. EZ Induction has launched and is being adopted by its first hospitals. Seeing something I created help children in real time is incredibly fulfilling. We’re making the surgical experience a little less scary, one breath at a time.” #PeopleOfStartupCincy

We’re excited to highlight Terry Wall, Founder & CEO of Carefeed, a startup transforming senior care with seamless digital solutions. Here’s a closer look at what they’re building: “At Carefeed, we’re on a mission to modernize communication and operations for senior living and long-term care communities. Many providers still rely on paper processes and outdated systems, making compliance and engagement more challenging than ever. Our platform simplifies these daily tasks, giving care teams an intuitive, easy-to-use solution that saves time, reduces stress, and keeps families informed—so they can focus on what truly matters: caring for residents. The idea for Carefeed was sparked by a personal experience. When one of my children was born, I was handed paper line drawings of CPR instructions and thought, There has to be a better way. That moment ignited my passion for creating technology-driven solutions that enhance communication and streamline experiences in healthcare. While we’re currently focused on the post-acute care sector, our long-term vision is to expand across hospitals and physician practices in the future. Right now, we’re rapidly scaling, growing our footprint across senior care, and enhancing our platform with new functionality to bring even more value to providers and families. As we continue this momentum into 2025, we’re excited to deepen our connections in the StartupCincy community, collaborate with fellow founders, and build on Cincinnati’s incredible innovation ecosystem.” #PeopleOfStartupCincy