Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund
Cintrifuse is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit operating Cintrifuse Capital (a $150M+ AUM venture fund), StartupCincy (an entrepreneur coalition), and Union Hall (a 38,000 sq ft startup hub) to support pre-seed to Series A founders in Southwest Ohio through accelerator cohorts, residencies, talent pipelines, and community programming.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersCincinnati, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund does
Cintrifuse is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ecosystem catalyst founded in 2012 and headquartered at 1311 Vine Street in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine district, where it operates the 38,000-square-foot Union Hall coworking and events hub. The organization runs three integrated branches: Cintrifuse (programming and resources), Cintrifuse Capital (a venture fund managing $150M+ in assets under management with checks of $250K-$500K in pre-seed through Series A rounds), and StartupCincy (a coalition of entrepreneur support organizations it chairs). Core products include the Venture Velocity Program (an 8-week accelerator cohort with up to $250K investment for 6% equity), the Emerging Founder Residency (a year-long program with $300K for 10% equity), the Startup Fellows Program (paid summer fellowships at $17+/hour plus a $10K non-dilutive Builder Fellows track), the Talent Network and job board, Union Hall coworking memberships ($150/month) and event rentals, and the StartupCincy Digital Front Door (Dealroom data, Resource Compass, ecosystem calendar).
The organization has 30+ corporate partners (P&G, Kroger, Fifth Third, Duke Energy, Western & Southern, EY, PNC, Altafiber, and others) whose senior executives sit on its board, enabling deal sourcing, pilots, and commercial access for portfolio companies. Cintrifuse is led by CEO J.B. Kropp, who also serves as Managing Director of Cintrifuse Capital, with a team that includes a VP of Cintrifuse Capital, a Principal, an Associate on the Fund-of-Funds team, a VP of Finance, and functional directors across Engagement, Marketing, and Venture Growth. Its revenue model blends corporate donations and foundation grants (notably from the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr. Foundation), coworking and event rental income at Union Hall, and venture fund management economics on the $150M+ AUM base; in May 2024, Cintrifuse Capital was awarded $10M in Ohio SSBCI matching funds to seed a new $20M venture fund for Southwest Ohio.
Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund
- Legal name
- Cintrifuse Fund Management d/b/a Cintrifuse Capital
- Website
- https://cintrifuse.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cintrifuse is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit operating Cintrifuse Capital (a $150M+ AUM venture fund), StartupCincy (an entrepreneur coalition), and Union Hall (a 38,000 sq ft startup hub) to support pre-seed to Series A founders in Southwest Ohio through accelerator cohorts, residencies, talent pipelines, and community programming.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Accelerator & Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)
Keywords
Where Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cincinnati
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Nonprofit Funding & Donations: Cintrifuse operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded through corporate donations, foundation grants, and individual contributions. Major donors include regional corporations and the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation. Donations support programming, talent initiatives, and ecosystem cultivation.
- Government SSBCI Funding: Cintrifuse Capital received $10 million in Ohio State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) matching funds to support creation of a $20 million venture capital fund for Southwest Ohio startups.
- Venture Capital Fund Management: Cintrifuse Capital manages venture funds (Fund III) investing in local Seed and Series A startups and national VC funds. Fund management provides alignment with investment returns and ecosystem capital deployment.
- Coworking & Event Space Revenue: Union Hall generates revenue through monthly coworking memberships ($150/month), dedicated desks (rates upon request), private office space (monthly pricing), day passes ($25/day), and event rentals (Beer Hall: $1,250-$2,500, Homeroom: $800-$1,600, Conference rooms: $50/hour).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Venture Velocity Program - Up to $250K Investment |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Emerging Founder Residency - $300K Investment |
| Subscription | Monthly | Coworking Monthly Membership |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Day Pass |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Beer Hall Event Rental |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Homeroom Event Rental |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Conference Room Rental |
| Subscription | Monthly | Startup Fellows Paid Internship |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Builder Fellows Non-Dilutive Grant |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cintrifuse is a nonprofit startup support organization operating through three branches: Cintrifuse (programs and community), Cintrifuse Capital (venture fund with $150M+ AUM), and StartupCincy (ecosystem coalition). Core offerings include the Venture Velocity Program (8-week accelerator with up to $250K investment), Emerging Founder Residency ($300K for 10% equity), Startup Fellows Program (student talent pipeline), Talent Network (talent matchmaking), Union Hall (38,000 sq ft coworking and event space), and community programming (Demo Night, Code & Cowork, Guest Speaker Series).
Product overview
Cintrifuse is a non-profit entrepreneur support organization that operates three interconnected branches: Cintrifuse (programming and resources), Cintrifuse Capital (venture investing with over $150M AUM), and StartupCincy (ecosystem coalition). The organization provides a lifecycle of support for founders from idea to scale through programs including the Venture Velocity Program (8-week accelerator with up to $250K investment), Emerging Founder Residency (year-long program with $300K capital), Startup Fellows Program (student internship/fellowship), Talent Network (talent matchmaking), and Union Hall (38,000 sq ft coworking space). Community Programming offers Code & Cowork sessions, Demo Nights, and Guest Speaker Series. Together, these offerings create a comprehensive ecosystem designed to make Cincinnati the best place in the Midwest to launch high-growth startups.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Venture Velocity Program: 8-week cohort-based program for early-stage founders to prepare for venture capital fundraising, offering up to $250K investment
- Emerging Founder Residency
- Startup Fellows Program
- Union Hall
- Talent Network
- StartupCincy
Products and services
- Venture Velocity Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Lyceum AI acquired by Perceptyx less than 2 years post-launch, marking first Venture Velocity exit
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- University of CincinnaticoreRyan Hays (EVP & Chief Innovation/Strategy Officer) on board. 1819 Innovation Hub provides startup support through UC Venture Lab. Northern Kentucky University also partner.
- Miami UniversitycorePresident Greg Crawford on board. John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship through Mark Lacker supports startup education.
- Alloy Development Co.corePatrick Longo (President & CEO) on board. Not-for-profit economic development providing commercial capital lending and startup growth programs. Community partner.
- City of CincinnaticoreMayor Aftab Pureval on board. City as Lab initiative creating pilots between startups and civic partners. Economic development collaboration.
- CreativeMornings CincinnatiminorCommunity partner hosting free monthly breakfast lectures for creative professionals, fostering inspiration and collaboration.
- Power to PursueminorWomen's empowerment movement providing events and programs. Supports diverse founder community building.
- Together DigitalminorNationwide network empowering women in digital and tech industries through community and mentorship.
- Hack Kentucky (KY Combinator)minorAnnual hackathon serving high school and college students and industry professionals with coding and collaboration platform.
- StartupCincycoreCintrifuse chairs StartupCincy coalition of entrepreneur support organizations providing resources for all Cincinnati entrepreneurs. Includes Dealroom platform, Resource Compass, and ecosystem calendar.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Innovation Works: Pittsburgh-based nonprofit startup support organization combining accelerator programs, seed-stage venture capital, and robotics/AI specialization. Comparable to Cintrifuse's integrated programming + capital structure as a fellow Rust Belt ecosystem builder, though Innovation Works has stronger university research ties via Carnegie Mellon.
Broad incumbents
- Techstars: Global accelerator network running 50+ cohorts annually across industries and geographies with $20K-for-6%-equity standard terms. While broader and more established than Cintrifuse, Techstars competes for the same early-stage founders and offers a well-known brand and alumni network that regional players must differentiate against.
- Y Combinator: Leading global startup accelerator with biannual cohorts in Silicon Valley, $500K-for-7%-equity standard deal, and unmatched alumni network. The brand and follow-on capital access YC provides is the primary competitive ceiling Cintrifuse faces when recruiting high-ambition founders from the Midwest.
- Plug and Play Tech Center: Global innovation platform operating accelerator programs, corporate innovation partnerships, and venture investment across multiple verticals. Comparable to Cintrifuse's corporate partnership distribution model, though at much larger scale and with industry-specialized programs.
Emerging players
- Village Capital: Impact-focused accelerator and fund supporting underrepresented founders with peer-selected cohort model. Comparable to Cintrifuse's cohort-based accelerator and emphasis on founder development, though focuses on impact verticals rather than geographic ecosystem building.
Direct peers
- 1871: Chicago-based nonprofit technology hub and startup incubator offering coworking, programming, corporate partnerships, and community. Directly comparable to Cintrifuse's Union Hall model and ecosystem-cultivation mission, serving as the Midwest's most prominent analog in a larger metro market.
- gener8tor: Midwest-based accelerator and venture fund operating accelerator cohorts (gener8tor Accelerator) and investing in early-stage startups. Most directly comparable to Cintrifuse given similar regional focus, cohort-based accelerator model, and integrated venture fund, though gener8tor operates across multiple Midwest cities rather than a single hub.
- Rev1 Ventures: Columbus, Ohio-based startup support organization combining accelerator programs, venture capital investment, and corporate partnership network. Highly comparable to Cintrifuse's integrated programming + capital + corporate engagement model, operating in Ohio with similar state-level funding relationships.
- MassChallenge: Global nonprofit accelerator running equity-free cohort programs with corporate partnership network. Comparable to Cintrifuse's nonprofit structure, founder development programming, and corporate engagement model, though operates at significantly larger global scale.
Others
- TechPlace (Cincinnati Children's) / Alloft: Regional innovation ecosystem partners including the 1819 Innovation Hub at University of Cincinnati and regional economic development entities like REDI Cincinnati and Alloy Development Co. Function as adjacent ecosystem participants and referral partners to Cintrifuse rather than direct competitors, supporting the broader Cincinnati startup infrastructure.
Market position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund social profiles
Digital presenceCintrifuse Syndicate Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund
What does Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund do?
Cintrifuse is a nonprofit startup support organization operating through three branches: Cintrifuse (programs and community), Cintrifuse Capital (venture fund with $150M+ AUM), and StartupCincy (ecosystem coalition). Core offerings include the Venture Velocity Program (8-week accelerator with up to $250K investment), Emerging Founder Residency ($300K for 10% equity), Startup Fellows Program (student talent pipeline), Talent Network (talent matchmaking), Union Hall (38,000 sq ft coworking and event space), and community programming (Demo Night, Code & Cowork, Guest Speaker Series).
Is Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund a public or private company?
Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund founded?
Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund based?
Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund is headquartered in Cincinnati, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Nonprofit Funding & Donations are the primary driver. The others are government SSBCI Funding, venture Capital Fund Management and coworking & Event Space Revenue.
Who are Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund's main competitors?
Innovation Works is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Techstars, Y Combinator and Plug and Play Tech Center. Village Capital is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are 1871, gener8tor, Rev1 Ventures and MassChallenge. TechPlace (Cincinnati Children's) / Alloft is listed as an others.
Does Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund.
What industry is Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund in?
Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund's product category is Startup Accelerator & Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated). Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.