Amplify 2025–2026 Impact Report

01 · Letter from the Director

A Year of Growth,
Connection & Impact

We’re at an exciting moment for Amplify and for the innovation community across the Louisville region.

Every day, we’re seeing more builders innovating and more established businesses looking to innovate. Amplify’s focus isn’t changing - we aim to make resources accessible and move founders forward. We’re really into helping entrepreneurs succeed. The momentum is real, and this year’s impact reflects what can happen when a community comes together around a shared purpose.

Together in FY2025-2026, we served 835 startups, facilitated 387 meaningful connections, supported founders who collectively raised more than $91.8 million, helped create 600 jobs, and welcomed 1,578 participants to events across our region. Those numbers are worth celebrating, but they only tell part of the story. Behind each one is a founder who kept building, a mentor who made an introduction, an investor who took a meeting, a partner who opened a door, or a community member who simply chose to show up.

As I step into the role of Executive Director, I also want to recognize Larry Horn, whose vision and leadership helped build the foundation Amplify stands on today. Larry believed in this community long before it became easy to do so, and his commitment to founders has shaped countless companies and relationships along the way. I’m grateful for his partnership, his friendship, and the example he has set for all of us.

While this report celebrates what we’ve accomplished together, I’m even more energized by what’s ahead. Amplify’s next chapter is focused on creating even more opportunities for founders to connect with customers, capital, mentors, and industry partners. Through initiatives like Innovation Pods, Amplify Navigator, Amplify Certified, and our growing Alumni network, we’re helping make the path from idea to growth more connected, more accessible, and more impactful than ever before.

To every founder, mentor, investor, partner, sponsor, volunteer, board member, and community champion, thank you. You are the reason this community continues to grow stronger every year.

I’m honored to help lead Amplify into this next chapter, and I truly believe the best is still ahead.

Jenn Callahan

CEO, Amplify

Year at a Glance

Startups Served835

Startups Connected387

Startups Advanced75

Event Participants1,578

Funds Raised$91.8M

Jobs Created600

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02 · By the Numbers

Measuring
What Matters

June 2025 – June 2026 · Greater Louisville & Louisville, KY. Every number represents a founder who bet on themselves and on this community.

835

Startups Served

June 2025 – June 2026

387

Startups Connected

Introductions to investors, partners & mentors

Startups Advanced

Founders who reached their next growth stage

$91.8M

Startup Funds Raised

Capital secured by Amplify companies

600

Jobs Created

New positions across the ecosystem

1,578

Event Participants

Across 46 events hosted & sponsored

What These Numbers Mean

These numbers tell the story of a community that showed up. 835 founders received hands-on support, 387 were connected to investors, partners, and mentors who moved their businesses forward, and 75 crossed the threshold into their next stage of growth. Behind every milestone—every acquisition, every seed round closed, every award won—Amplify was in the room. The $91.8M raised and 600 jobs created are not abstractions; they are the cumulative result of thousands of introductions, coaching sessions, pitch events, and conversations that turned potential into progress.

June 2025 – June 2026 · Greater Louisville & Louisville, KY Regions · Source: Amplify + KSTC and Pitchbook

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03 · Startup Spotlights

Amplify
Impact

Behind every metric is a founder who bet on themselves and on this community. These are the stories that define what Amplify is for.

Revitalized Care

Startup Spotlight

Revitalized Care

Janelle Jones · Founder & CEO

“Thank you so much for what you do for the startup ecosystem. I am forever grateful to be a part of it.”

Impact

→Supported founder building in the Louisville, KY startup ecosystem

Startup Spotlight

Sofab Inks

Blake Martin & Peter Armstrong · Clean Energy

A UofL spinout manufacturing next-generation nanoparticle inks for perovskite solar cells, enabling scalable low-cost solar manufacturing with a world-record 22.2% power conversion efficiency.

Key Milestones

→$5M seed round from Keyhorse Capital, 2026

→DOE American-Made Perovskite Startup Prize winner ($200K+)

MEVPAC

Mobile EV Power Access Container

Startup Spotlight

MEVPAC

Charlie Waugh & Jason Neal · Clean Tech / EV

A rapidly deployable Level 3 DC fast-charging container delivering bulk EV charging to disaster sites, construction zones, festivals, and fleet operations anywhere grid infrastructure can’t go.

Key Milestones

→Unveiled working prototype at Louisville ribbon-cutting with Mayor

→Partnership with major Tesla charger supplier for live testing

Essential
Innovations

Startup Spotlight

Essential Innovations

Ben Reno-Weber · Founder & CEO

Building innovative solutions that address essential needs at the intersection of technology and community impact. A landmark year of recognition and growth.

Key Milestones

→Vogt Award winner

→KY Inno Startup To Watch honoree

→Accepted into Techstars

Value Buddy

Startup Spotlight

Value Buddy

Ace McGill · Founder & CEO

“The team has provided me with many warm investor leads that have converted to funding and revenue.”

Impact

→Capital raise coaching & pitch deck support

→Warm investor introductions leading to active funding

Proper Pilots

Streamline Flight Training

Startup Spotlight

Proper Pilots

Timothy Tweet & Derrick Simpson · Aviation Tech

A mobile-first platform transforming flight school operations with status-based scheduling, FAA-compliant checklists, and a quality feedback system. Boosting graduation rates for less than the price of a latte per user per week.

Key Milestones

→Vogt Award winner & $25K prize (August 2025)

→Won IU Southeast’s Next Big Thing Pitch Competition

“Coaching through the capital fundraise process, helping organize my pitch deck, targeting potential investors, and assistance with how to answer questions from investors—these successful conversations have led to funding opportunities and revenue.”

Ace McGill, Founder & CEO — Value Buddy

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04 · Events Hosted & Sponsored

Bringing the
Community Together

Signature Event

Monthly · 2025–2026

Venture Connectors

Louisville’s premier monthly gathering where founders, investors, and ecosystem builders connect over curated conversations and real deal flow. Every month, Venture Connectors brings together the people building the future of the region, from first-time founders to seasoned operators, for the kind of introductions that actually move the needle.

Events This Year

500+

Event Participants

Monthly

Cadence

Title Sponsor

FBT Gibbons

Presenting Sponsors

PNC Bank

Dean Dorton

Old National Bank

University of Louisville

Events Hosted

VC at Night

Evening version of Venture Connectors for founders and investors who prefer a more relaxed, evening format.

Build & Pitch

Founders pitch live to a panel, refine their decks, and get real feedback from investors and operators.

Amplify Sales Week

A dedicated week of sales training, workshops, and networking designed to help founders close deals faster.

Rise and Thrive

A women’s founder-focused event celebrating resilience, growth, and the community of women building in Louisville.

From Patent to Pitch

An IP commercialization workshop for deep tech and university spinout founders navigating the path from invention to investment.

EV’s Power to the People

A showcase of EV and clean energy innovation featuring MEVPAC’s live prototype reveal and ecosystem dialogue on the future of mobility.

Forecastr Golf Scramble

Amplify’s annual golf outing, a fun day on the links for founders, investors, sponsors, and community supporters.

Build & Pitch @ Mashup Foodhall

80+ attendees packed Mashup Foodhall for an evening of live founder pitches and demos. 12 founders took the stage, showcasing early-stage ventures to investors, mentors, and the broader Louisville startup community.

Strong Business Plan

Co-hosted with Fifth Third Bank, a practical workshop helping founders build investor-ready financial models and business plans.

Speed Meeting

High-velocity, structured 1:1 meetings between founders and potential partners, advisors, or customers in a single event.

Events Sponsored & Community

Vogt Awards

Amplify sponsored the Vogt Awards, Louisville’s most prestigious startup prize, celebrating early-stage founders with $25K in equity-free funding. Proper Pilots took home the 2025 award.

Startups to Watch

Louisville Business First

Startups to Watch

Amplify sponsored Louisville Business First’s Startups to Watch list, amplifying recognition for the region’s most promising emerging companies, including several from the Amplify network.

LaunchIT

University of Louisville

LaunchIT

Amplify sponsored LaunchIT, supporting the next generation of student and early-stage founders competing and showcasing at one of Louisville’s premier innovation competitions.

Wild Accelerators

Women Founders • Raise Smart Capital

Wild Accelerators: Women Founders • Raise Smart Capital

Amplify sponsored this accelerator event designed to help women founders understand and navigate capital raising, from angels to institutional investors, on their own terms.

Hispanic Chamber Derby Pitch

Fiscal Sponsor

Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Derby Pitch Competition

Amplify serves as fiscal sponsor for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Derby Pitch Competition, supporting Latino entrepreneurs with a platform to pitch, compete, and connect with the region's startup ecosystem.

ETA Louisville

First in the Region • Fiscal Sponsor

Entrepreneur Through Acquisition (ETA) Louisville

Amplify is proud to be the fiscal sponsor of the first-ever ETA group in the Louisville area—bringing together entrepreneurs who are pursuing company acquisition as their path to ownership and impact.

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05 · New Programs & Initiatives

Expanding Opportunities
for Founders

Amplify Certified

A founder readiness and validation program designed to prepare high-potential startups for investment, pilot opportunities, enterprise partnerships, and accelerator participation. Unlike traditional educational programs, Amplify Certified focuses on measurable readiness. The goal is not education; it is readiness.

New

Program Launching

Innovation Pods

A community-anchored program connecting innovative startups across industries with businesses, institutions, and organizations ready to pilot real solutions in the real world. Innovation Pods pair vetted startups with host organizations to run structured, time-bound pilots that generate revenue, traction, and proof points.

New

Program Launching

Startup Swag Store

In collaboration with #TagSwag, Amplify is launching customized swag stores for founders where all proceeds go directly to the startup. A simple, powerful way to build brand, reward supporters, and generate revenue, one t-shirt at a time.

New

Program Launching

Amplify Navigator

A personalized digital platform that maps every resource, funding source, mentor, and program available across the greater Louisville and Louisville, KY area. Navigator meets founders where they are, assesses their readiness stage, and routes them to exactly what they need next. No more guessing. No more falling through the cracks.

2026

Launching

“We’re not just building programs for founders; we’re building infrastructure for the entire ecosystem. When we communicate and have cooperative connections, trust is solid and everyone wins.”

Jenn Callahan, CEO, Amplify

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Amplify in Action

One Introduction
Can Change Everything

This is what Amplify does: we close the gap between a founder and the resource, relationship, or opportunity they need most. These are three examples from this year.

Value Buddy × Investor Network

Ace McGill needed more than coaching—he needed warm connections. Amplify’s team worked directly with investors on his behalf, making introductions that turned conversations into funding. The team helped him organize his pitch deck, prepare for tough investor questions, and develop strategy for closing investors still in due diligence. Those conversations led to active funding and revenue.

Due Gooder × University of Louisville

During early-stage growth, Due Gooder needed local institutional support and community participation. Amplify connected them directly with the University of Louisville—an introduction that helped ground the company in the Louisville, KY ecosystem and open doors for meaningful local collaboration at a pivotal moment.

Barefoot Cleaning × EIR Tim Wolter

Based in Elizabethtown, Barefoot Cleaning connected with Amplify EIR Tim Wolter, who made complex AI tools accessible for a founder with minimal tech experience. The result: a complete website plan, the confidence to market effectively, and a strategic edge. “He has a way of taking complex AI tools and making them accessible. I walked away with the confidence to market my business effectively.”

These are three examples from this year. Behind them are hundreds more conversations, introductions, and moments that define what Amplify is for.

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06 · The Amplify Team

Teamwork Makes
the Dream Work

Amplify is powered by a team of builders, advocates, and experienced entrepreneurs who show up every day for Louisville’s founders.

Co-Founders

Larry Horn

Co-founder & Past CEO/Executive Director

Jenn Callahan

Co-founder & Incoming CEO/Executive Director

Core Team

Cynthia Lee

Director of Community Engagement

Laura Kenning

Director of Operations

Taryn Skees

Social Media Manager

Malia Bowman

Community & Events

Matt Anohkin

Special Projects

Entrepreneurs-in-Residence

Amber Fields

Entrepreneur-in-Residence

Ben Reno-Weber

Entrepreneur-in-Residence

Tim Wolter

Entrepreneur-in-Residence

Board of Directors

Lance Mann

Assurance Director & CFE
Dean Dorton

Board Chair

Tommy Wallace

Market President, Commercial Banking
Old National Bank

Incoming Chair

Vance Vandrake

Patent & Venture Partner
Frost Brown Todd

Jeff Guan

Interim Dean, College of Business
University of Louisville

Kelly Emerine

Principal
Cerity Partners

Derrick Littlejohn

Commercial Banking Leader
PNC Bank

Devon Laney

President & CEO
Gradient

Chris Johnson

Business Owner Solutions VP
Baird

Matthew Griffith

Corporate Innovator
Louisville Water Company

Trevor Pawl

CEO
One Louisville

Julia Regan

CEO & Founder
RxLightning

Camille Zahniser

VP, Group Director, Emerging Brands
Brown-Forman

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07 · Amplify in the News

Our Success
Is Shared

University
of Louisville

Wilson Wyatt Alumni Awards

University of Louisville Alumni Association

Larry Horn Receives 2025 Wilson Wyatt Alumni Ambassador Award

The University of Louisville’s highest alumni honor recognized Larry for his three decades of building entrepreneurial community in Louisville, highlighted at the annual Wilson Wyatt Alumni Awards ceremony in October 2025.

Louisville
Business First

Power 50

Louisville Business First

Larry Horn Named to Louisville Business First Power 50

Louisville Business First recognized Larry Horn among the region’s most influential business and civic leaders for his long-standing impact on the Louisville entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Louisville
Business First

Enterprising Women

Louisville Business First

Jenn Callahan Named to 2025 Enterprising Women Awards

Louisville Business First’s Business Women First program saluted Jenn among 25 exceptional women for their contributions to their organizations and the Louisville business community.

🗞️

Jenn Callahan: Incoming CEO, Amplify Louisville

Louisville Business First reported that Larry Horn is stepping down as Amplify CEO, with Jenn Callahan stepping in as his successor. The March 2026 announcement marks a milestone transition for the organization after more than three decades of leadership under Horn.

🏆

Kentucky Small Business Advocate of the Year: Cynthia Lee-Stewart, Cyn Lee Sales

Cynthia Lee-Stewart of Cyn Lee Sales was honored as Kentucky Small Business Advocate of the Year, recognizing her tireless work championing small business owners and fostering inclusive entrepreneurship across the Commonwealth.

⭐

Ben Reno-Weber: Techstars Workforce Development

Ben Reno-Weber, Amplify EIR, brought his entrepreneurial expertise to the Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator, coaching CEOs and founders as part of Techstars’ national programming.

📚

Tim Wolter: Marquis Who’s Who Honor

Tim Wolter, Amplify EIR and founder of SafetyVue, was honored by Marquis Who’s Who for his expertise in entrepreneurship and his innovative work redefining workplace safety through AI-powered technology.

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08 · Investing in Entrepreneurship

Our Success
Is Shared

Amplify is powered by funders, sponsors, partners, and donors who believe in the potential of every founder in the Greater Louisville and Louisville, KY regions. Thank you.

Grant Providers

Primary Funding Partner

Team Kentucky · Cabinet for Economic Development · Kentucky Innovation

Amplify is Kentucky’s state-funded entrepreneurial support organization for the greater Louisville and Louisville, KY regions, focused on tech-enabled, venture-backable startups.

Delta Dental

JP Morgan Chase

Bank of America

Kentucky Colonels

Old National Bank

Baird

Vision for
2026–2027

Leadership & Organizational Growth

Amplify is entering its most intentional chapter yet. With new leadership in place and a growing core team, we are building the organizational infrastructure to match our ambitions: clearer roles, stronger internal capacity, and the systems needed to support sustainable growth. As we evolve from a startup nonprofit into a long-term ecosystem builder, we are focused on creating an organization that can meet the moment today while remaining resilient for years to come.

Programmatic Priorities & Founder Support

In 2026–27, Amplify will focus on expanding access to the resources and relationships founders need to grow. This includes activating the Amplify Navigator as the region’s go-to resource platform, scaling Innovation Pods to create meaningful connections between startups and potential customers, and strengthening pathways to capital through Amplify Certified. Across every program, our goal is to help founders access opportunities, build momentum, and accelerate their growth.

New Partnerships

Amplify is building new partnerships with universities, economic development authorities, and private-sector anchors across the greater Louisville and Louisville, KY regions. These collaborations will expand the pool of resources available to founders and strengthen the connective tissue between Amplify and the broader ecosystem. Together, we make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Ecosystem Partnerships

Amplify is building stronger partnerships across the entrepreneurial ecosystem, including entrepreneurial support organizations, accelerators, corporations, schools and universities, economic development organizations, and other ecosystem partners throughout the greater Louisville and Louisville, KY regions. These collaborations will expand access to resources, expertise, and opportunities for founders while strengthening the connections that make our region’s innovation economy more effective. When organizations work together with intention, founders benefit from a more connected and supportive path to growth.

New Initiative

Welcome to the Ecosystem

Amplify is launching Welcome to the Ecosystem, a signature event and onboarding experience for founders, service providers, and community partners across the greater Louisville area. Hosted in partnership with local organizations, accelerators, universities, and resource providers, this gathering brings together the people who build, support, and sustain the startup ecosystem under one roof. Whether you’re a first-time founder or a seasoned provider, this is your official welcome to the network. We believe ecosystem health depends on who shows up and who feels welcome, and we intend to make sure that answer is: everyone.

Coming Soon

Amplify Navigator

A community resource for both founders and providers across the greater Louisville and Louisville, KY regions. Amplify Navigator is a personalized digital platform that maps every resource, funding source, mentor, and program available in the ecosystem. It helps founders navigate the landscape, track their progress, and activate connections. And through Welcome to the Ecosystem, it literally welcomes new entrants into the community. Navigator meets people where they are, assesses their readiness stage, and routes them to exactly what they need next. No more guessing. No more falling through the cracks.

Navigate

The Ecosystem

Track

Your Progress

Activate

Connections

Welcome

To The Ecosystem

Launching 2026

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Connect.
Activate.
Amplify.

What’s Inside

A Year of Growth,
Connection & Impact

Measuring
What Matters

Amplify
Impact

Bringing the
Community Together

Expanding Opportunities
for Founders

One Introduction
Can Change Everything

Teamwork Makes
the Dream Work

Our Success
Is Shared

Our Success
Is Shared

Vision for
2026–2027

Let’s Build the
Future Together

Connect. Activate. Amplify.

What’s Inside

A Year of Growth,Connection & Impact

MeasuringWhat Matters

AmplifyImpact

Bringing theCommunity Together

Expanding Opportunitiesfor Founders

One IntroductionCan Change Everything

Teamwork Makesthe Dream Work

Our SuccessIs Shared

Our SuccessIs Shared

Vision for2026–2027

Let’s Build theFuture Together

Connect.
Activate.
Amplify.

A Year of Growth,
Connection & Impact

Measuring
What Matters

Amplify
Impact

Bringing the
Community Together

Expanding Opportunities
for Founders

One Introduction
Can Change Everything

Teamwork Makes
the Dream Work

Our Success
Is Shared

Our Success
Is Shared

Vision for
2026–2027

Let’s Build the
Future Together