Around 2010, a group of Cincinnati-based entrepreneurs came to a realization: Cincinnati as a whole needed a spark to fuel its reformation into a revitalized city. This spark could be ignited by a huge influx of innovative, smaller sized companies bringing newer technology, fresher talent, and groundbreaking ideas to the city. What better way to attract these companies, than establishing an accelerator to help guide them to success? Cincinnati has some of the best and most established branding and marketing talent in the country (with Procter & Gamble and others). So, these entrepreneurs wanted to utilize and work with the established talent around them to help startups grow and succeed, especially with their branding and marketing potential. Thus, The Brandery was born in 2010. As a startup accelerator, The Brandery takes viable startups and provides them with tools and advice to help them grow into a successful company. Since its founding, The Brandery has become one of the most influential accelerators in the region and the country as a whole.
The Brandery helps new startups set themselves apart from others, with $50,000 in seed funding and mentorship from Cincinnati’s well established companies in a 14-16 week boot camp. Each week, there’s a theme which helps sharpen the companies’ skills in several different areas. One week could focus on social media, the next week could be accounting, and other themes could be marketing pitches or branding. The Brandery has an eye for companies which have solid and consistent teams, and shows good prospects of scaling rapid growth. 66 companies have gone through The Brandery’s program, and 31 of those companies are still going strong, which is a solid percentage. Most of these companies are still located in the Cincinnati area.
Though The Brandery’s program focuses on smaller and newer companies, it recognizes the extensive and established branding and marketing talent around Cincinnati, which has 10 Fortune 500 Headquarters, including Procter & Gamble, Kroger, and Macy’s. In addition, the city boasts a strong presence of agencies and market research firms that focus on branding, marketing, advertising and design. Instead of distancing themselves from these companies, The Brandery embraces a mutual relationship with them. So, The Brandery’s companies benefit from all kinds of experience and expertise from the well-established agencies and companies around Cincinnati, and by being exposed to such innovative young companies, these larger companies are shown the tools to innovate and remain relevant in the marketplace. Fellowships with Procter & Gamble, E.W. Scripps Company, and Empower MediaMarketing foster relationships between the newer and the more well-known companies.
The Brandery’s impact on Cincinnati’s development is huge. The company fostered a revolution in Cincinnati’s business community, and its culture as a whole. It helped kick off #StartupCincy, the Cincinnati startup community's rallying cry, and has helped it grow into a nationwide force. It continues to be at the forefront of innovation in Cincinnati, having raised $130 million and created 400 jobs (200 of which are located in Cincinnati). The Brandery attributes its sustained influence to their companies’ success rate, its ability to bring together #StartupCincy and the rest of Cincinnati’s business community, and their ability to continue innovating.
