JumpStart’s Trailblazer Software Accelerator supports pre-seed and seed-stage Ohio-based startups building innovative software solutions to real-world problems. The three-month program is led by JumpStart’s services team and entrepreneurs-in-residence (EIRs), providing founders with hands-on guidance as they refine products, validate markets, and prepare to scale.
Participants receive targeted support across the core areas required for growth, including customer discovery, product strategy, financial modeling, go-to-market execution, and investor readiness. Following the core program, companies also receive non-dilutive, ad-hoc business services through JumpStart’s Preferred Partner Program.
Following a competitive screening and review process, 10 startups were selected for the fourth cohort of the Trailblazer Software Accelerator. From cybersecurity and AI-driven marketplaces to healthcare platforms and next-generation event technology, this cohort reflects the breadth and strength of Ohio’s growing software ecosystem.
We’re excited to introduce the founders and companies that make up Cohort 4.
AXE.AI | Brett Ewing
AXE.AI is a unified, AI-driven offensive security platform built by hackers for hackers. The platform learns from every command and action to contextualize findings in real time, automate reporting, and allow penetration testers to focus on analysis instead of manual data work.
Beacon | Rob Reznick
Beacon is a referral infrastructure platform that automates business development, recruiting, and payments by turning trusted relationships into measurable, revenue-generating referrals. With CRM integration and automated financial tracking, Beacon operationalizes introductions at scale—serving as the Stripe and HubSpot for referral-driven growth.
Dressit | Becca Wenning
Dressit is an industry-built platform that transforms emotional bridal search behavior into actionable demand insights. By converting Pinterest-style searches into data, Dressit connects designers with boutiques through intelligent matching, helping brands grow distribution, improve sell-through, and replace guesswork with qualified leads.
Equipment Dudes | Nick Pfenning
Equipment Dudes is a SaaS-enabled marketplace for used heavy equipment and trucks, combining automation with expert sales support. The platform gives sellers control and buyers verified listings, transparent communication, and a streamlined transaction experience, bringing a Carvana-style model to heavy equipment.
FibrX | Kamel Greene
FibrX is an AI-powered structural and corrosion monitoring platform that uses fiber-optic sensors and digital twin analytics to detect issues in real time. Operating under a partially exclusive U.S. Navy license, the platform enables predictive maintenance to prevent failures and extend asset life.
Hey Nouri | Anna Trepekli
Hey Nouri is the first virtual clinic designed to scale pediatric obesity care. The platform combines medical care, weekly coaching, and a daily AI-powered companion app (covered by insurance) to provide holistic, child-focused treatment that helps prevent lifelong health impacts.
ONAÏ Fertility | Keri Carmen
ONAÏ Fertility is an AI-powered Fertility Copilot that transforms medical data, lifestyle signals, and expert insights into personalized fertility roadmaps. Designed to learn with every cycle, the platform helps women navigate costly IVF journeys with greater clarity, confidence, and data-driven guidance.
Plus.Fan | Steve Paris
Plus.Fan is a turnkey SaaS platform and AI-driven playbook that helps lower-division sports teams optimize, distribute, and monetize digital content. Designed for teams outside elite leagues, the platform removes staffing and technical barriers through a no-cost, revenue-share model.
VITALS | Anthony Hughes
VITALS is a next-generation self-discovery and decision-support platform powered by clinical psychology and large language models. The platform helps people better understand themselves and make more informed choices about work, relationships, learning, and life.
ZED Digital | Sumithra Jagannath
ZED Digital is a cloud-based AI ticketing platform that enables truly hands-free venue entry. By unifying access control, fare collection, and retail payments through voice purchasing and IoT validation, ZED allows guests to walk in with phones in their pockets.
These founders will showcase their companies at the Trailblazer Software Accelerator Startup Showcase on March 19 at the MidTown Collaboration Center, where they’ll pitch their businesses to investors, partners, and the broader entrepreneurial community. Join us to see what Ohio’s next generation of software startups is building.
