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What We're Thinking

NOLA MIMS

FROM THE START: A chat with the founder of Act Up Nola Mims, founder of Act Up & Mims Ceramics. Ascender’s FROM THE START series continues with our 2022–2023 Incubator! Too often, we learn from other founders only after they’ve “already made it,” but there’s a… Read more »

MARSHALL CONOVER & JON BLANTON

FROM THE START: A chat with the co-founders of Subless Marshall Conover and Jon Blanton, co-founders of Subless. Ascender’s FROM THE START series continues with our 2022–2023 Incubator! Too often, we learn from other founders only after they’ve “already made it,” but there’s a lot to gain… Read more »

Farm to Flame Energy Inks $4.4M Purchase Agreement

Ascender Incubator Alumni Success Story Kwaku Jyamfi (KJ), Farm to Flame Energy’s CEO & Co-Founder, and a rendering of the startup’s smokeless and odorless electrical generator. Pittsburgh-based renewable energy startup and Incubator alumni company Farm to Flame Energy recently announced a $4.4 million combined heat and… Read more »

BRIAN BOCCARDI & ROB SANTORO

FROM THE START: A chat with the co-founders of Dization Brian Boccardi and Rob Santoro, co-founders Dization. Ascender’s FROM THE START series continues with our 2022–2023 Incubator! Too often, we learn from other founders only after they’ve “already made it,” but there’s a lot to gain… Read more »

ANNA LI

FROM THE START: A chat with the founder of Korion Health Anna Li, founder of Korion Health. Ascender’s FROM THE START series continues with our 2022–2023 Incubator! Too often, we learn from other founders only after they’ve “already made it,” but there’s a lot to gain from… Read more »

LASHESIA HOLLIDAY

FROM THE START: A chat with the founder of Naptural Beauty Supply LaShesia Narae Holliday, founder of Naptural Beauty Supply. Ascender’s FROM THE START series continues with our 2022–2023 Incubator! Too often, we learn from other founders only after they’ve “already made it,” but there’s a lot… Read more »

ARMIN SAMII

FROM THE START: A chat with the founder of Dashcam for your Bike Armin Samii, founder of Dashcam for your Bike. Ascender’s FROM THE START series continues with our 2022–2023 Incubator! Too often, we learn from other founders only after they’ve “already made it,” but there’s a… Read more »

Networking Tips for Entrepreneurs

What To Do Before, During, & After A Networking Event Networking is crucial to any entrepreneur’s success, but there are no boxes to check off or steps to take that end with a successful networking gold star. How you choose to go about networking is… Read more »

Ascender At 10

Looking Back and Looking Forward Depending on how you look at it, a ten-year anniversary is both a huge milestone and a reminder of the work still to come. As Ascender celebrates ten years of incubation, mentoring, coworking, and collaboration with Pittsburgh’s entrepreneurs, our team and stakeholders… Read more »

Ascender’s 2022–2023 Incubator Cohort

Meet the new founders: Back in person and ready to grow Ascender’s 2022–2023 Incubation cohort. After successfully graduating last year’s Incubator cohort that collectively raised more than $1.8M in revenue and investment, we’re excited to announce the 10 Pittsburgh-based startups joining the 2022–2023 Ascender Incubator. “Our… Read more »

Turning Hard Work & Grit Into Measurable Wins

Ascender’s 2021–2022 Incubator At Ascender, we value hard work and the creation of promising companies that make a meaningful impact on our region’s economy and entrepreneurial ecosystem. Raising more than $1.8M in investments and revenue, our 2021–2022 Incubator cohort of nine Pittsburgh-based early-stage companies exceeded… Read more »

ALEXIS LENAE

FROM THE START: A chat with the founder of IMIHI Alexis Lenae, founder of IMIHI. Too often, we learn from other founders only after they’ve “already made it,” but there’s a lot to gain from their journeys as early-stage entrepreneurs. FROM THE START is an interview series… Read more »