Kickstart Midwest 2026

Three days in Columbus to meet fellow founders, tackle real business challenges, and build a community you can keep turning to. October 22–24 in Columbus, Ohio. Meet fellow founders, work on your business, and help each other move forward. Building a company gets easier when you have people to call. Come meet them. And be that person for someone else. Following last year’s Kickstart Ohio with Steve Wozniak, our annual gathering brings entrepreneurs and creatives together from across Ohio and the Midwest. Work through real challenges in practical, interactive sessions on testing ideas, building teams, and finding customers. This year also brings the Startup World Cup Ohio Regional. Come support the founders taking the stage and find people you’ll keep building alongside. Get your ticket. Bring a challenge. Share what you know. Agenda • Thursday, October 22 | Sessions & workshops The Loom, Columbus Fashion Alliance. Work through real business challenges and learn alongside fellow founders. • Friday, October 23 | Sessions & workshops The Loom, Columbus Fashion Alliance. More hands-on learning, practical founder stories, and connections across the startup and creative communities. • Saturday, October 24 | Startup World Cup Ohio Regional, keynote & showcase CCAD’s Canzani Center. Startup pitches, a keynote presentation, and a startup showcase. Meet the founders and see what they’re building.