How the Ohio Angel Collective Is Fueling Ohio's Startup Ecosystem

For years, ambitious founders believed they had to leave the Midwest to build a venture-backed company. That's changing. In this episode of Marketing Moves, host Ashtyn Morris sits down with Mike Supek, Managing Director of the Ohio Angel Collective, to discuss how Ohio is rapidly becoming one of the country's most exciting startup ecosystems. From his journey as a software engineer and founder to helping launch one of the Midwest's fastest-growing angel investment networks, Mike shares what founders, investors, and business leaders need to know about building companies outside of Silicon Valley and why the Midwest's moment is just getting started. In this episode, you'll learn: → Why Ohio is attracting more startup founders and venture capital than ever before → How the Ohio Angel Collective is making angel investing more accessible for first-time investors → What investors actually look for before writing a check → Why great marketing and storytelling can make or break a fundraising effort → The biggest go-to-market mistakes early-stage founders make → How founders can validate their ideas before spending significant capital → Why authentic networking continues to outperform transactional relationship-building → Mike's vision for making the Midwest one of the country's premier startup ecosystems over the next decade Whether you're a founder raising your first round, an entrepreneur considering angel investing, or a business leader passionate about innovation, this conversation offers an inside look at the people, partnerships, and ideas fueling the next generation of Midwest startups.