The O.H.I.O. Fund Report

Ken Sobel — Co-founder and CEO of Hyperframe.Ken is a repeat founder and engineer whose path into construction followed an earlier startup journey through Y Combinator and an acquisition by Visa. With Hyperframe, he’s taken a first-principles approach to one of the most fundamental components of construction — steel framing — reimagining a process that’s been slow, manual, and largely unchanged for decades, and redesigning it into a snap-together framing system that’s faster, safer, and far more efficient.After years of development and real-world validation, the company has achieved strong product-market fit and is now scaling manufacturing. That journey led Ken and his team to relocate Hyperframe from California to Ohio, where they are building their first large-scale production facility.In our conversation, we discuss:Ken’s path from startup founder to construction entrepreneur Why construction remains slow, manual, and resistant to change The insight behind Hyperframe — redesigning building products themselves What it actually looks like to use Hyperframe on a job site The challenge of scaling a hard tech company Why credibility is everything in construction adoption The decision to move to Ohio — and what it enables This is a conversation about reindustrialization in practice — and what it takes to rebuild physical industries from the ground up.———For more on The O.H.I.O. Fund: check out & subscribe to future content @ www.theohiofund.com———LINKS:linkedin.com/in/ken-sobelhttps://www.hyperframe.com/

Will Zell — Founder and Managing Partner of Vessel, founding CEO and now Executive Chair of AssetWatch, and a leading voice in rethinking how venture capital works across Ohio.Will’s path into technology and venture isn’t conventional. He grew up — and still lives — in Bellefontaine, Ohio. At 17, he ran for city council under the slogan “A Voice for the Future.” He spent time in ministry, built a real estate portfolio during the financial crisis, and ultimately found his way into technology startups — learning firsthand what it means to raise capital in a state that consistently punches below its weight in venture investment. After early startup failures, Will co-founded what became AssetWatch, a predictive maintenance platform serving global manufacturers. The company has since raised more than $100 million in venture capital and scaled into a high-growth industrial technology business employing hundreds.But perhaps more interesting than breaking through Ohio’s capital gap is Will’s effort to redesign it. In 2020, he founded Vessel — a diversified venture platform focused on investing in and building category-defining companies in Middle America. Through Vessel and the Ohio Angel Collective, Will is working to expand access to early-stage capital, grow the top of Ohio’s innovation funnel, and shift the ecosystem from scarcity to abundance.In our conversation, we unpack:The structural capital gap facing Ohio foundersWhat it took to navigate AssetWatch through near-zero runway momentsWhy democratizing venture access mattersHow to build a multi-stage venture platform outside the coastsAnd what it would mean for Ohio to invest in innovation proportionally to the size of its economyThis is a conversation about capital formation, ecosystem design, and the long-term work required to build a venture-backed innovation economy in Ohio.00:00:00 Introduction & Show Disclaimer00:00:58 Will Zell’s Background & Early Influences00:04:26 Path to Entrepreneurship & Community Impact00:11:11 Transition from Curiosity to Entrepreneurship00:13:03 Early Business Ventures & Real Estate00:20:01 Entry into Technology Startups00:22:01First Tech Swings & Lessons Learned00:25:58 The Ohio Capital Gap00:31:08 Breaking Through with AssetWatch00:36:59 AssetWatch Product & Impact00:40:22 Transition to Vessel & Venture Capital Access00:45:34 Vessel’s Mission & Structure00:49:07 Goals for Success & Midwest Venture Landscape00:55:16 Power of Community & Culture Change01:00:25 What's Next: Curiosity and Culture Change01:04:35 Founders, Opportunity, and Encouragement01:06:08 Bellefontaine Highlights & Closing01:08:39 Farewell & Closing Credits———For more on The O.H.I.O. Fund: check out & subscribe to future content @ www.theohiofund.com———LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/willzell/https://www.ohioangelcollective.com/https://buildvessel.com/https://spiltsocial.com/

Chad Delligatti — CEO of InnoSource, the Dublin, Ohio–headquartered workforce solutions company that has quietly grown into a national platform serving Fortune 500 and midsized organizations across the country.Since joining InnoSource in 2000 as one of its earliest employees, Chad has devoted his entire professional career to building the company — helping it evolve from a regional staffing firm into a leading human resources, recruiting, onsite outsourcing, and data solutions partner employing more than 2,000 associates across North America.In our conversation, Chad reflects on his entrepreneurial beginnings — from lawn mowing businesses in Granville to flipping Beanie Babies in college — and the pivotal decision to join a then-fledgling company called InnoSource instead of pursuing a corporate career. That decision shaped the next 25 years of his life.We unpack how the staffing and outsourcing industry has evolved — from classified ads and fax machines, to job boards and Indeed, to today’s AI-driven recruiting workflows — and how InnoSource is entering its next chapter powered by technology.Chad shares how their proprietary AI tools are dramatically accelerating hiring cycles, increasing recruiter efficiency, improving candidate engagement, and raising quality-of-hire — all while maintaining the “human touch” that remains central to InnoSource’s culture and differentiation.At its core, this is a conversation about earned wisdom, resilience through change, and building something durable in Ohio.00:00 [Welcome & Introduction: Chad Delagatti’s Entrepreneurial Journey]01:34 [Core Values & Early Experiences: From Sweeping Floors to Lawn Care]04:14 [Building Loyalty: Lessons from Early Business Ventures]08:42 [Choosing InnoSource: The Entrepreneurial Fork in the Road]13:34 [InnoSource Today: Workforce Solutions & Company Overview]15:56 [AI Transformation: The Pivot to Technology-Driven Recruiting]18:06 [Evolution of Staffing: From Newspaper Ads to AI-Powered Hiring]24:22 [AI’s Impact: Changing the Recruitment Experience & Company Mindset]30:56 [Culture & Consistency: Preserving the Human Touch Amid Change]34:31 [Leadership Lessons: Growth, Delegation & Building a Passionate Team]———For more on The O.H.I.O. Fund: check out & subscribe to future content @ www.theohiofund.com———LINKS:https://innosource.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-delligatti-621bba2/

This episode of The O.H.I.O. Fund Report features Michael and Tory Waxman — the founders of Sundays for Dogs, the Cleveland-based company designed to make dog parents’ lives easy.What began with their own dog, Mabel, and a simple but powerful question — why does feeding dogs well have to be so difficult? — has grown into one of the most exciting consumer companies to emerge from Ohio. Led by loving dog parents Dr. Tory Waxman, a veterinarian, and Michael Waxman, a serial entrepreneur, Sundays pioneered human-grade, air-dried, zero-synthetics dog food designed to be healthier than kibble and easier than refrigerated alternatives.Since our last recorded conversation in 2023, Sundays has scaled dramatically. Having raised more than $55 million in capital and built out a Cleveland-based R&D Test Kitchen — where our conversation today took place — Sundays has grown from a direct-to-consumer upstart into a nationally recognized brand preparing for omni-channel distribution, creating a product that dogs love while positioning themselves at the forefront of the booming pet food market and the emerging ambient fresh movement.In our conversation, Michael and Tory share how they’ve navigated multiple chapters of scaling — including customer acquisition and brand evolution, balancing supply and demand, investing deeply in product innovation, and building a senior leadership team — while staying grounded in the mission that inspired Sundays from the start: making it easier to be an awesome dog parent. They also discuss what excites them most about the future and what comes next for Sundays as the company continues to grow.00:00:00 - "The World's Best Dog Food is Made in Cleveland"00:00:25 - Introduction: Sundays for Dogs00:05:20 - Building an In-House R&D Test Kitchen in Cleveland00:10:06 - Most Dogs Still Eat Kibble (And Why That's Changing)00:15:09 - Marketing Evolution: How Does Sundays for Dogs Stand Out?00:20:18 - New Recipe Launch Preview (From the Test Kitchen!)00:21:33 - Ohio: The Surprising Dog Food Capital of America00:25:36 - Supply Chain Stories & Lessons Learned00:30:39 - When Demand Outpaces Supply: A Good Problem?00:32:59 - Beyond DTC: Omnichannel Distribution Strategy00:38:21 - How AI Will Transform How People Buy Dog Food00:41:34 - Dogs as Family: Where Is Society Headed?00:46:44 - Building Company Culture at Sundays00:52:13 - The Vision: Making Sundays a Household Name00:55:18 - Where to Find Sundays for Dogs———For more on The O.H.I.O. Fund: check out & subscribe to future content @ www.theohiofund.com———LINKS:https://sundaysfordogs.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelewaxmanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/tory-waxman-87781b176/

This episode of The O.H.I.O. Fund Report features Brad DeHays — Founder and CEO of Connect Real Estate and Connect Housing Blocks.Brad’s journey spans from buying small distressed properties while still in college to leading one of the most ambitious housing manufacturing platforms in the country. Through Connect Real Estate, Brad has revitalized some of Ohio’s most overlooked landmarks — transforming abandoned power plants, trolley barns, and historic buildings into vibrant new community anchors.That same entrepreneurial vision inspired him to launch Connect Housing Blocks (CHB), a 630,000-square-foot modular housing facility anchored in Ohio, now one of the largest modular housing factories in the world. Using state-of-the-art equipment and prefabrication methods, CHB produces high-quality apartments from start to finish, eliminating nearly all measuring, cutting, and heavy lifting—the result: faster, more consistent, and more affordable housing production at scale.In our conversation, which took place on site at CHB, Brad shares how he’s navigated multiple chapters of starting and scaling Connect, the founding insight that drove him to take on industrial-scale modular housing, how he engages communities and leverages public–private partnerships, his unique approach to talent and culture, and his vision for solving the housing crisis by massively scaling up production capability.00:00:00 - The Birth of an Innovative Solution00:03:50 - Understanding the Housing Crisis00:08:56 - Reinventing Construction Processes00:14:58 - Scaling Modular Housing Production00:20:54 - Transforming the Construction Timeline00:31:45 - Vision for the Future of Housing00:35:42 - Scaling Modular Construction: A Game Changer00:41:33 - The Future of Modular Housing: Opportunities and Challenges00:46:16 - Design and Aesthetics in Modular Construction00:51:55 - Labor Challenges in the Construction Industry00:55:15 - Cultural Dynamics and Employee Empowerment01:00:04 - Looking Ahead: Growth and Future Prospects———For more on The O.H.I.O. Fund: check out & subscribe to future content @ www.theohiofund.com———

Perry Stancato is the founder and CEO of Signature Sauces and a third-generation operator of the beloved Cleveland institution, Stancato’s Italian Restaurant.This conversation with Perry explores the entrepreneurial journey of someone who grew up in the family restaurant — from standing on a milk crate as a kid making waffles for Sunday brunch to running Stancato’s today while simultaneously building Signature Sauces into a premier national food manufacturing partner.Signature Sauces began in 2005 with a simple idea: to bottle his family’s legendary red sauce after customers kept asking for it. What started as a way to serve Stancato’s loyal patrons quickly evolved into something much larger. Perry discovered that while retail was cutthroat and unforgiving, his passion and true product-market fit lay in foodservice — helping other restaurants scale their “secret sauces.” Today, Signature Sauces has grown into a company that helps make the products that make others famous, serving clients from local Ohio favorites to national brands like Bob Evans, Momofuku, Benihana, Barrio, and many more.Alongside that manufacturing growth, Perry continues to steward Stancato’s — the restaurant that has been a Cleveland staple for decades. He reflects on the delicate balance of honoring a community legacy while making small, thoughtful changes to stay relevant across generations.In our conversation, Perry shares the challenges of taking nearly ten years to get Signature Sauces off the ground, the resilience it took to keep going, the lessons learned from retail versus foodservice, and what he’s most proud of: seeing team members who started as dishwashers grow into leaders, and knowing his work helps thousands of diners enjoy meals every day. We also dive into his Ohio pride, from the region’s food scene to partnerships like the Ohio State Buckeye Tailgate sauces, and his perspective on what it takes to build a legacy business in Cleveland.00:00:00 - The Legacy of Stancatos: A Family Business Journey00:09:03 - From Family Recipes to Signature Sauces00:12:49 - Navigating the Food Industry: Retail vs. Food Service00:17:15 - Scaling Up: The Art and Science of Sauce Production00:20:39 - The Future of Signature Sauces: Expanding Partnerships00:21:55 - The Entrepreneurial Journey Begins00:23:33 - Vision and Growth of Signature Sauces00:26:10 - Lessons from the Restaurant Industry00:29:10 - Balancing Time and Responsibilities00:31:40 - Building a Legacy in Ohio00:34:30 - Innovation and Technology in Food Production00:37:08 - Trends in the Culinary World00:39:44 - Understanding Risk and Success00:42:22 - Navigating Customer Relationships00:45:20 - Insights for Aspiring Food Entrepreneurs00:45:35 - Reflections on the Journey———For more on The O.H.I.O. Fund: check out & subscribe to future content @ www.theohiofund.com———

This O.H.I.O. Fund Report features one of Ohio’s most accomplished commercial real estate leaders, Terry Coyne — Executive Vice Chairman of Newmark and Principal of Terry Coyne Properties.  Over his 25+ year career, Terry has negotiated more than 2,000 transactions totaling over $5 billion in value. In Cleveland alone, over the last five years, he and his team have brokered 250 transactions worth more than $1.2 billion.  In our conversation, Terry shares his unique philosophy on real estate, risk, and patience — insights that have led him to opportunities ranging from representing companies like GOJO and L’Oréal, to redeveloping the old Chrysler Plant, to building the Cleveland MidTown Tech Park, to now leading the 670+ acre Rickenbacker site adjacent to Anduril’s Arsenal 1 Hyperscale Manufacturing Facility.  We also break down Terry’s perspective on Ohio’s regional markets, lessons from his father, the intersection of real estate and entrepreneurship, and his views on the future of the state’s economy — from data centers and energy policy to the cultural ambition needed for Ohio to keep rising. 00:00 - Introduction to Terry Coyne and His Career00:24:45 - Exploring Ohio's Unique Markets00:29:35 - Land vs. Real Estate: Understanding Value00:36:12 - The Future of Work: Remote vs. In-Office00:41:55 - Taxation and Its Impact on Real Estate00:48:44 - Hidden Gem———For more on The O.H.I.O. Fund: check out & subscribe to future content @ www.theohiofund.com———

On this special episode of The O.H.I.O. Fund Report, I’m joined—for the first time—by the two co-founders of The O.H.I.O. Fund, Mark Kvamme and Ray Leach, as well as the fund’s two founding partners, Jill Meyer and Mike Venerable, to share the inside story of how a bold idea became reality.We explore the inspiration and origins behind a first-of-its-kind strategy designed to generate returns while accelerating prosperity and shaping Ohio’s future. We discuss how, in our first year, we closed on over $230 million in capital from investors and deployed more than $130 million into 19 sector-diverse investments across Ohio’s economy. We also cover what it has taken to build momentum, forge the most powerful network of investors, founders, and operators across the state, and why Ohio’s moment is now—along with the urgency this opportunity demands.I’m Jeffrey Stern — Principal at The O.H.I.O. Fund and host of today’s conversation— and I hope you enjoy this exclusive look behind the scenes at our first year as The O.H.I.O. Fund, our reflections on the journey thus far, and where we go from here!———For more on The O.H.I.O. Fund: check out & subscribe to future content @ www.theohiofund.com———00:00:00 - The Birth of the O.H.I.O Fund00:03:05 - Ohio's Economic Landscape and Historical Context00:06:02 - The Vision Behind the O.H.I.O Fund00:08:56 - Building a Collaborative Network00:12:07 - The Urgency of Now: Why Timing Matters00:14:50 - Capitalizing on Opportunities in Ohio00:18:14 - The Role of AI and Innovation00:21:01 - Success Stories and Impact Investments00:24:04 - Creating a Unified Ohio00:26:46 - The Future of the O.H.I.O Fund00:29:51 - Personal Motivations and Collective Ambition00:34:07 - Reflecting on Progress and Future Aspirations00:39:12 - Surprises and Insights from the O.H.I.O Fund's First Year00:50:03 - Looking Ahead: Opportunities and Growth in Ohio00:54:02 - Embracing Change and Building a New Future

Dale Wollschleger is the Founder and former CEO of Cleveland-based ExactCare Pharmacy and the developer of the ExactPack™—a patient-specific medication packaging system designed to simplify complex medication regimens.This conversation with Jeffrey Stern (Principal at The O.H.I.O. Fund) and Dale dives into the unlikely journey of a pharmacist-turned-entrepreneur who started in the back of a small Cleveland pharmacy and built a billion-dollar organization serving patients across the country.ExactCare’s meteoric growth—from inception to a multi-hundred-million-dollar (revenue) business in under a decade—has earned it repeated recognition as an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company; Dale himself was named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year.Ultimately, Dale’s remarkable journey stems from an observation he made as a pharmacist: that pharmacists have the opportunity to play a more integral role in clinical care—and that their responsibility doesn’t end when the patient leaves the store. Many patients could live healthier, more independent lives if only they took the right medications at the right times.In our conversation, Dale shares how he navigated the many chapters of scaling a healthcare business: bringing in private equity and outside capital, evolving his leadership, and balancing high-growth expectations with a deep commitment to patient outcomes, company culture, family—and much more.https://www.exactcarepharmacy.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/dale-wollschleger/———For more on The O.H.I.O. Fund: check out & subscribe to future content @ www.theohiofund.com———Chapters00:00 - The Journey of a Pharmacist Turned Entrepreneur 14:34 - Building ExactCare: Addressing Complex Patient Needs 24:18 - The Evolution and Vision of ExactCare 31:07 - Entrepreneurial Spirit in Pharmacy 38:59 - Understanding the Pharmacy Industry 43:24 - Pride in Building in Cleveland———

Remote Vans: Building The Best Adventure Vans in America With Tony Alexander & Daryn HillhouseThe O.H.I.O. Fund Report's second episode features Tony Alexander and Daryn Hillhouse, co-founders of Remote Vans — a Cincinnati-based company redefining the premium adventure van category by blending high-quality craftsmanship with the technology and design required for the modern lifestyle — and Jeffrey Stern, Principal at The O.H.I.O. Fund. Their journey captures a classic entrepreneurial arc—from piecing together their first custom van in a brewery garage at the height of the pandemic to scaling operations at their state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Cincinnati, where Remote Vans is now producing meticulously designed, technologically advanced camper vans at scale, and is also where our conversation took place. Through it, we explore their entrepreneurial lessons, transitioning from custom builds to dealer-focused manufacturing at scale, the commitment to innovation and quality that permeates their brand, the power of community, the nuances of building an automotive company in Ohio and leading in an industry shaped by evolving consumer preferences, and the enduring appeal of adventure. Tony and Daryn give an awesome account and reflection of Remote Vans and provide a compelling example of Ohio’s entrepreneurial spirit, manufacturing might, and the adventure lifestyle.https://remotevans.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-alexander-676785118/https://www.linkedin.com/in/darynhillhouse/———For more on The O.H.I.O. Fund: check out & subscribe to future content @ www.theohiofund.com———Chapters00:00:00 – Remote Vans00:00:58 – Episode Intro & Remote Vans Origin Story00:03:18 – The Classic Startup Journey00:04:48 – How Tony & Daryn Met00:08:07 – Pandemic Pivot to Van Building00:11:43 – Navigating the Entrepreneurial Journey00:14:07 – Evolving the Business Model00:16:28 – Defining the North Star00:18:22 – The Adventure Van Market00:22:10 – Remote Vans’ Brand & Lifestyle00:25:28 – Scaling Craftsmanship00:30:38 – Entrepreneurial Lessons Learned00:34:41 – Future Chapters00:40:30 – Measuring Success00:41:39 – Building Industry in Ohio00:46:51 – Ambitious Manufacturing00:47:10 – Ohio Adventures: Hidden Gems00:48:31 – Closing & How to Connect———

TJ Dembinski, Eagle Electronics: Onshoring America's Critical Technologies The O.H.I.O. Fund Report's first episode features TJ Dembinski, co-founder and CEO of Eagle Electronics — dedicated to on-shoring America’s critical technology supply chain, starting with the IoT and automotive-grade cellular modules — and Jeffrey Stern, Principal at The O.H.I.O. Fund.This conversation traces a fascinating arc — one that begins with the macro and geopolitical forces shaping global commerce and lands in a Northeast Ohio advanced micro-electronic manufacturing floor where Eagle Electronics is domestically building one of the most critical pieces of our digital infrastructure: the cellular module.TJ's story, and the founding of Eagle, is deeply embedded in these broader structural shifts — from the decoupling of U.S. global supply chains to the bipartisan momentum around domestic manufacturing and reindustrialization, to the evolving national security concerns that now govern the production of connected technologies.Before founding Eagle, TJ was a Partner at Drive Capital, where he spent over five years exploring and investing at the frontiers of emerging technologies — from AI to cybersecurity to advanced manufacturing. In our conversation, we explore how his vantage point as an investor informed his transition to becoming a founder, and how Eagle emerged from an intersection of powerful global tailwinds and one very specific customer need.We also talk about the nuances of reshoring, what onshoring looks like in practice, what cellular modules are, and why Ohio — of all places — is emerging as the epicenter of America’s next industrial chapter. From partnerships to cutting-edge automation, from regulatory and security considerations to hard-earned insights about what it actually takes to build something physical at scale — TJ brings an insightful clarity to one of the most exciting, complex, and important entrepreneurial movements underway today and how Eagle Electronics is positioned to lead within it.https://www.linkedin.com/in/tj-dembinski/https://www.eagleelectronics.com/———For more on The O.H.I.O. Fund: check out & subscribe to future content @ www.theohiofund.com———[00:00:00] Eagle Electronics[00:01:17] Introducing TJ Dembinski  [00:02:57] The Macro Trends Shaping Eagle Electronics[00:06:03] Transition from Investing to Entrepreneurship[00:07:54] Eagle's Origin Story  [00:08:51] Advanced Manufacturing and Onshoring  [00:11:23] Political Drivers of Reindustrialization  [00:12:21] Defining Critical Technologies [00:13:42] Why Ohio?[00:16:02] What is Eagle Electronics?  [00:17:00] What is a Cellular Module?  [00:17:46] Setting Up U.S. Manufacturing  [00:18:59] Regulatory Environment[00:21:22] Addressing Real vs. Perceived Risk  [00:23:11] Startup Life Cycle[00:23:47] Eagle's Market Strategy and Vision  [00:26:25] Workforce & Talent for Manufacturing  [00:28:13] Market Timing and Competition  [00:30:01] Learnings as Investor and Founder  [00:32:00] Capital and Funding in Ohio  [00:34:34] Enabling Ohio's Manufacturing Ecosystem  [00:37:15] Building in Hardware vs. Software  [00:41:26] Fostering Nuance and International Collaboration  [00:42:30] Earned Wisdom and Entrepreneurial Journey  ———