YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Youngstown Business Incubator leaned into its quirky side earlier this month, kicking off its 2025 Shark Tank fundraiser with a “Big Lebowski”-themed launch party at Westside Bowl. And, yes, there were bathrobes. And White Russians. And even a rug or two to tie the room together.
Part costume party, part networking event, part entrepreneurial pep rally, the gathering marked the official start of YBI’s annual pitch competition, where local startups compete for funding from a panel of area business leaders. The sharks were introduced to the crowd amid applause, movie quotes and more than a few “Dudes.”
“We really do go to every effort to make these fresh and fun every year,” said Barb Ewing, YBI CEO. “We are so grateful to you for coming out. We’re grateful to Westside Bowl for entertaining us. It’s going to be a great year, a great event.”
The 2025 panel includes five sharks, four of whom attended the June 4 event. Each is participating in Shark Tank for the first time, with the exception of Don Thomas, managing partner at Platz Realty, who returned after a surprise appearance at last year’s event. Thomas became a shark after winning a fundraising auction in 2024.
Joining him this year are Rob Komara, co-owner of Komara Jewelers; Wayne Mackey, founder and CEO of Statespace; RT Vernal of RT Vernal Paving and Excavating; and Amy Abruzere, owner of Grey Boutique, who was unable to attend the launch but will join the panel in October.
With four of this year’s sharks in attendance – and two dressed as Jeff Lebowski himself (not Jeffrey Lebowski the millionaire, the other Jeffrey Lebowski) – the night blurred the lines between bowling alley cosplay and business development. Komara and Vernal both showed up in full “Dude” attire. Komara walked away with the costume contest co-crown, sharing the win with Greg Strollo of Strollo Architects, whose shirt was screen-accurate enough to impress the judges.
“My dad always instilled through us to be a philanthropist, and we wouldn’t be where we are without the community,” Komara said. “So this is an amazing way to give back to the community, and I am honored to be a shark. And sorry about my outfit, but they told me to be The Dude, not Mr. Komara.”
The main event will take place Oct. 23 at Mr. Anthony’s Banquet Center in Boardman. Entrepreneurs will pitch their ideas to the sharks, competing for a grand prize of $10,000 from title sponsor Medical Mutual.
“The twist for this year is that each of the four companies … will receive $5,000,” Ewing said. “If you make it to the stage, you’re going to walk away with $5,000. We want to make sure we’re supporting everybody who pitches.”
Mackey admitted that while he’s more familiar with neuroscience and video games than nihilists and bowling tournaments, he was grateful for the opportunity to give back.
“It was important for us to kind of come back home … and bring that back here to where we grew up, and back to Youngstown,” he said. “I can pay forward all the nice things that were given to me … and the criticisms. There will be criticism at this event, I promise.”
Thomas, the only returning shark, shared how he came to be part of the panel last year and expressed pride in the region’s entrepreneurial momentum.
“We’re excited about the incubator,” he said. “It’s something everybody in our community should be shouting from the highest mountaintop. It’s something to be so proud of.”
Vernal, meanwhile, was equal parts Dude and businessman. “I’ve watched [Shark Tank] from the stands numerous times, and it always impressed me with the pitches and their passion,” he said. “Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, the first thing you realize is how many hats you have to wear on a day-to-day basis. … As soon as I was asked, the first thing I thought about is, what is my walk-up song going to be?”
Of course, no “Big Lebowski”-themed event would be complete without a nod to its cinematic roots. Between White Russians at the bar and the hum of vintage bowling lanes in the background, it was clear that YBI wasn’t just “abiding” – it was thriving.
Ewing, who emceed the evening and rattled off a long list of sponsors, announced that YBI had already raised $98,500. The event’s fundraising goal this year isn’t just a dollar figure, but a broader goal of securing support from 70 organizations. As of the launch, 21 had signed on, including six first-time sponsors.
“I am blessed with the people that I have around me,” Ewing said. “And to everybody who showed up in costume – really, never did I think anybody was going to show up in costume. So I am very, very grateful to have been proven wrong.”
In addition to introducing the sharks and revealing new contest details, the night also highlighted success stories from last year’s winners, who credited YBI with helping them grow, trademark their products and secure additional accelerator funding.
Before closing out the event, Ewing issued a final call to action: “The one thing you can do to help us as we continue to grow this event is to tell your friends, your family, to either come to the event or, better still, to apply to pitch.”
Pictured at top: Wayne Mackey, RT Vernal, Rob Komara and Don Thomas are introduced as this year’s “sharks” during the Youngstown Business Incubator’s Shark Tank launch party at Westside Bowl.