CLEVELAND, Ohio – Companies supported by JumpStart Inc. and its Entrepreneurial Services Provider partners, including YBI, Brite Energy Innovators and Mercy Health, generated an estimated $1.9 billion in economic activity across Ohio in 2025, according to a report released by the nonprofit organization.
The 2025 Economic & Fiscal Impact Report found that businesses supported by JumpStart and its ESP partners increased their economic impact by 11% in 2025 compared with 2024.
“JumpStart was founded in 2004 by a region that came together to close a critical gap in support for entrepreneurs and create greater opportunity,” said Lorne Novick, CEO of JumpStart. “The impact we’re reporting today is what that collective commitment looks like when it compounds over time. Entrepreneurs are putting everything on the line to build something that didn’t exist before. Our job is to ensure Ohio is a place where that courage is rewarded.”
Tech startups supported by JumpStart and its ESP partners generated an estimated $1.8 billion in economic activity in 2025, up 9 percent over 2024, according to the report. These companies also supported 9,236 jobs across the state.
In addition to YBI, Brite and Mercy Health, JumpStart’s ESP partners in the northern part of the state include Bounce Innovation Hub; Braintree Business Development Center; Case Western Reserve University; Cleveland Clinic; Cleveland Water Alliance; Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise; Lakeland Community College; The Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network; Northeast Ohio Medical University; Ohio Aerospace Institute, wholly affiliated with Parallax Advanced Research; ProMedica; University of Akron Research Foundation; and the University of Toledo.
For Lydia Floyd, founder and CEO of Rocky River-based InsureScope, that kind of regional continuum of support is part of what makes building in northeastern Ohio possible.
“Dreaming of, building and growing an insurance technology company requires both a talented team and a community committed to supporting entrepreneurship,” Floyd said. “At InsureScope, we are proud that our founding team and technology are rooted in northeast Ohio, and we know the region will remain a key part of our success. We are grateful to JumpStart, YBI and our many Ohio-based mentors, service providers and customers who have said yes and shown us that entrepreneurship can thrive in your hometown.”
Small businesses receiving services directly from JumpStart grew their collective economic output 60 percent in a single year, to $131 million, according to the report. Jobs supported grew 42 percent to 1,564, fueled in part by two new programs that graduated their first cohorts in 2025: CapitalReady, for growth strategy and exit readiness, and ScaleReady, for founders building beyond themselves.
“What stands out is how quickly these owners are moving from early traction to permanence – opening storefronts, hiring teams and reinvesting locally,” said Patty Ajdukiewicz, vice president of small business capital and services. “These aren’t just promising businesses. They have the potential to grow into economic drivers that contribute to the long-term vitality of their communities.”
The full report can be viewed HERE.