Campuses are full of founders who never share a room. Same inputs every time: demos, founder-to-founder connection, and mentorship. Columbus is next.
The next fair is at The Loom in Columbus’s Discovery District. Same inputs as Miami, new campus.
Demos, founder-to-founder connection, and 1:1 mentorship. You apply so the room stays full of people who are building or backing.
Luminary / Library Area. Check-in, lanyards, breakfast and drinks.
Third Floor. Optional, self-directed stations: headshot booth, sponsor tables, and a craft/activity table (such as make-a-bag with patches).
Luminary/Library. Student lunch; mentors begin arriving and checking in during this window.
Main Event Space (Silo). Zach and one additional team member welcome attendees, thank sponsors, explain the event flow, and preview the student demos.
Main Event Space (Silo). Structured mentoring rotations between students and mentors.
Six featured demos across two approximately 25-minute sessions. Participants will be pre-selected through a questionnaire.
Main Event Space (Silo). Featured speaker session; final format and speaker TBD.
The first Founders Fair. A full day at College@Elm for student founders, mentors, and people backing the work.
Hosted at Lee & Rosemary Fisher College@Elm. Student founders from 22 universities spent one day on demos, mentorship, and conversations you don’t get in a lecture hall.
Founders come back as peers, mentors, and connectors. Dinner Series is how that starts between fairs. Vol. 1 at The Acres Cincinnati, June 18, 2026.
Student founders who are already building: a live product, a service, a pilot, early customers, or clear momentum. You apply so the room stays full of people doing the work.
We’re not chasing headcount. The day is built around demos, founder-to-founder connection, and mentorship that continues after you leave.
Yes. We draw students from across Ohio and the broader Midwest. Apply from wherever you’re building.
Applications and tickets run through Posh. Pricing lives on the event page when you apply.
Mentors: email hello@foundersfair.com. Sponsors: see packages on the Sponsors page, or email the same address.
The Loom, 161 N. Grant Ave in Columbus’s Discovery District. The Columbus Fashion Alliance’s innovation hub.
Founders Fair launched Friday, April 10, 2026 at Lee & Rosemary Fisher College@Elm in Oxford. A Miami class planned the day: student engagement, founder demos, a panel, speed mentoring, and a happy hour. 200+ attendees, 100+ student founders, 70+ mentors, 22 universities represented.
