With more than a dozen new members joining its fellowship, the Pipeline Entrepreneurs network is growing not only its ranks, Melissa Vincent said; the elite founder-focused program is working to ensure the best of Midwest innovation stays in the region.
Melissa Vincent, CEO of Pipeline Entrepreneurs, right, greets Pipeline fellows, Pathfinders and members alongside Theodis Watson, director of business banking at Busey Bank, during an orientation event in January at Busey Bank on the Country Club Plaza; photo by Nicole Bissey Photography
“We have assembled a powerful group of founders, ranging from deep-tech and life sciences in our urban hubs to ag-tech and specialized manufacturing in our rural communities,” said Vincent, CEO of Pipeline. “By bringing together these founders, we aren’t just supporting individual businesses; we are fueling a diverse regional economy.”
Pipeline on Wednesday officially announced its new slate of fellows, marking a year-long journey for entrepreneurs who successfully navigated its competitive selection process.
“The 2026 application cycle showed us that the ‘Founder First’ mission is more relevant than ever,” Vincent said. “We saw a surge in both Digital Health and Ag-Tech applications, but more importantly, we saw founders who are focused on long-term sustainability.”
Pipeline does not take equity in the companies it serves, focusing instead on providing resources, leadership programming, and mentorship for high-performing entrepreneurs. Its network is nearly 250 members strong, spanning Pipeline’s two decades in the region.
“With the support of partners like the Patterson Family Foundation, we are now able to provide these founders, especially those in rural areas, with the network they need to scale without having to leave the Midwest,” Vincent said.
The 2026 Pipeline fellowship cohort includes:
- Isaac Lee Collins, Fifth & Emery Frozen Yogurt and Chocolate (Kansas City, Missouri)
- Gharib Gharibi, Archia (Overland Park, Kansas)
- Tyler W.G. Hamik, docology (Omaha, Nebraska)
- Jason Johanning, VITAL-IT (Omaha, Nebraska)
- Taylor Korensky, StraightEdge Innovations, VisionSync (Omaha, Nebraska)
- Nick Love, Love Lifesciences (Olathe, Kansas)
- Krystal Martin, K&K Co. (Columbia, Missouri)
- Kieri Olmstead, Sova Dating (Kansas City, Missouri)
- Jeremy Paben, Salvo Energy (Leawood, Kansas)
- Guillermo Rivera Gonzalez, CapyBio (St. Louis, Missouri)
- Racquel Rodriguez, El Cafe Cubano (Kansas City, Missouri)
- Jacob Schlittenhardt, Planetary Talent (Wichita, Kansas)
- Kelly Van Ert, Empower Independence Company (Omaha, Nebraska)
- Jenilee Woltman, Mission Accomplished (Hemingford, Nebraska)
2026 Pipeline Fellows; photo by Nicole Bissey Photography
“Our founders are focused on building durable companies while navigating a complex technical landscape,” said Vincent, noting Pipeline is seeing a shift in entrepreneurs actively building capital efficiency and long-term resilience. “Because of this, we’ve pivoted our resources to provide more specialized expertise in AI and automation, while doubling down on our founder wellness.”
“In 2026, we recognize that the health of the business is directly tied to the mental endurance of the founder,” she added.
In addition to the new fellows, Pipeline on Wednesday also revealed its latest Pathfinder members — a sister cohort to the fellowship. Designed for early stage entrepreneurs from underserved Midwest communities (defined for this program as women, minority or rural entrepreneurs), Pathfinder supports founders who are still working a full-time job in addition to having their own startup.
Three 2025 Pathfinders — Racquel Rodriguez, El Cafe Cubano; Kelly Van Ert, Empower Independence Company; and Krystal Martin, K&K Co. — are among those making the jump from the program to the Pipeline Fellowship.
“Their growth over the last year has been exponential, and they are proof that our ‘Founder First Continuum’ works,” said Vincent, noting the pipeline-to-pipeline design of the programs.
Pipeline Fellow Kieri Olmstead, founder of Sova Dating, center, shares a laugh with members Gonzalo Erdozain, Scout, Craig Mason, Myndset, and Mark Josey, Kansas City Pioneers (all graduates of the 2025 Pipeline Fellowship). All four entrepreneurs’ companies have been recognized as Kansas City Startups to Watch by Startland News
Orientation for the new cohorts began in January with its first programming module planned for late February. Pipeline has set June 5 for its popular Innovators Daytime Showcase and Gala.
Entrepreneurs joining the fellowship already are seeing a serious commitment to impact, they said.
“Pipeline is not performative,” said Gharib Gharibi, founder of Archia. “The orientation made clear this is a room where founders can bring the questions they’d never ask their investors or their teams: the strategic bets that keep you up at night, the decisions where the honest answer is ‘I don’t know yet.’ This program seems to optimize for the truth, and that’s where the real leverage is.”
With his company rapidly accelerating along AI agent advancements, Gharibi needs that honesty, he said, especially as it hits pivotal moments.
“We’ve closed enterprise customers, raised a pre-seed, and built a world-class, patent-protected technology in six months — in a market that’s moving increasingly fast,” he said. “Being selected into this cohort at this stage tells me the trajectory is legible from the outside, not just from inside our walls.”
“I expect Pipeline to compress timelines, not through introductions alone, but through pattern recognition from founders who’ve been where I am and can help us avoid the mistakes that kill early-stage companies,” Gharibi said.
Isaac Collins is among the newly tapped fellows whose been there — but understands the entrepreneur struggle isn’t easily surmounted by time alone, he said.
“My selection into the Pipeline program paints a story that even though I have more than 14 years of experience, business is now and will forever be so hard,” said Collins, founder of Fifth & Emery Frozen Yogurt and Chocolate. “Every level of entrepreneurship unlocks a new level of struggle and opportunity, and that’s what we are facing.”
“We have the opportunity to scale, and we just need the perfect program, word of advice, and spark to truly take off,” he continued. “I’m already blown away by the level of expertise and practical teaching. Pipeline does not deal in fluff, and I appreciate that. But best of all, I’ve never experienced a sense of community like this before. Here in KC, we throw that word around like candy, but Pipeline and its members live it.”
“That’s the magic that exists when you gather a group of purpose-driven entrepreneurs,” Collins said. “I’m thankful to Pipeline for creating this space.”
