Community Foundation of Louisville announces 2026 Vogt Invention & Innovation Awards cohort

Credit: Abdul Sharif Photography

Back row (left to right):  Zach Fowler with Imprint Bio, Ram Bastola with One Care Portal, Dustin Lyons and Amanda Lyons with Conductly, Nimish Mathur with Rebar AI

Front row (left to right): Tim Filiatreau, Joe Crepps, and Gerhardus Olde Loohuis with Nüks Nootropics; Megan Hale with DreamMoney

Not pictured: Joseph Chen, PhD, with ImprintBio and Sandeep Mathur with RebarAI

The Community Foundation of Louisville is proud to announce that the 2026 Vogt Invention and Innovation Awards recipients have been selected. Six early-stage businesses were chosen from a highly dynamic and competitive applicant pool. These six businesses will receive non-dilutive grant funding of $25,000 and will participate in a 10-week accelerator program, where they will receive coaching, mentorship, strategic introductions, and other valuable resources to grow their new businesses. They may also qualify for $25,000 in additional funding from Keyhorse Capital. 

Introducing the 2026 Vogt Invention and Innovation Awards Cohort  

• Conductly – An all-in-one operating system for music and performing arts schools that replaces disconnected tools and manual work with one modern platform for managing enrollment, scheduling, billing, communications, and reporting to help schools run more efficiently and grow. Founders are Amanda Lyons and Dustin Lyons. 
•  DreamMoney – A financial operating system for solo founders, providing the visibility, infrastructure, and insights they need to understand their numbers, make smarter decisions, and grow a profitable, sustainable business. Founder is Megan Hale. 
•  ImprintBio – A breakthrough biosensing technology that continuously monitors insulin in real time, enabling earlier detection of metabolic disease and insights beyond what glucose monitoring alone can provide. Founders are Joseph Chen, PhD, and Zach Fowler. 
• Nüks Nootropics – A producer of nicotine-free nootropic pouches that deliver clean, steady energy and focus, built for high-performance customers like enlisted military personnel who need to stay sharp without the crash or dependency of traditional energy products. Founders are Joe Crepps, Tim Filiatreau, and Gerhardus Olde Loohuis. 
• One Care Portal – An AI-powered operations platform that helps Medicaid waiver and community-based care providers streamline documentation, automate billing, and stay audit-ready, all in one secure system. Founder is Ram Bastola. 
• RebarAI – A company automating reinforced-concrete rebar detailing end-to-end with AI, turning engineering plans into accurate 3D models, fabrication bar lists, and field placement drawings in a fraction of the time. Founders are Nimish Mathur and Sandeep Mathur. 

The goal of the Vogt Awards is to assist early-stage entrepreneurs in developing their innovative products and ideas into viable and successful enterprises that will bring economic prosperity and job growth opportunities to the Greater Louisville region. The Vogt Awards program offers them an opportunity to elevate their businesses. 

The program is funded by the Vogt Invention and Innovation Fund at the Community Foundation of Louisville, an endowment established in 1999 by businessman and philanthropist Henry Vogt Heuser, Sr. The Fund strengthens Louisville’s economic health by supporting innovative businesses and inspiring entrepreneurship. The Fund has issued 120 grants totaling more than $4.4 million, with 43% of those funds going to women or founders of color. Past recipients have gone on to secure an additional $252 million in follow-on investment.  

This unique program provides innumerable benefits beyond what traditional accelerators offer. This includes startup coaching from some of Louisville’s most experienced advisors, mentor matching between later-stage entrepreneurs and investors, high-caliber networking with Louisville’s startup community, investor pitch preparation, and opportunities for strategic introductions.   

“We are so excited to congratulate the founders of the six businesses selected for the 2026 Vogt Invention and Innovation Awards. This year’s cohort represents a wide range of tech-enabled industries that touch our daily lives, including finance, healthcare, consumer products, construction and the performing arts. The Community Foundation is honored to continue the legacy of Henry Heuser, Sr., and the impact his generosity has had on our community for 26 years through the Vogt Awards,” said Chelsea VanHook, Executive Director of Impact Investing at the Community Foundation of Louisville. 

Meet the Selection Committee  

Back row (left to right):  Jack Manzella, Nate Royal, Eric Steele, Steven Plappert, Kela Ivonye, and Chris Weidmar 

Middle row (L-R):  Natalia Bishop; David Lopez; Kayla Meisner; Julia Regan; Greg Langdon; Susan Olsen, PhD; Michael Boone; and Izzy Sanchez 

Front row (left to right):  Tendai Charasika, Dawn Yankeelov, Grace Simrall, Cynthia Brown, and Zeeshan Bhatti 

Grace Simrall, Senior Director of Market Development at Lumos Fiber, is this year’s Vogt Invention and Innovation Awards program selection committee chair. Simrall has championed entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses throughout her career, helping new entrepreneurs and founders succeed. She leads an impressive committee comprised of leading area entrepreneurs, investors, businesspeople, and past Vogt Award recipients. 

2026 Selection Committee 

*Past Vogt Invention and Innovation Awards recipient  

“Serving as Selection Chair for the Vogt Awards is both an honor and an exciting opportunity to help shine a light on entrepreneurs who are building Louisville’s future. The selection process has given me an even greater appreciation for the creativity, resilience, and ambition of our early-stage businesses. The caliber of this new cohort is truly inspiring,” said Grace Simrall, Selection Committee Chair of the Vogt Invention and Innovation Awards.    

“I’m excited to see how these entrepreneurs take the support, connections, and recognition that the Vogt Awards provides and turn them into a lasting impact. Programs like Vogt are so important because when we invest in promising young businesses, we’re not only supporting individual entrepreneurs—we’re helping create jobs, strengthen our innovation ecosystem, and build a more dynamic local economy. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside the selection committee and look forward to championing this exceptional group throughout the year,” said Simrall. 

Program Culminates with Demo Day  

The Vogt Awards program will culminate with the much-anticipated Demo Day on Tuesday, November 17, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Kentucky Derby Museum. The founders of each early-stage business will present their ideas and share the ways their businesses are impacting the local, regional, and national business community.   

Demo Day is free and open to the public; however, space is limited. To register for Demo Day and learn more about this year’s cohort, visit www.vogtawards.com   

About the Vogt Invention and Innovation Awards   

The Community Foundation of Louisville’s Vogt Awards is one of the longest-standing business accelerators of its kind in the Kentuckiana region. Funded by the Vogt Invention & Innovation Fund at the Community Foundation of Louisville, the program is made possible by an endowment left by Henry Vogt Heuser, Sr. in 1999. The awards program is unique because it allows founders to retain full ownership of their business while leveraging funding and education, receiving mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs, and obtaining access to an extensive network of support. The fund’s mission is to help entrepreneurs, inventors, and visionaries commercialize their ideas, products, and projects and develop them into viable and successful businesses. The Vogt Awards program supports economic growth, diversification, stability, and employment for the Greater Louisville region.