Venture Capital

Needs a Revolution

EmberGrow

We empower

Join us

backs the

those who

in leading

founders

refuse to

the revolution

others

be defined

in venture

ignore

by convention

capital

The

By providing

Let's fuel

undergdogs,

visionary

audacious

scrappers,

founders

entrepreneurs

and aspiring

with strategic

with the

entrepreneurs

support,

resources

without

guidance,

they need

pedigrees

and funding

to thrive

VC 4PRofit Podcast

EmberGrow Academy

OUR PORTFOLIO

Ignite

Fuel

Forge

Your

and

Ideas

Create

Grow

Let's Start
the Fire‍

EmberGrow backs the founders others ignore – the underdogs, the scrappers, the aspiring entrepreneurs without pedigrees.

As startup founders, educators, advisors, and business executives, we provide hands-on support, expertise, and strategic funding to ensure the success of our portfolio companies.

Why Focus on Scrappy,
Socially Conscious Startups?

Because sometimes the right thing to do,
is also the smart thing to do.

Socially responsible tech startups outperform
traditional startups by 20% in revenue growth.

The overlooked entrepreneur market represents
a $1T+ untapped opportunity for investors.

***''A mighty flame follows a tiny spark.''”* – *Dante Alighieri***

Identifying and Selecting Founders

Building and Funding

Scaling and Exiting

🎙️ VC 4 Profit Podcast Hosted by Dr. JT Kostman, revealing the strategies, secrets, and hard truths behind venture capital and high-growth businesses.

🔥EmberGrow Academy
Access expert mentorship, exclusive resources,
and a powerful network to build, scale, and turn your vision into results.

💰 Get FundingSelect ventures will receive
funding to ignite their startup!

💼 Partner with EmberGrow
Gain expert guidance and the network
you need to scale your startup.

Our Approach

Identifying and Selecting Founders:

We use an empirical approach to discover promising, hungry, and talented entrepreneurs. Our partnerships with Alchemist Accelerator, CUNY Startups, and extensive industry connections allow us to identify high-potential founders often overlooked by traditional VCs.

Identifying exceptional founders through data.

Leveraging top accelerators and industry networks.

Uncovering high-potential talent beyond traditional VC.

Building and Funding:

We provide initial funding, strategic guidance, and operational support. Our in-house team assists with product development, go-to-market strategy, business planning, and operations.

Providing capital, strategy, and hands-on support.

Guiding product, market entry, and business growth.

Empowering founders with deep operational expertise.

‍Scaling and Exit Strategy:

We help startups secure funding rounds, attract key customers, and drive growth. Our portfolio companies are positioned for successful exits through M&A, IPO, or secondary markets.

Driving growth through funding and strategic partnerships.

Positioning startups for high-value acquisitions and IPOs.

Unlocking pathways to successful market exits.

Stay fresh Take action. Do unique, fun things.

We’ll admit: we’re not over-thinkers. We believe in action. We want to make things. Fast. We’re always about innovation.

Try new things

Even if that means failing a bit

Get to execution faster

Keep your feet on the ground Be confident, but down-to-earth.

As our lord and saviour Kendrick Lamar says, sit down, be humble. We don’t want to be another Valley tech bro (no offense). We want to remember our roots.

Being an active listener

Constantly learning

Adapting to all social groups and situations

Our Team

Martin O'Malley

Board Advisor

Former Maryland Governor, Baltimore Mayor, and 2023 Social Security Commissioner, he is a political leader known for data-driven governance, criminal justice reform, education investment, ethical integrity, and economic revitalization.

Thomas Seigart

Board Advisor

CFO of IEEE since 2010, he leads global finance and business strategy, leveraging decades of experience across the pharmaceutical, advertising, and financial sectors, with expertise in corporate governance, auditing, and financial operations.

Dr. JT Kostman

Managing Partner

A leading AI and data science expert, psychologist, and mathematician, he has served as Chief Data Officer at Time Inc., Chief Data Scientist at Samsung, and advised Fortune 500 companies, U.S. intelligence agencies, and international organizations.

Stephen Hart

Board Advisor

The former Vice President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, he brings decades of expertise in human capital strategy and leadership development. Co-founder of the Agile HR Consortium, he has taught at the University of Pennsylvania and La Salle.

Jake Ryan West

Board Advisor

With a journalism background honed through AP-award-winning reporting, he has excelled in sales and marketing, scaling startups, securing multimillion-dollar deals, and driving international expansion, he finds success in places others won't dare to venture.

EmberGrow Academy

A high-intensity program designed to ignite rapid growth for businesses ready to scale. Built on EmberGrow’s proven methodology, the Inferno Accelerator delivers a structured, high-impact experience, combining elite coaching, strategic execution, and cutting-edge insights. Participants gain direct access to industry leaders, exclusive resources, and a results-driven framework that transforms vision into action.

Enrollment for the
Summer 2025 Cohort
is Nearing Capacity

Apply Now

Building

Unicorns

Check out the

companies in

our portfolio

EmberGrow is dedicated to building high-growth companies focused on creating world-changing technologies. Early successes include CodeLock – honored by TechCrunch as one of Top 200 Startups Globally.

selected businesses