ST. LOUIS, MO – Arch Grants, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has awarded $100,000 in non-dilutive
funding to OrgAcuity, a St. Louis-based startup with a mission of making advanced people analytics
accessible to organizations of every size.

“We’re honored to receive this grant,” said Craig Starbuck, CEO of OrgAcuity. “It’s a powerful endorsement of the results we are driving as OrgAcuity becomes the essential engine for workforce intelligence and organizational change in this new era of work. This funding accelerates our roadmap, giving our customers the clarity to lead while their competition navigates blind spots with legacy tools built for the past. The future belongs to organizations that can successfully navigate this period of unprecedented change, and we’re excited to help our customers stay ahead of what’s next.”

Since its launch in 2021, the Growth Grants program has helped Arch Grants’ top-performing portfolio companies secure follow-on capital, expand operations, and deepen their roots in the region. To date, the program has awarded more than $2 million to 23 startups. Eligible companies must be Arch Grants portfolio companies, be headquartered in St. Louis, and be actively raising a round of less than $3.5 million. Growth Grant funding must be matched 2:1 by outside investors and cannot exceed 33% of the
total completed round. Recipients also commit to maintaining and growing their St. Louis operations for at least 2 years as part of the program. Past Growth Grants awardees include COUNSELMEDS, Big Heart Tea, Inclusively, Native Pet, Swipesum, WingXpand, and Printerior.

“We are excited to support OrgAcuity at this pivotal moment,” said Gabe Angieri, Executive Director of Arch Grants. “Since receiving an initial $75,000 grant in 2024 through our annual startup competition, Craig and his team have made significant strides in product development and customer acquisition. We are confident that this funding will help them accelerate their growth in St. Louis, and we will be ready to support them every step of the way.”

About the Awardee

OrgAcuity helps organizations make sense of their culture data. The company’s platform brings together people analytics and employee listening, then turns that data into clear narratives and tailored recommendations delivered straight through the tools managers already use day to day. The team is led by Craig Starbuck, Ph.D., Founder and CEO, alongside Co-Founder and CTO Matt Milunksi.

We are pleased to announce that we’ve awarded $100,000 in a non-dilutive Growth Grant to COUNSELMEDS, a St. Louis–based digital health company improving medication management and reducing hospital readmissions for high-risk Medicare and Medicaid patients.

“We’re excited to support COUNSELMEDS as they scale a model that delivers meaningful clinical and financial impact,” said Gabe Angieri, Executive Director of Arch Grants. “Their pharmacist-led, technology-enabled approach addresses a critical gap in care for vulnerable populations while helping health systems reduce costs. COUNSELMEDS exemplifies the type of innovation we aim to accelerate through our work.”

Launched in 2021, the Growth Grants program helps high-performing Arch Grants’ portfolio companies scale operations, secure follow-on capital, and deepen their regional roots. Since its launch, the program has awarded $2.15 million in non-dilutive funding to 22 startups, supporting founders as they reach critical growth milestones and prepare for their next phase of scale. Funds are awarded competitively and must be matched with additional external growth capital, and selected companies must maintain their headquarters in the St. Louis region for at least two years. Many local standout startups have received Growth Grants, including Big Heart Tea, Inclusively, Native Pet, Swipesum, WingXpand, and TCare.

“This Growth Grant represents a major inflection point for COUNSELMEDS,” said Marcus Howard, Founder and CEO of COUNSELMEDS. “We’ve seen strong demand from health systems seeking effective ways to improve medication adherence and reduce avoidable hospitalizations. Arch Grants’ support will allow us to expand our pharmacist-led services, enhance our AI-powered follow-ups, and reach more patients who need consistent, personalized medication support. We’re proud to continue growing our company in St. Louis.”

About the Awardee

COUNSELMEDS is a digital health company that delivers pharmacist-led telemedicine and AI-powered follow-up care to help Medicare and Medicaid patients better manage complex medication regimens. By combining clinical expertise with technology-enabled outreach, COUNSELMEDS improves adherence, reduces hospital readmissions, and lowers healthcare costs for health systems. The company operates a B2B, service-based model, contracting directly with health systems to support high-risk patient populations. Company leadership includes Marcus Howard, Founder and CEO and Kenneth Powell, Pharm.D. Co-Founder/Chief Pharmacist. 

ST. LOUIS, MO – Arch Grants has awarded $1.6 million in non-dilutive grants to 19 innovative startups and welcomed three new Fellows into its expanding peer leadership network, underscoring the nonprofit’s growing role as a cornerstone of St. Louis’ innovation economy. Selected from hundreds of applicants to Arch Grants’ annual Startup Competition, the 2025 Cohort companies and Fellows collectively reflect the organization’s mission to build a more vibrant and resilient future for the region through entrepreneurship.

Each company will receive $75,000 in non-dilutive grants, and awardees selected from outside Missouri will receive an additional $25,000 in grants to facilitate their relocation to St. Louis – a key requirement of the program. The 2025 Cohort includes companies relocating to Missouri from California, Idaho, Indiana and New York in addition to international transplants from Amsterdam, Netherlands and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“Entrepreneurship is the engine of growth that runs on innovation, community, and shared purpose,” said Gabe Angieri, Executive Director of Arch Grants. “These founders are additive to our momentum building an inclusive, resilient, and forward-looking St. Louis.”

Earlier this week, Arch Grants celebrated the ribbon cutting of its newly expanded headquarters in downtown St. Louis, a collaborative space designed to give Arch Grants founders a dedicated place to work, innovate, and connect with one another and with community partners. The organization also announced the official launch of a new lending program, in partnership with the James S. McDonnell Foundation and St. Louis Community Credit Union, which will expand access to capital for Arch Grants founders from historically marginalized backgrounds and those operating in underserved areas of St. Louis City and North County.

More than 74% of this year’s awarded companies are led or co-led by women, people of color, or immigrants, advancing Arch Grants’ mission to build an entrepreneurial economy representative of the broader St. Louis region.

“Arch Grants continues to show that inclusion and innovation thrive together,” said Zundra Bryant, Board President of Arch Grants. “When visionary entrepreneurs find support, capital, and connection in St. Louis, extraordinary things happen, for their businesses and for our region.”

Since its founding in 2012, Arch Grants has awarded over $20 million in non-dilutive funding. In turn, its portfolio companies have created over 4,000 jobs, paid out over $239 million in local wages, attracted over $870 million in follow-on capital and generated over $1.3 billion in revenue.

While the Startup Competition remains central to Arch Grants’ mission, the organization’s impact now extends far beyond competitive grantmaking. Arch Grants is building a regional innovation infrastructure, connecting entrepreneurs to capital, talent, partners, and new markets. The organization continues to focus its investing in sectors where St. Louis has strengths and established industry clusters.

The Arch Grants Fellows Program, launched in 2023, exemplifies that expanded mission. It brings later-stage founders, including past-funded awardees, into the organization’s resource network, and engages them to serve as mentors, collaborators, and ambassadors for St. Louis’ innovation economy. Together with each new startup cohort, the Fellows form a dynamic continuum of support, from idea to scale, that strengthens the ecosystem’s long-term sustainability.

Unlike traditional venture capital or government-backed programs, Arch Grants is entirely donor-powered, allowing founders to retain full ownership of their companies while gaining access to capital, mentorship, and a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem.

“Philanthropy is the fuel that powers our work,” said Angieri. “Every dollar invested in Arch Grants generates measurable local impact – new jobs, local wages, and a stronger innovation economy for St. Louis. The individuals, foundations, and corporations that donate to Arch Grants make all our work possible.”

Arch Grants will celebrate the 2025 Cohort and Fellows at its annual neXus Gala on Thursday, October 17, at St. Louis Union Station—a night that brings together entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and business champions to spotlight the region’s innovation economy. During the event, Alaina Maciá, CEO of MTM Health, will be honored with the 2025 Entrepreneur Award for her leadership and impact.

Meet the 2025 Arch Grants Cohort, an exciting array of 19 companies whose innovative products and services will generate in-demand jobs and stimulate growth across St. Louis’ key economic sectors:

•Alfa-Ruby provides an unmatched plant protein that performs like animal protein with a significant cost advantage, plus added benefits of high sustainability and no allergenicity. Alfa-Ruby’s flagship RuBisCO Protein Isolate is derived from fresh-harvested alfalfa.
Company Leadership: Chris Pratt, Founder and President
Origin: Aberdeen, ID

•Archetype is a smart platform that simplifies the way designers and developers plan, visualize, and furnish spaces. It replaces slow, fragmented workflows with fast, intelligent curation and procurement.
Company Leadership: Sarah Mirth, Co-Founder and CEO; Dan Mirth, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer
Origin: St. Louis, MO

•BARE Zero Proof Spirits Inc is pioneering the U.S. non-alcoholic spirits category. The award-winning zero-proof spirits are crafted for people who choose to socialize without alcohol—offering full-flavored, authentic cocktail experiences – zero proof.
Company Leadership: James Kempland, Co-Founder and CEO; Sam Newberg, Co-Founder and CTO
Origin: St. Louis, MO

•ChiChi is on a mission to revolutionize breakfast with chickpeas, bringing real protein, fiber and satisfying texture to your morning.
Company Leadership: Chiara Munzi, Co-Founder; Izzy Gorton, Co-Founder
Origin: San Francisco, CA

•Ctrl Shift is building a one-of-a-kind video game where players are humanitarians on and off the screen. As they interact with immersive worlds and complete missions, players generate valuable geospatial insights that support humanitarian partners in the real world.
Company Leadership: Rhiannan Price, Co-Founder; Io Blair, Co-Founder
Origin: St. Louis, MO
Powered by Kemper Geospatial Funding Initiative

•Culture & Co. is the maker of Original Better, the only true 1:1 plant-based butter crafted specifically for professional kitchens. Already loved and trusted by European Michelin-starred chefs, we make butter, but better.
Company Leadership: Louise Huterstein-Olofsson, Founder
Origin: Amsterdam, Netherlands

•Decodable Reads is an AI-enhanced platform that transforms how organizations and schools implement the Science of Reading by generating personalized, skill-targeted reading materials and lesson plans for students building foundational reading skills. We make evidence-based reading instruction more engaging for students and more efficient for busy educators.
Company Leadership: Paul Heinemann, Co-Founder; Joe de Lorimier, Co-Founder
Origin: Indianapolis, IN
#STLOnward Award – Powered by NISA Charitable Fund

•Digitizer AI is revolutionizing the industrial embroidery industry—the same industry responsible for stitching logos onto baseball caps, polos, and countless other items. Behind every embroidered design is a specialized machine file, but creating that file is a manual process that can take days, creating major bottlenecks. Digitizer AI uses artificial intelligence to automate this process, revolutionizing the industry.
Company Leadership: John Pa, Co-Founder
Origin: St. Louis, MO

•Everywhere® is powering enterprise circularity starting in the combined $3T textile and building materials industries. We are transforming textile, plastic and agricultural waste into immediately scalable, cost-competitive, carbon-negative solutions for companies like Rivian, Coach and Chanel.
Company Leadership: Maxwell Citron, Co-Founder and CEO; Irys Kornbluth, Co-Founder and COO
Origin: St. Louis, MO

•GenAssist develops a patented biomaterial that enables the body to regrow functional muscle after it has been damaged or destroyed. The technology turns injuries once thought permanent into recoverable conditions.
Company Leadership: Joe Beggs, Co-Founder and CEO; Gabe Haas, Co-Founder and CTO
Origin: St. Louis, MO

•Jet.Build is a modern development and construction management platform designed to unify developers, contractors, and project teams on a single, intuitive system. By streamlining workflows, communication, data, and project visibility, Jet.Build helps teams deliver projects faster and more efficiently.
Company Leadership: Adam Stark, Founder
Origin: St. Louis, MO
#STLOnward Award – Powered by NISA Charitable Fund

•LÆRO‘s flagship product, Cycleau, offers a compact water reuse system designed to retrofit below sinks and showers to recycle greywater to potable standards, helping property owners save up to 60% on water utilities daily.
Company Leadership: Noemi Florea, Founder and CEO
Origin: Brooklyn, NY

•NanoJump Bio develops portable devices that enable on-site DNA and RNA extraction from any sample. NanoJump Bio’s technology makes genetic analysis faster, easier, and accessible anywhere.
Company Leadership: Julieta Celeste Imperiale, PhD, Founder
Origin: Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina

•nCase Technologies designs discreet, durable, and convenient carrying cases for lifesaving emergency medicines. nCase’s flagship product, NALOX-1, is an innovative keychain case for naloxone (NARCAN) that’s proven to boost carriage rates and overdose-response readiness.
Company Leadership: Matthew Bitner-Glindzicz, Co-Founder; Danielle Wilder, Co-Founder
Origin: St. Louis, MO

•Petabolix uses advanced technology to deliver precise pet food recommendations tailored to each animal’s unique nutritional needs by collecting pet data, generating a personalized nutritional assessment, and analyzing thousands of diets in its industry-leading database to identify the proper options.
Company Leadership: Blake Wayman, Co-Founder and CEO; Sam Spencer, Co-Founder and CTO
Origin: St. Louis, MO

•Remvia is a soft-tissue-based device that treats nocturnal bruxism—nighttime clenching and grinding—by disrupting the cycle that drives it. Unlike traditional guards, Remvia helps reduce the behavior itself through a novel, non-tooth-based design.
Company Leadership: Andrea Morris, DDS, Co-Founder; Nephi Zufelt, Co-Founder
Origin: St. Louis, MO

•Show Me The World Coffee is a mission-driven specialty coffee and tea company where every purchase fuels transformative educational opportunities for youth from under-resourced communities. Through our virtual fundraising platform, retail partnerships, and event presence, Show Me the World Coffee is creating purpose-driven growth one cup at a time.
Company Leadership: Sylvester Chisom, Co-Founder and CEO; Samantha Lurie Carroll, Co-Founder
Origin: St. Louis, MO
Donald M. Suggs Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award Powered by the Ferring Family Foundation (F3)

•The Peer Network is a digital front door to mental health and recovery, a telehealth platform where anyone can connect with a certified peer. The Peer Network reimagines support as simple, human, and stigma-free.
Company Leadership: Kurt Schmidt, Co-Founder and CEO; Steven Peterson, Co-Founder and CTO
Origin: St. Louis, MO

•Zaiko is a customer engagement platform that helps independent restaurants, retailers and service businesses bring in repeat customers and increase their sales through effective outreach programs that actually get customers to respond.
Company Leadership: Franklin Taylor, Co-Founder and CEO; Jason Ti, Co-Founder and CTO
Origin: St. Louis, MO
#STLOnward Award – Powered by NISA Charitable Fund

Arch Grants also welcomed three new companies into its Fellows Program, the peer advisory and leadership support collective founded in 2023 to accelerate ideation, growth, and making connections in St. Louis. Each of these three fast-growing, later-stage companies and their dynamic Founders will join Arch Grants’ portfolio of supported startups.

Meet the newest members of the Arch Grants Fellows Program:

•Dad’s Cookie Co. spreads happiness, one delicious cookie at a time. Dad’s Cookies deliver an excellent value and experience to customers through efficient manufacturing, tech-enabled distribution, and story-driven retailing.
Company leadership: Chad Huber, President and Co-Founder

•Saluna unites a group of experienced agricultural researchers and entrepreneurs who passionately believe that Midwestern growers need more planting choices than they currently have. Saluna is applying modern technology to a legacy crop; their Industrial Hemp applies modern innovation and reliability. Saluna works with farmers for a better ROI for oil seed crops, an improved nutritional profile for the end user, and better soil health.
Company leadership: Matt Plummer, Co-Founder and CEO, Mike Gerau, Co-Founder and CTO

•Trestle is building AI-powered infrastructure for heavy construction procurement, starting with vendor risk management, expanding into full-stack bidding, and contract creation. Trestle helps general contractors and project owners with the best subcontractors and suppliers on every project.
Company leadership: Victor Zhang, CEO

About Arch Grants
Arch Grants is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that catalyzes economic development through innovation and entrepreneurship. Since 2012, Arch Grants-backed startups have generated over $1.3 billion in revenue, raised more than $870 million in follow-on capital, created over 4,000 jobs, and paid more than $239 million in wages in the St. Louis region. By investing in bold founders and their companies, Arch Grants strengthens the St. Louis economy and serves as a national model for inclusive, innovation-led growth.

To learn more, visit archgrants.org and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 15, 2025

ST. LOUIS, Mo – Arch Grants today celebrated more than a decade of catalyzing St. Louis’ entrepreneurial renaissance with the grand opening of its expanded headquarters at 2315 Locust Street and the announcement of a new lending program designed to provide critical growth capital to local startups.

Since its founding in 2012, Arch Grants has awarded over $18.9 million in equity-free grants to more than 270 startups. In turn, Arch Grants-backed companies have generated over $1.2 billion in revenue, attracted $870 million in follow-on capital, and created more than 4,000 jobs, transforming vacant storefronts into thriving businesses and fueling a stronger, more resilient regional economy.

“This is a milestone moment for Arch Grants,” said Gabe Angieri, Executive Director of Arch Grants. “Over the last decade, we’ve evolved far beyond our startup competition roots. Today, Arch Grants is a grassroots economic engine for the region. Our expanded headquarters and this new lending program represent an exciting next step in our holistic approach to catalyzing startup growth.”

Expanded Headquarters: Civic Infrastructure for Startups

Made possible through the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Build to Scale program awarded in 2023, Arch Grants’ expanded headquarters establishes a permanent hub for innovation in St. Louis’ Downtown innovation corridor. The new space increases capacity for founder coworking, programming, events, and cross-sector convenings, serving as civic infrastructure to connect entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders, and community partners.

New Lending Program: Expanding Equitable Access to Capital

Arch Grants also announced the launch of a new lending program, in partnership with the James S. McDonnell Foundation and the St. Louis Community Credit Union (SLCCU). Launching in 2025, the program will expand access to loans for Arch Grants founders from historically marginalized backgrounds or those expanding operations in underserved areas of St. Louis City and North St. Louis County.

Supported by a loan guarantee fund, the initiative blends traditional banking and philanthropic capital, helping founders secure fair financing to grow their companies, retain equity, create jobs, and build lasting community wealth.

“Access to capital remains one of the biggest barriers for entrepreneurs from communities that have historically been excluded from our economy,” said Jason Q. Purnell, President of the James S. McDonnell Foundation. “This partnership with Arch Grants and St. Louis Community Credit Union is about changing that by helping more local founders grow their businesses, create quality jobs, and build wealth right here in St. Louis.”

“As a community-owned financial institution, we believe that collaboration is the key to economic inclusion,” said Kirk D. Mills, President and CEO of St. Louis Community Credit Union. “Working alongside Arch Grants allows us to channel more capital into the hands of local entrepreneurs, helping them grow their businesses, create good jobs, and strengthen the economic fabric of St. Louis.”

What’s Next: A Week of Entrepreneurial Momentum

The expansion of Arch Grants’ headquarters and the launch of the lending program underscore the organization’s deepening commitment to supporting founders and strengthening St. Louis’ startup ecosystem.

This momentum continues throughout the week, including the Innovation Summit on October 16, bringing together dozens of regional investors and corporate partners, and culminating in the neXus Gala on October 17 at Union Station Hotel St. Louis, where Arch Grants will announce its newest cohort of grant recipients and Fellows.

Media Contact:
Heather Brown, Deputy Director, heather.brown@archgrants.org

Whistle’s award-winning technology, deep industry insight, and agile platform are now joining forces with One10’s scale and performance expertise. “By joining forces, we’re combining Whistle’s agile technology with One10’s proven expertise and scale, delivering clients even more powerful ways to drive performance,” said Drew Carter. 

Drew and Chris were instrumental in launching our Arch Grants Fellows Program in 2023. Their leadership and vision helped shape what has become a vital peer advisory network for some of St. Louis’ most promising startups. 

Even better? The Whistle team will continue to grow right here in St. Louis. This is what Arch Grants is all about: supporting exceptional founders who are building scalable companies, driving innovation, and expanding the startup economy in our region. 

Cheers to the next chapter, Whistle team — we’re proud to be part of your story!  

Thank you St. Louis Business Journal for the positive news coverage of Whistle’s acquisition.

Congratulations to all finalists and winners! Read more about each company in the St. Louis Business Journal (subscription may be required).

We are pleased to announce that we’ve awarded $200,000 in non-dilutive Growth Grants to two St. Louis-based portfolio companies: Aegis Digital Health and Buck Surgical, each receiving $100,000 to advance to their next stage of growth.

“We’re thrilled to support Aegis and Buck Surgical through Growth Grants,” said Gabe Angieri, Executive Director. “These startups reflect the innovation, grit, and determination that define St. Louis’ startup ecosystem. We’re proud to help accelerate their path from breakthrough to impact.”

Launched in 2021, the Growth Grants program is designed to help existing Arch Grants portfolio companies scale operations, secure follow-on capital, and deepen their regional roots. Funds are awarded on a competitive basis and must be matched by additional external growth capital. Companies must maintain their headquarters in the St. Louis region for at least two years. An expert panel of volunteer judges comprised of investors, founders, and industry leaders selects awardees using a defined rubric.

“This award will help us reach a tipping point for our business,” said Stephen Von Rump, Co-Founder and CEO of Aegis Digital Health. “We have experienced dramatic revenue growth over the past six months but now we need to scale our operations to grow even faster. We’re deeply proud of how far we’ve come and grateful for Arch Grants’ support along the way. We are thrilled to continue growing as part of the St. Louis community.”

Dr. Donald Buck, Founder and President of Buck Surgical, sees this as a pivotal moment. “This is a true full-circle moment for Buck Surgical. Our Arch Grant award in 2021 was crucial in providing the springboard for our journey – the financial support, networking and entrepreneurial education, and the validation which allowed us to raise additional funding and develop our first device. Now, four years later, the Growth Grant will support our efforts to take our big, bold idea to commercialization where we can begin to save lives and limbs.”

About the Awardees

Aegis Digital Health developed SweetSpot, a software platform and clinical support service that supports end-to-end remote patient monitoring for all diabetes devices. SweetSpot is powering proactive diabetes care by combining a centralized software platform for managing diabetes device data from CGMs and insulin pumps with virtual, wrap-around clinical support services. Von Rump plans to use the Growth Grant funding to fast-track hiring of key team members, including diabetes educators and patient engagement specialists, accelerating revenue growth and allowing the company to serve more people with diabetes, faster. Company leadership includes Stephen Von Rump, Co-Founder and CEO; Ralph Oiknine, MD, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer; Amiad Fredman, MD, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer; and Abby Cohen, Co-Founder and COO.

Buck Surgical is at the forefront of medical device innovation, developing cutting-edge surgical solutions that improve outcomes and expand patient access to care. Dedicated to modernizing life-and-limb-preservation treatments in vascular and microvascular surgery, Buck Surgical’s first device, The Annexus Coupler, allows surgeons to connect blood vessels as small as 2mm in diameter, in as little as two minutes of time, without the need for complex medical equipment. The Growth Grant funds will support additional device production and testing as the company moves toward commercialization. Leadership includes Dr. Donald Buck, Founder and CEO, and Jennifer Buck, Director of Business Strategy.

LISTEN HERE

Congratulations to Pat Barron, Dan Schaefer, and team! Keep going!

Read more in the company’s recent press release.

Joe Schlafly, co-founder of Arch Grants and former Stifel executive, has a powerful message for St. Louis. After 35 years helping build Stifel from a $5 million company to one approaching $5 billion in revenue, Schlafly remains passionate about our city’s potential.

In a recent interview with the St. Louis Business Journal, Schlafly shares his perspective on the region’s challenges, including what he calls our “civic lack of self-esteem” and the fragmentation across municipalities. But more importantly, he offers his vision for growth: building from within rather than chasing outside corporations.

This philosophy drove him to co-found Arch Grants in 2011. We’ve since awarded over $18.5 million to 272 startups, creating more than 4,000 jobs and generating $1.2 billion in revenue for our region.

“We want to build our own,” Schlafly explains in the article, emphasizing the importance of early-stage capital, retaining young talent, and attracting entrepreneurs from around the world to St. Louis.

Read the full interview in the St. Louis Business Journal (subscription required)

Read all about it in the St. Louis Business Journal.