Blue Ocean Solids, 2021 SustainableCincy alumni, becomes next recipient of student-led investment fund

Flywheel’s partnership with Miami University’s Social Impact Fund continues to benefit Flywheel founders and their companies. The student-led venture fund has made a $25,000 investment in Flywheel’s 2021 Sustainable Cincy alumni company Blue Ocean Solids. 

Blue Ocean Solids is based in Loveland, Ohio. The business produces a solid waste water treatment product that reduces the environmental impact of the water treatment process, while also greatly improving the safety, efficiency, and affordability of handling, transporting, and storing water treatment products. 

“I hesitated to join the SustainableCincy cohort because Blue Ocean was starting to make some money in its first year.” said Marc Beller, co-founder of Blue Ocean Solids. “The experience I had with Flywheel really opened my eyes to the passion, mentoring and networking this program offers. The group of students, advisors and Miami facility were as passionate as Blue Ocean to make a difference in the wellness of our people, communities, state, country and planet.”

“We are very proud that our companies leave our accelerator well positioned for investments by other venture funds,”  said Laura Tepe, Executive Director of Flywheel. “To anyone who thinks social enterprises are not growable, scalable businesses that attract investors, this is evidence to the contrary.” 

Sustainable Cincy is a Flywheel program that provides startup training, individual coaching and business services to companies developing products and services that contribute to a greener, more sustainable community, country and world. The 2022 SustainableCincy program is now taking applications to start in early September.

Founded in 2018 by the John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship's Center for Social Entrepreneurship, the Social Impact Fund is rare at the undergraduate level.  

“The fund provides early-stage funding needed for startups identified by a team of students. By participating, students become equipped with high-level skills and real-world learning in social impact investing and create a portfolio of impact investments for Miami University," said Jay Murdock, marketing coordinator for Miami's widely acclaimed Farmer School of Business. 

Click here to learn more about the investment. 

Click here to apply for SustainableCincy!