Cleveland Chain Reaction winners!

At a special event on Wednesday, August 27, Greater Cleveland Partnership’s (GCP) Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE) announced the winners of the eighth season of Cleveland Chain Reaction, a small business pitch competition. 

The Winners

The first-place winner, receiving $40,000, was Daisy Makes, designer and manufacturer of 3D-printed cake pop tools for bakers around the world; the second-place winner, receiving $20,000, was Be Browed Etcetera, a leading permanent makeup (PMU) clinic and the home of The Ohio Institute of Permanent Makeup—the first and only state-accredited PMU school in Ohio; and the third-place winner, receiving $10,000, was The Golden Room, a full-service beauty salon and one-stop destination for senior women seeking expert care and convenience. The winners also received complimentary advertising space from Mimi Magazine, Cleveland Chain Reaction’s 2025 print publication partner, and from Freshwater Cleveland, the competition’s 2025 digital publication partner. 

The 18 remaining semifinalists each received $2,000 grants funded by competition partners Medical Mutual, COSE Benefit Plan, Minutemen Workforce Solutions and MAGNET, along with discounted advertising from Mimi Magazine and Freshwater Cleveland. All participants received COSE memberships and will continue to be supported by the organization. The winners and awards were announced live at Ariel LaSalle Theatre during “Kickin’ it with Kenny” on FOX 8 News in the Morning.

“We were thrilled to have such a diverse group of businesses representing so many industry segments as a part of this year’s competition; it is a true testament to the growth and strength of our small-business community,” says Megan E. Kim, executive director of COSE and senior vice president, membership development and marketing at GCP. “These owners are passionate, confident and innovative—and will be significant contributors to job growth and the overall economy in Greater Cleveland.”

The 21 semifinalists participated in a four-week bootcamp hosted by JumpStart in which business experts advised them on how to pitch their business, create a business plan, place value on their business and appropriately invest capital to take their business to the next level. On Wednesday, August 20 and Thursday, August 21, the entrepreneurs pitched their businesses to a panel of judges for the opportunity to win the capital investment. 

“JumpStart is proud to work with COSE to support these talented entrepreneurs,” says JumpStart Interim CEO Lorne Novick. “It’s been an honor to witness both their passion and progress throughout the program, and we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for them.”

Cleveland Chain Reaction connects entrepreneurs to capital and mentors and helps businesses grow and expand in Greater Cleveland to create jobs and prosperity. Since its inception in 2017 (the competition was put on hold in 2020 due to the pandemic), Cleveland Chain Reaction has received more than 732 applications, coached and prepared 167 small business semifinalists, connected winning businesses to more than $1.8 million in capital and provided over 740 hours of technical assistance.

Visit ClevelandChainReaction.org for more information.