In communities across the U.S., small businesses are at the heart of local economic growth. Small businesses are responsible for creating more than 70% of net new jobs since 2019, with the U.S. averaging 430,000 new business applications per month in 2024 alone. To help local businesses continue to grow, we have to confront the challenges they face head-on, including by identifying strategies for growth, expansion via delivery, and civic resources available locally.
To help meet this need, DoorDash is proud to partner with Mayor Christina Muryn in Findlay, OH, and Mayor Quinton Lucas in Kansas City, MO as part of our 2025 Accelerator for Local Businesses to connect participating entrepreneurs with local resources, mentorship, and the tools they need to grow and sustain their businesses.
We are honored to introduce this year’s participants in Findlay and Hancock, County, OH, and Kansas City, MO. This list includes entrepreneurs operating brick-and-mortar restaurants, flower shops, mom-and-pop supermarkets, and other small businesses.
Findlay, OH and Hancock County, OH:
Kansas City, MO:
Fifth & Emery Frozen Yogurt & Chocolate
These participants join the ranks of more than 1,000 entrepreneurs across America who have completed the Accelerator program through cohorts in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Portland, Washington, D.C., and online.
Local business owners participating in the 12-week program will benefit from access to county-wide small business resources, one-on-one mentorship from experienced industry peers, and tailored programming on how best to optimize their businesses on the DoorDash platform – as well as a $5,000 grant and $1,000 in DoorDash advertising credits.
In Findlay, participants will join workshops designed to empower entrepreneurs to access local small business loans, improve marketing strategies, and accelerate their growth through programs run by Findlay-Hancock County Economic Development and the Findlay-Hancock Chamber of Commerce. These workshops will be driven in partnership with the City of Findlay to ensure that merchants are equipped to cut through red tape and grow their businesses both on and off the DoorDash platform.
Kansas City participants will attend workshops on the best financial practices for entrepreneurs, effective marketing for growth, and opportunities to access capital to achieve their goals moving forward. These sessions, in partnership with Kansas City BizCare and Pathway Financial Education, include an introduction to the Kiva KC program and the business loan process to help participants secure the resources they need for their businesses to thrive.
DoorDash has become a key partner to hundreds of thousands of businesses in the U.S., helping entrepreneurs expand their reach throughout their communities. We’re excited to continue empowering economies by connecting consumers with the best of their neighborhoods, and we look forward to seeing all that this cohort accomplishes.
