9 Businesses Selected for 2026 Laine Business Accelerator Cohort

By JOHN BARTIMOLE | Special to Olean Times Herald

August 15, 2026

OLEAN — Olean Business Development Corporation announced the selection of nine businesses for the sixth cohort of its signature program, the Laine Business Accelerator, continuing the entrepreneurial legacy of Erick Laine, former CEO of Cutco Corporation.

The 2026 cohort brings together nine businesses representing a diverse range of industries from across the region. Each participating business will receive $5,000 in seed funding and take part in a multi-week program of education, mentorship, peer collaboration, and strategic business development.

“We continue to be excited by the growth of the entrepreneurial community and ecosystem in the greater Olean region,” said Bob Forness, president and executive director of OBDC. “This year’s nine-member cohort represents another strong group of business owners, and we look forward to working with them as they identify opportunities to strengthen and grow their businesses.”

The nine businesses selected for the 2026 Laine Business Accelerator are:

• Baer’s Auto Parts

• Bellhurst Farm, LLC

• Enchanted Mountain Chocolate

• Go To Meals

• InfoSecurity Blueprint, LLC

• Mindful State Therapy Services, PLLC

• Moss Construction, LLC

• Regroup Health and Wellness, LLC

• Twin Valley Physical Therapy

Since its inception, the Laine Business Accelerator has supported 38 businesses and provided $200,000 in seed funding to help participating companies grow. Forness said LBA alumni have translated that investment into measurable economic impact, collectively creating more than 100 jobs, expanding into 11 previously vacant commercial spaces, and experiencing, on average, 2.5 times revenue growth since participating in the program.

With the addition of the nine businesses selected for 2026, the LBA will have supported 47 businesses and invested a total of $245,000 directly into the growth of the region’s entrepreneurial community.

The program extends beyond financial support, Forness said. Participants learn from experienced business leaders as well as entrepreneurial and academic leaders from OBDC’s collaboration partners at Jamestown Community College and St. Bonaventure University. Programming is designed to help established business owners strengthen their companies, address barriers to growth and develop strategies for their next stage.

“Perhaps one of the most valuable benefits these business owners receive is the camaraderie that comes from being part of the cohort,” Forness said. “Entrepreneurship can sometimes be isolating. Through the LBA, owners have the opportunity to share ideas, challenges, and successes with a group of people who understand what they are experiencing.

“They learn from one another, lean on one another and, importantly, those relationships continue beyond the end of the program through our growing network of LBA alumni,” he added.

The 2026 program will culminate with the annual Laine Business Accelerator Showcase on Nov. 17 at JCC’s Cutco Theater, when members of the cohort will share the origin story of their businesses, their LBA program experiences and plans for continued growth with the community.

The Laine Business Accelerator was established through the Erick Laine Entrepreneurship Fund to honor Laine’s legacy of business leadership and entrepreneurship in the greater Olean area. The program is administered by OBDC in collaboration with regional business and educational partners.

For more information on the LBA and the 2026 cohort, visit lainebusinessaccelerator.com.