Middle Tech

What happens when Cincinnati’s first nine-figure startup exit gets reinvested into the region’s next big opportunity? In this episode, we’re joined by Adam Koehler, the Covington-based entrepreneur behind Content Credits. After being part of the Dotloop exit to Zillow for $108 million in 2015, Adam didn’t head for the coast. Instead, he reinvested his capital into Northern Kentucky, launching Content Credits to tackle one of publishing’s most pressing issues: the paywall. Content Credits gives readers an alternative to subscriptions by letting them pay $0.25 to unlock a single article, helping publishers capture revenue from audiences they’re currently turning away. We cover how Dotloop was built during the housing crash, what it was like selling to Zillow, how Content Credits is addressing broken media monetization models, and the role that large exits play in building a regional “startup flywheel”. Timestamps: 00:00 – Adam’s early design career 02:00 – Building Dotloop during the housing crisis 06:30 – Selling Dotloop to Zillow for $108M 10:30 – Reinvesting in Northern Kentucky real estate and startups 12:00 – Why media is ready for disruption 14:00 – How Content Credits micropayments work 20:00 – Gamifying reader engagement through social layers 25:00 – Raising capital with KY Innovation & Keyhorse 28:00 – Thoughts on Kentucky’s startup ecosystem 🎙 Hosted by Logan Jones 🌐 Visit contentcredits.com — Middle Tech is proudly supported by: KY Innovation → kyinnovation.com Awesome Inc → awesomeinc.org

In this episode, we sit down with Wes Keltner, founder & CEO of Gun Interactive, to unpack how his Lexington-grown studio turned cult-classic horror IPs like Friday the 13th and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre into viral, multiplayer blockbusters. Wes walks us through his “make fear fun” philosophy, his jouney from Second Life storefronts to server-melting game launches, and how a network of Kentucky investors helped build a global horror-gaming powerhouse from Lexington. Expect to learn why asymmetrical multiplayer makes horror so addictive, how Gun mixes Hollywood partnerships with Kickstarter-style funding to de-risk launches, what it takes to scale servers when 7x more players show up than expected, and how community-driven design keeps fans glued between updates. Middle Tech is proudly supported by:KY Innovation → kyinnovation.com

In this episode, we sit down with Valent co-founders Evan Knowles and Ryan Rudd to explore how their Lexington-based startup is transforming how teams respond to RFPs. Through a concept they call Decision Rooms, Valent empowers human teams to collaborate directly with AI agents - streamlining proposal workflows, unlocking collective intelligence, and accelerating revenue across RFP-driven industries like government contracting, IT, and engineering. Expect to learn how teams are collaborating with AI agents to win government and enterprise contracts faster, why traditional software can’t handle the complexity of RFP workflows, how Valent's “Decision Rooms” are reimagining business collaboration from the ground up, and what it takes to build a lean AI startup tackling trillion-dollar workflows - right from Lexington, KY. Check out Valent at getvalent.com [getvalent.com] Middle Tech is proudly supported by:KY Innovation → kyinnovation.com

This episode marks Part 3 of a special mini-series - produced by Middle Tech in collaboration with the GAME Change coalition. Over the course of three episodes, we’ll explore how Kentucky and Tennessee are working to become a national hub for circular economy innovation and sustainable manufacturing. This initiative is part of a regional effort to secure a $160 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Engines Program.Two years ago, a small group of visionaries began mapping out a bold idea: to build the U.S. innovation hub for circular economy technologies right here in the Southeast Commerce Corridor. That idea has grown into GAME Change - a 400+ member coalition of universities, national labs, policy leaders, and private industry partners reshaping the future of manufacturing in Kentucky and Tennessee.Middle Tech has been closely embedded in this journey from the start, documenting key moments, stakeholder voices, and the growing momentum behind a new vision for regional economic developmentGAME Change Website: https://gamechangeengine.org/NSF Regional Innovation Engines Program: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/initiativ...Attend GAME Change's 5th summit on September 17, 2025 at Lexmark International, Lexington, KY

This episode marks Part 2 of a special mini-series - produced by Middle Tech in collaboration with the GAME Change coalition. Over the course of three episodes, we’ll explore how Kentucky and Tennessee are working to become a national hub for circular economy innovation and sustainable manufacturing. This initiative is part of a regional effort to secure a $160 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Engines Program.Two years ago, a small group of visionaries began mapping out a bold idea: to build the U.S. innovation hub for circular economy technologies right here in the Southeast Commerce Corridor. That idea has grown into GAME Change - a 400+ member coalition of universities, national labs, policy leaders, and private industry partners reshaping the future of manufacturing in Kentucky and Tennessee.Middle Tech has been closely embedded in this journey from the start, documenting key moments, stakeholder voices, and the growing momentum behind a new vision for regional economic developmentGAME Change Website: https://gamechangeengine.org/NSF Regional Innovation Engines Program: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/initiativ...Attend GAME Change's 5th summit on September 17, 2025 at Lexmark International, Lexington, KY