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Leading innovation, generating solutions

The breadth, scope and excellence of our research programs make Ohio State a leading force of innovation and change – locally, nationally and globally. Ohio State is one of only a few universities in the U.S. that, in a single location, houses 15 different colleges, including seven health sciences colleges and a college of agriculture. 

At Ohio State, we have all of the tools that are needed—the creative minds, the expertise, the experience and the world-class facilities—to discover innovative solutions to complex problems.

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Buckeye Executive Network

Entrepreneurs wanted.

Experienced entrepreneurs who have a desire to help advance Ohio State technologies can do so by becoming a member of the Buckeye Executive Network.

Learn more about the Buckeye Executive Network

Central Ohio Ecosystem

Startups formed with Ohio State technology benefit from becoming part of the central Ohio entrepreneurial
ecosystem.

  • In 2017, Columbus ranked third on the Kauffman Foundation’s annual index of growth entrepreneurship — a measure of how hospitable a city is for high-growth startups — ahead of San Jose and San Francisco. That year, the Kauffman Foundation also named Columbus the top metropolitan area for scaling young companies.
  • VentureOhio notes that more venture capital funding is flowing through Ohio than at any other point in the state’s history. In 2016, $470 million was invested in 210 startups, a 46 percent increase over the previous two years. Cited by Venture Beat magazine, Columbus was also one of the few U.S. cities to see its total number of startups raising their first round of venture capital financing grow over the past seven years.

According to Forbes and Venture Beat, a solid base in research and producing talent in Columbus has helped the city to grow in startup activity. Other key factors include:

  • Location: nearly 50 percent of the U.S. population is within a day’s drive of Columbus.
  • Access to corporate partners: Columbus has a large Fortune 1000 base, and many corporations are signing on to be startups’ first customers while also investing in them.
  • Low operating costs: according to KPMG and EY, Columbus’ tax climate was ranked as one of the top three most business-friendly environments in the U.S. In comparison to traditional entrepreneurial hubs like New York City, Boston and Silicon Valley, Columbus offers comparatively low operating costs for businesses.

Featured Startups

3Bar Biologics Inc.
Agriculture, Food Science & Nutrition
Nikola Labs, Inc.
Robotics, Sensors & Advanced Manufacturing
Spirosure Inc.
Medical Devices, Diagnostics & Imaging
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Contact Us

Senior Director, Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship

Cheryl Turnbull


LinkedIn Profile

Manager, Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship

Kate Schulhaus, PhD


Executive in Residence

Ray Jones


LinkedIn Profile

Grants & Contracts Specialist (Accelerator Awards)

Corine St. Gelais


News & Events

  • Join us for the 2021 Research and Innovation Showcase this Thursday - April 15

    April 12, 2021

    This Thursday! Join us for our annual celebration of the impacts of research and creative inquiry at Ohio State and beyond. The Research and Innovation Showcase w...

  • Two more Ohio State startups acquired

    April 7, 2021

    Two more startups spun out of Ohio State technology have been acquired - Innovate IP and TransChart.

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