Inside Rev1 at the Peninsula, Columbus's new home for tech founders (PHOTOS)

Rev1 Ventures has officially opened Rev1 at The Peninsula, a first-of-its-kind innovation hub in the heart of downtown Columbus designed to help software and advanced technology startups grow faster and more effectively.

Rev1 spent years working alongside founders and conducted recent interviews to understand how early-stage companies actually use space today. What they heard was consistent: founders of software and advanced technology companies need flexible, collaborative environments where they can work, meet with hybrid teams, and stay connected to partners, customers, and investors.

"Rev1 at The Peninsula is about the future of startup work," said Kristy Campbell, President and COO of Rev1 Ventures. "We've designed the space to help software and advanced technology startups grow faster and more effectively."

The result spans two floors in the heart of downtown Columbus. The first floor offers 14,500 square feet of professional work and collaboration space, including the Founder Lounge, Skyline Patio, and The Launchpad, a large event space for founder programming and investor events. Rev1’s venture services team is also located on-site, keeping support accessible and embedded in the day-to-day founder experience.

The second floor is 28,600 square feet and houses the Rev1 Capital team alongside six Scaleup Suites ranging from 1,900 to 3,500 square feet. Designed for companies that have raised a seed round and are entering a growth phase, the suites allow teams to right-size their footprint, control costs, and stay flexible while remaining embedded in Rev1's network. Founder-friendly rates and lease terms are central to the model.

Situated between downtown's business district and Franklinton's arts scene, Rev1 at The Peninsula directly supports the Downtown Columbus Strategic Plan by increasing startup density and strengthening connections between founders, corporates, and investors. Support from Downtown Columbus, Inc., and a 10-year financial commitment from the City of Columbus helped make the vision possible, allowing Rev1 to focus on founder-friendly programming rather than a traditional office model.

For Rev1, which has generated more than $3 billion in economic impact for Columbus, the new hub is about evolving how that impact is created. Research from Rev1 shows that startups engaged with its existing innovation space and network at Rev1 Labs raise more capital and generate higher revenue than peers outside the ecosystem. By bringing founders, scaleups, mentors, and partners together downtown, Rev1 at The Peninsula is designed to accelerate collaboration, capital formation, and job creation for years to come.

Rev1 will also maintain Rev1 Labs, its long-standing innovation center on the SciTech campus near The Ohio State University. That space continues to serve spinout companies needing dedicated office and lab space within the Innovation District. The two locations serve distinct stages and industries, extending Rev1's reach across the full founder journey.

Founders at The Peninsula will have access to Rev1's venture studio programming, mentors, investors, and vetted service partners, with event space on the first floor dedicated to cohort programming, pitch events, and startup ecosystem activities.

Rev1 at The Peninsula soft launched to current clients, who are becoming founding members, with strong early demand already building for the Scaleup Suites. The space is now open more broadly to the Columbus tech founder community following the February 19 ribbon cutting, which featured remarks from  city leaders, Rev1 Ventures executives, and key partners.

"Success will be measured by founder outcomes — capital raised, revenue growth, job creation — as well as increased startup density, collaboration, and long-term economic impact downtown," said Campbell.

Interested in learning more or exploring membership? Visit rev1ventures.com.