Startups + VC
Seven new partnerships are set to bridge the gap between local labs and federal deployment. We break down the winners uniting Ohio’s universities with private industry to solve high-stakes challenges in space, defense, and autonomy—aiming for $70M in future funding and 64 new high-tech jobs.
Artificial Intelligence
The cloud infrastructure leader selected Clark County's Springfield for a 50-megawatt facility housing 24,000 AMD GPUs. This strategic move deepens the state's digital footprint, providing the critical high-performance compute power required to fuel the next generation of AI innovation.
Spotlights
Merging physics theory with shipping code requires a rare dual mindset. MorelandConnect Chief AI Architect Caden Kacmarynski explains why AI and quantum computing are converging tracks for the region. He details how a physics-first approach helps industries prepare for a hybrid future.
The state’s tech ecosystem is rapidly maturing, driven by massive three-year revenue gains from Keyfactor, CHAMP Titles, and TradingView. These rankings confirm that Ohio software firms have moved well beyond startup mode to successfully compete on the national stage.
RWX’s new container image builder attacks one of the slowest parts of shipping software: turning code into Docker images. By rethinking builds from first principles inside CI, the team says it can slash wait times and unlock faster, AI-driven development. And it’s being built in Ohio, not SF or NYC.
Ohio has launched “Eva,” a first-of-its-kind AI assistant that gives election officials instant, verified guidance on Ohio’s voting rules. Available to all 88 counties, the tool is designed to speed up routine decisions and strengthen consistency across the state.
Cleveland-based MorelandConnect has launched FOUNDATION, an AI platform for mid-market companies that unifies business data, delivers instant insights through chat, and enables secure, scalable automation—helping organizations adopt and deploy AI in weeks, not months.
With faculty in academic regalia and community leaders filling Savage Arena, Dr. James Holloway used his inauguration as the University of Toledo’s 19th president to launch a bold research and innovation agenda aimed squarely at Toledo’s future. At the heart of his plan is Innovate Toledo — a new
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Viewing AI as a mere optimization tool is the "horseless carriage" syndrome. Right Brain Labs CEO Srini Koushik argues the technology represents a civilizational shift in agency and details the urgent need for leaders to move beyond basic literacy toward true AI fluency.
The state’s tech ecosystem is rapidly maturing, driven by massive three-year revenue gains from Keyfactor, CHAMP Titles, and TradingView. These rankings confirm that Ohio software firms have moved well beyond startup mode to successfully compete on the national stage.
RWX’s new container image builder attacks one of the slowest parts of shipping software: turning code into Docker images. By rethinking builds from first principles inside CI, the team says it can slash wait times and unlock faster, AI-driven development. And it’s being built in Ohio, not SF or NYC.
Ohio leaders across business, government, health care, and education packed the sold-out Ohio AI Summit in Columbus to see how AI is already reshaping daily work—from automating routine tasks to deploying real-world AI agents—and why starting small now matters for the future.
Historically, much of the venture capital used to fund Ohio-originated innovation has flowed from outside our borders, writes Jon Cross in an op-ed for OTN.
Marietta College has opened the Center for Appalachian Innovation, a state-supported hub focused on research, collaboration, and capacity-building across Appalachian Ohio.
Ohio has launched “Eva,” a first-of-its-kind AI assistant that gives election officials instant, verified guidance on Ohio’s voting rules. Available to all 88 counties, the tool is designed to speed up routine decisions and strengthen consistency across the state.
VisioCell won the University of Toledo’s Tech419 Pitch Competition, a 12-week program that honed five tech entrepreneurs’ storytelling skills through intensive deck reviews, feedback sessions, and mock judging panels.
Cleveland-based MorelandConnect has launched FOUNDATION, an AI platform for mid-market companies that unifies business data, delivers instant insights through chat, and enables secure, scalable automation—helping organizations adopt and deploy AI in weeks, not months.
Columbus-based Healthy Roster has acquired concussion tech leader Sway Medical, uniting two sports medicine innovators into one digital platform for injury documentation and athlete wellness—backed by New York’s Level Equity.
Cleveland-based Neuronoff raised $4.5M to bring its Injectrode—an injectable, minimally invasive chronic pain treatment—to market by 2026, offering a drug-free, surgery-free alternative to traditional neuromodulation therapies.
The University of Cincinnati is launching Bearcats AI Ready!, a campus-wide initiative embedding artificial intelligence across teaching, research, and operations to move the university from “AI-fluent” to fully “AI-ready.”
