Advanced Manufacturing
Ohio’s defense-industrial buildout is accelerating as UDD picks Holland in Lucas County for its first U.S. drone factory, tied to the Pentagon’s Drone Dominance Program. The new facility will create at least 300 jobs and plug directly into the state’s AAM ecosystem.
Commentary
Deloitte’s Holly Scott introduces a property-developer analogy to tear down fragmented agency silos. Highlighting the InnovateOhio platform as a national model, she illustrates how a unified framework connects millions of residents to thousands of apps while driving down technical costs.
Startups + VC
The new Battelle and Ohio State spinout is commercializing a wearable, closed-loop sleeve that reads muscle signals to help patients regain grip control. Led by a veteran medtech entrepreneur, the startup is scaling up operations ahead of planned mid-2027 clinical trials.
Beam Benefits founder Alex Frommeyer is back with Stack Health, a Columbus-based startup aiming to upend the U.S. insurance market. By shifting coverage from employers to individuals, Stack uses AI to help Ohio workers build personalized, cost-effective health bundles.
Months ahead of its July target, Arsenal-1 in Pickaway County is open and ready for production. The billion-dollar mega-factory will begin assembling autonomous combat drones in a matter of days, with 4,000 jobs and a $2B economic impact on the horizon.
One year after Palmer Luckey promised to bring "hyperscale" defense manufacturing to central Ohio, the vision is becoming concrete reality. Arsenal-1's first autonomous jets will roll off the line by Q2—a timeline that would've been impossible just a decade ago.
Ohio’s future isn’t just a concept—it has names. We narrowed triple-digit submissions to the top 25 innovators 35 and under. From AI to medtech and beyond, these leaders are bridging the gap between legacy strength and the digital frontier. Meet the 2025 class defining Ohio’s next chapter.
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Veteran software operator Gerald Hetrick is tackling the costly hurdle of fractional CFO services by integrating with existing accounting tools to offer instant financial clarity. Through proactive alerts, the new software helps business owners anticipate cash gaps and track margins in real time.
AI25, presented by Ohio Tech News and OhioX, recognizes leaders turning artificial intelligence into real-world impact across Ohio — from startups and classrooms to hospitals, public agencies, manufacturing floors, and the capital backing what comes next.
By absorbing the former AWH and its proprietary TransformOS framework, Red Hawk is buying its way up-market. The deal pairs a predictable software subscription model with heavy-duty enterprise AI infrastructure, positioning the remote Midwest firm to capture larger corporate clients.
Launched in partnership with Experience Columbus, Satisfi Labs’ new Agentic City model connects AI across local attractions to handle 24/7 visitor inquiries. By sharing a verified knowledge base, understaffed venues can streamline operations and capture valuable zero-party data.
The Case Western spinout will use the capital to automate production of its 100-year optical discs. By slashing archive energy costs by 90%, the Solon startup aims to challenge legacy systems and capture the booming market for training massive AI datasets.
Central Ohio is about to build the Air Force’s next generation of semi‑autonomous “robotic wingmen,” as Anduril’s FQ‑44 Fury fighter and Lattice mission autonomy software move from rapid prototyping into full production at the new Arsenal‑1 campus.
The Columbus-based R&D organization is awarding $968,000 to 16 Central Ohio nonprofits, expanding STEM programs that will reach more than 14,000 students and 1,400 educators while shifting the focus toward artificial intelligence, aviation, and applied engineering.
Resilience’s move from San Diego to Blue Ash cements Southwest Ohio as a million‑square‑foot hub for sterile injectables and advanced packaging, tying corporate leadership directly to its expanding West Chester manufacturing network and new high‑skill jobs in the region.
Advanced nuclear’s biggest bottleneck—fuel—may finally be easing as Oklo secures domestic HALEU from Centrus’s Piketon plant to anchor a 1.2 GW campus in Southern Ohio, linking local enrichment, new reactors, and surging AI data center demand in one project.
With over 12,000 startup jobs created locally in the last five years, Cincinnati is growing fast enough to challenge hubs like Nashville. Now, Cintrifuse is deploying a fresh 30-student cohort to ensure the region's top collegiate tech talent stays and builds in Ohio.
By offering non-dilutive funding instead of demanding company ownership, this accelerator program helps regional startups build early traction. Founders gain access to a specialized provider network that de-risks their businesses before they ever pitch to investors.
Facing a projected shortage of more than 540,000 skilled workers over the next decade, Ohio is launching a $300 million workforce initiative. The program aims to reach roughly 25,000 Ohioans by providing financial incentives for hybrid work-and-education models in critical industries.
