Rev1 Ventures, Ohio State partner with City of Columbus to create 'Software Alley'

Columbus is about to get a major tech infusion. Rev1 Ventures, the Ohio State University, and the City of Columbus announced last week plans to create Ohio’s two newest innovation destinations: a software startup space in downtown Columbus and a life sciences facility at the Carmenton district.

Downtown 'Software Alley' to Occupy Two Floors at The Peninsula

The downtown initiative, dubbed "Software Alley," will occupy two floors in The Peninsula office building, marking a significant expansion of Columbus's startup infrastructure. Rev1 Ventures will relocate its headquarters to the space, which will feature offices, coworking areas, event facilities, and meeting rooms for its entrepreneurial training programs.

"Our goal is always to support entrepreneurs how they need it and where they need it, which is in Downtown Columbus," said Tom Walker, CEO of Rev1 Ventures.

City Support and Building Occupancy

The move is supported by a 10-year financial commitment from the City of Columbus and, according to the news release, will advance the Downtown Columbus Strategic Plan goal to have 120,000 workers Downtown by 2040.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther emphasized the importance of the initiative: "Scalable startups are a critical part of a thriving economy and can further activate central cities. Software Alley provides greater access to resources for software startups while building long-term regional innovation capacity."

OSU's Carmenton Innovation District Expansion

The second phase of the partnership will establish lab space for life sciences startups in Ohio State's planned Commercialization and Entrepreneurship Center, part of the Carmenton innovation district. The Ohio State Center for Software Innovation will occupy the top two floors of this 120,000-square-foot facility, though specific lab space allocation is still being determined.

"This initiative builds upon our 10-year relationship with Rev1 to manage innovation space and work as a commercialization partner," said Peter Mohler, OSU's executive vice president for the Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge. "Providing new opportunities for software ventures is essential to keeping digital startups and the talent that supports them in Central Ohio."

Addressing Central Ohio's Biotech Needs

The expansion addresses a critical need in the region's growing biotech sector. A recent study by One Columbus identified limited access to wet labs as a significant obstacle for biotech companies in Central Ohio. The new facility, expected to take up to three years to complete, will provide much-needed laboratory space with proper ventilation and protection for chemical and biological research.

Dual-Location Strategy for Growth

Rev1 will maintain its current startup incubation and lab space at 1275 Kinnear Road, which has been the primary laboratory facility for life science companies in the region. The downtown Software Alley location is expected to open in late summer 2025.

Through this dual-location strategy, Rev1 and Ohio State aim to increase Columbus's visibility as a technology and innovation hub, while providing startups with better access to customers, investors, and professional services. The initiative builds on Rev1's network of 50 partners that provide services to new startups annually.

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