Startups + VC
Dayton’s aviation innovation legacy met its culinary scene as autonomous logistics company Dexa and All The Best Delicatessen executed Ohio’s first commercial drone sandwich delivery. Under clear skies, the FAA-certified aircraft completed a flawless 1.5-mile suburban round trip.
Economic Development
Ohio’s booming data center corridor is taking center stage in Columbus, as lawmakers hear how one tech giant’s infrastructure buildout is tied to new jobs, grid capacity, and water restoration projects that aim to benefit communities across the state.
Artificial Intelligence
A new workforce academy will train electricians, plumbers and fiber technicians with stipends, credentials and direct job pathways. The effort targets a growing labor gap as data center expansion accelerates across key states, including Ohio.
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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Drawing on a powerful papal encyclical, a veteran tech executive critiques Silicon Valley's trend of prioritizing metrics over human dignity. Contrastingly, Midwest institutions and companies offer a sustainable model of responsible capitalism that views human capacity as a lasting asset.
Built from the ground up for low-cost, scalable mass production without special tooling, the Remora UAV leverages a 100% domestic supply chain in Northeast Ohio. Backed by regional manufacturing hubs, the leadership team aims to close the national security gap in global drone development.
Spun out of Ohio's veteran venture studio, this new independent, for-profit firm aims to bridge the coastal funding gap by targeting enterprise AI, deep tech, and life sciences. Backed by a strong Central Ohio network, the team delivers critical talent, customers, and execution strategy.
Co-founded by institutional veterans, a new AI-native platform for multifamily real estate investors slashes deal evaluation times from hours to minutes. It enables teams to underwrite up to ten times more volume by integrating localized data and live lending market insights.
Creative Destruction Lab is partnering with University Hospitals and Case Western to launch CDL-Cleveland. By embedding a global tech accelerator directly into an active health system, local leaders aim to solve the grueling adoption gap and boost Northeast Ohio's startup density.
A mulit-city expansion marks the regional execution of Hikma’s $1B onshore strategy, positioning the Ohio Discovery Corridor as a primary firewall against critical U.S. drug shortages while reinforcing the Midwest's rise in advanced biopharma manufacturing.
The Lausanne-based preemptive identity security company is expanding into North America as the first international portfolio addition for Ratmir Timashev’s venture platform. Under the partnership, local operators will run stateside marketing and sales from Central Ohio.
Cintrifuse has opened applications for its Emerging Founder Residency, a year-long Cincinnati-based program providing $300,000 in early-stage investment. Built for first-time, technically skilled founders, the residency offers a long runway, mentorship, and access to major corporations.
Bounce Innovation Hub is accepting applications for the second cohort of its Synthe6 Materials Accelerator. This 12-month program helps advanced materials and polymer startups commercialize by providing up to $500K in R&D grants, peer mentorship, and deep connections to Ohio's industry leaders.
Columbus-based Accelerating Angels has closed its inaugural fund at $2 million to support high-growth, women-led companies. By combining venture capital with a nonprofit foundation that trains new investors, the firm is building the infrastructure to bridge the gender funding gap in Ohio.
Verizon’s new DBIR finds software vulnerabilities, accelerated by AI, have overtaken stolen passwords as the leading way attackers break in. For Ohio’s “Silicon Heartland,” that means faster patching, stricter vendor controls, and new guardrails on shadow AI inside the enterprise.
The defense tech company has opened recruitment for its "Barracuda" air-breathing autonomous air vehicle lines. Newly hired technical teams will deploy to Ashville's massive Arsenal-1 campus to stand up the company's third active manufacturing line by winter 2026.
