Startups + VC
Columbus-based Flashpass raised $4.25M to scale its govtech platform, which connects displaced workers to high-demand fields like AI and cybersecurity. By partnering with state governments to bridge the skills gap, the startup is transforming unemployment services into digital career pipelines.
Spotlights
Ohio tech leaders are shifting focus from AI hype to strategic implementation. Key trends for the next 18 months include the rise of agentic AI, the expansion of quantum computing, and the critical need for fiber and energy infrastructure to support growing data center demands.
Startups + VC
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.
Ratmir Timashev is funding dedicated sales teams for 100 of the world’s best B2B software startups — built and paid for in Columbus — with a target of 2,000 new tech workers in the city within five years.
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.
The new $60M fund is backed by nearly 1,000 Midwest industrial owners and aims to modernize America’s legacy sectors. Heartland flips the VC script by using factory bosses as investors, giving startups built-in customers to solve the region's labor gap.
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.
8,703+ smart tech leaders read our weekly newsletter. Why don't you?
New 30,000‑square‑foot APA Solar headquarters in Ridgeville Corners will anchor a Foundations Center of Excellence and five‑acre test site, strengthening Ohio’s position in utility‑scale solar manufacturing and engineering.
A $50 million expansion across two Ohio sites will add 730 jobs by 2029 and boost production of advanced cooling systems for AI data centers. The investment strengthens the state’s position as a growing hub for digital infrastructure and next‑generation manufacturing.
Celebrating over 20 years in Columbus, Xtek Partners provides secure, scalable IT infrastructure for Ohio’s "Silicon Heartland." This woman-owned firm bridges the gap between hardware lifecycle management and AI-driven security, focusing on identity monitoring and hybrid work resilience.
Deloitte’s Adarsh Desai highlights Ohio as a national leader in government AI modernization. By moving beyond pilots to scale high-value solutions like fraud detection and natural language constituent services, the state is transforming public sector efficiency and accessibility.
Ohio tech leaders are moving beyond generic productivity apps toward AI-native workflows. From Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT for daily problem-solving to specialized tools like Kiro and Claude Code, these leaders are using AI to shift from "building" to "architecting" solutions.
The public Ohio school has launched the nation's only software-focused quantum computing undergraduate degree, partnering with Cleveland Clinic to build a workforce pipeline before the industry catches up
SoftBank, AEP Ohio, and the federal government unveiled a 10-gigawatt data center and power generation campus — one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects ever announced in the U.S. — on a former Cold War site in southern Ohio.
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.
A historic $500 million commitment is coming to Lima as Google officially selects Allen County for its latest data center hub. The project delivers a $50 million infrastructure boost and recurring funding for local schools, signaling a major economic shift for the Northwest Ohio region.
Dayton-based Dexa is tackling the FAA’s ultimate test: dense urban airspace. Partnering with Grubhub in New Jersey, the startup is proving its "airline" status alongside giants like Amazon. Backed by Ohio capital, Dexa’s pilot is the final hurdle before it targets the five boroughs.
Columbus-based Aplos Data is emerging from stealth to help organizations operationalize AI and real-time data. Focused on implementing Palantir Technologies, the firm unifies fragmented systems into a single "operational layer" that moves beyond analytics to help leaders decide what to do next.
To bridge the innovation execution gap, this Columbus firm acts as a technical co-founder for established companies. By utilizing fixed-bid structures and blended teams, they help firms validate new digital bets and scale market-ready software without disrupting core business operations.
