The 25 companies and organizations defining Ohio’s AI economy

Ask most people where America's AI boom is happening, and they'll point to a coast. They'd be missing the story.

In Ohio, artificial intelligence is already on the job, reducing paperwork for child-welfare workers, helping hospitals and insurers make faster decisions, welding ship hulls, strengthening public services, and powering new forms of manufacturing and logistics. It's not happening in theory. It's happening in classrooms, factories, data centers, government offices, and startups across the state.

That is because three things are converging at once: major capital is flowing into Ohio, homegrown innovation is scaling fast, and education and workforce leaders are building the talent base to match. Investment, innovation, and education together are forming the foundation of an AI economy that is distinctly Ohio's.

That's what AI25 is built to recognize. Presented by Ohio Tech News and OhioX, it's a new annual honor spotlighting 25 people making a real AI impact across the state — founders and innovators, enterprise leaders and public-sector champions, educators preparing the next generation, and investors betting that incredible companies can be built in Ohio. They share a sensibility that feels distinctly Ohioan: not simply interested in what AI might do someday, but what it can do right now, responsibly, for real people.

These honorees make up the inaugural Companies & Organizations class of AI25. Our People & Practitioners list was published earlier this month.

Here are 25 companies and organizations building Ohio's AI future.

AlignAI

Columbus-based AlignAI works with local and national companies to turn their AI ideas into real, governed systems. Led by co-founder Rehgan Bleile, AlignAI builds a live blueprint of an organization's AI initiatives, continuously capturing strategy, architecture, and regulatory context so teams can make critical decisions on risk, compliance, and rollout as conditions change.

Its work with Ohio-based Andelyn Biosciences shows that approach in practice, supporting the company's AI adoption strategy inside a highly regulated gene therapy manufacturing environment, where every use case has to meet strict quality and regulatory standards.

That combination of technical rigor and rigorous risk profiling has made AlignAI a meaningful force in Ohio's AI economy.

Anduril Industries

Anduril Industries is setting a new standard in defense manufacturing with Arsenal-1, its hyperscale manufacturing facility in central Ohio. Designed to rapidly produce AI-enabled autonomous systems through a software-defined manufacturing model powered by ArsenalOS, the facility is built to expand the speed, scale, and adaptability of defense production for the United States and its allies.

The project will transform a 5 million-square-foot campus near Rickenbacker into a major production hub and is expected to create more than 4,000 jobs over the next decade. Arsenal-1 is central to Anduril's strategy to rapidly expand manufacturing capacity and strengthen the nation's defense industrial base.

For Ohio, Arsenal-1 represents a landmark investment in advanced manufacturing and defense technology. By combining AI, autonomous systems, and software-defined manufacturing, the project is strengthening Ohio's role in rebuilding America's defense industrial base.

Brain-CA Technologies, Inc.

Brain-CA Technologies is building a new kind of AI hardware: a patented cellular automata architecture that the company says can learn using far fewer components and far less energy than conventional neural-network systems.

The company's technology earned global recognition in 2025 at the DCEE Workshop of the International Symposium on Computer Architecture (ISCA) in Tokyo, where its research was honored for innovation in energy-efficient computing. Brain-CA returned to ISCA in 2026 with four accepted papers, building on that momentum.

On the business side, Brain-CA recently joined the Silicon Catalyst semiconductor startup accelerator and closed a $5 million seed funding round, bringing its total capital raised to $7.2 million. Backed by Ohio talent and investors, the company is positioning itself as a homegrown leader in next-generation AI hardware.

Brain-CA Technologies has its executive headquarters in Greater Cincinnati.

Bowling Green State University

As an innovative leader in higher education, Bowling Green State University prepares students for in-demand careers through relevant academic programs and research, including in computer and data science and emerging technologies, that support Ohio's growing economy and workforce.

Since establishing Ohio's first computer science program, Bowling Green has continued to adapt its academic offerings in the evolving field to meet employer needs, most recently becoming the first university in the nation to launch a customizable AI+X bachelor's degree, which blends a core education in artificial intelligence with a secondary discipline to empower students to design field-specific solutions to support AI-driven tools and applications. Bowling Green also continues to integrate machine learning, analytics, and predictive modeling into its academic programs in advanced manufacturing, engineering, healthcare, and more to ensure graduates are prepared to meet employer demands in Ohio and beyond.

By empowering students with a blend of relevant classroom learning and practical hands-on experiences in emerging technologies like AI, Bowling Green State University continues to position itself as a leader in producing sought-after, workforce-ready talent to meet employer needs and drive Ohio's economy forward.

Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland-based Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is at the helm of a $160 million federal initiative to modernize Northeast Ohio’s industrial corridor. Leading the NSF NEO-SMART Engine, one of only 12 such clusters selected from a pool of 300 nationwide, the university is integrating artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced automation into the region’s manufacturing core. The project aims to scale 1,000 ventures and develop a workforce of 12,000 skilled workers, cementing Ohio’s role in a national effort to build durable innovation hubs.

The university’s AI impact extends into areas like life sciences as well, where CWRU researchers are using machine learning and genomics to uncover genetic drivers of Alzheimer’s disease through a $6.2 million NIH-backed project. On campus, the university has built a robust ecosystem that includes more than 100 courses focused on artificial intelligence and a centralized hub at case.edu/ai that provides governance, tools, and training resources. Recently named one of Forbes’ “New Ivies,” CWRU is positioning itself as a primary source of applied AI talent and research for the state’s economy.

Cleveland Metroparks

Cleveland Metroparks is using AI to help monitor wildlife, zoological programs, and park operations across its system.

Staff have said the technology helps identify wildlife and differentiate between people, vehicles, and other objects more quickly, processing millions of images and flagging certain activity for review.

The park system has also developed programs using AI and machine learning to support long-running wildlife research and conservation work. In some cases, the technology has replaced hours of manual image review with a faster, more targeted workflow. Beyond these tools, the park district has used a range of generative AI agents to boost the efficiency of several of its services.

Cleveland Metroparks shows how public agencies can use AI for practical work in operations, research, and conservation.

City of Hilliard

The City of Hilliard has turned local government into a living testbed for innovation. Through Hilliard City Lab, the city is using fiber, infrastructure access, grants, and an AI sandbox to help companies test and scale new technologies in a real-world municipal setting.

That approach is producing practical results for smart city and AI-enabled services, from startup pilots to tools that can be evaluated against city systems before wider deployment. Hilliard says the program has already supported dozens of projects, more than $87 million in private investment, and over 1,100 jobs.

Hilliard stands out as a city willing to use public infrastructure and public-private partnerships to speed innovation while improving services for residents.

Deloitte & Touche, LLP

Deloitte's Columbus-based team is a long-standing partner to the State of Ohio, helping bring national-scale technology expertise to public-sector modernization. From automation to generative and agentic AI, the firm supports innovative efforts to make government services more effective, secure, and efficient for millions of Ohioans.

A standout example is Ohio's AI-powered fraud detection and identity capabilities for OHID, the state's single sign-on solution for residents and employees. Deloitte supported the state in designing and implementing a solution that helps identify suspicious activity, block malicious accounts, and protect taxpayer dollars. The firm is also supporting multiple Ohio state agencies in the design and deployment of mission-focused AI solutions.

In Ohio's AI economy, Deloitte stands out as a leader helping the state translate AI into public value. Its work reflects the kind of practical, high-impact innovation that keeps Ohio at the forefront of digital government.

Denison University

Denison University is helping shape Ohio's AI future by preparing students, strengthening the workforce, and bringing educators, employers, and industry leaders together to explore how artificial intelligence can expand human potential. Guided by the values of a liberal arts education, Denison approaches AI as more than a technology tool, treating it as a catalyst for deeper questions, stronger relationships, ethical leadership, and meaningful innovation.

Denison's efforts span the opening of the King Center for Data & Innovation in 2026; AI, digital, and data literacy education for students; faculty digital innovation grants; industry partnerships and student internships; collaboration with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to offer AI strategy sessions for K-12 districts; an AI and data literacy summer camp for high schoolers; and national AI and innovation summits. Together, these efforts create opportunities for learners at every stage, from high school students and undergraduates to working professionals and institutional leaders.

By combining technical fluency with curiosity, critical thinking and creativity, and civic responsibility, Denison is building the talent, partnerships, and leadership that will help Ohio thrive in an AI-driven future.

Google

Google's Ohio footprint spans New Albany, Lancaster, and Columbus, where its data centers and cloud region form a core pillar of the state's digital backbone. Since 2019, the company has invested more than $20 billion in the state. Recent additions focus on meeting growing demand for Google's digital products and services, including Google Cloud, Search, Maps, and YouTube, along with technologies Ohioans rely on, everything from online banking to hospitals and 911 systems. The company recently announced projects in Allen and Scioto counties.

That buildout cements Ohio's position as a national information infrastructure hub. Beyond physical servers, Google's local investments support digital skill building, grid innovation, and community stewardship, positioning its Ohio locations as hubs of digital transformation for the Midwest.

For Ohio, Google is a foundational infrastructure player, pairing long-term capital investment with growing demand for fiber and technical talent.

JobsOhio

JobsOhio is helping position Ohio as a national hub for AI, data, and advanced technology investment. The state's private economic development corporation has been central to Ohio's rise to No. 1 in the CNBC Top States for Business rankings and attracting major projects like Anduril, Intel, and Centrus, pairing business recruitment with the infrastructure and workforce needed to support them.

Beyond dealmaking, JobsOhio is also backing workforce readiness through initiatives like AI Ready Ohio, a pilot program designed to help prepare Ohioans for AI-driven jobs and economic growth. That mix of talent development and corporate attraction has helped make Ohio increasingly competitive in the AI economy.

For Ohio, JobsOhio's role is bigger than landing headlines: it is helping build the conditions for long-term AI growth across the state.

LainaHealth

Dublin-based LainaHealth is using AI to make physical therapy more accessible, affordable, and easier to deliver. The company pairs licensed physical therapists with a WebAI assistant to support patients remotely while giving providers better visibility into progress and outcomes.

Formerly known as IncludeHealth, LainaHealth says its model has delivered higher patient engagement and lower costs across commercial, employer, and government markets. Its platform is built to reduce friction for patients and streamline workflows for clinicians through digital enrollment, motion tracking, and automated outcomes collection.

That combination of clinical care and AI-driven automation has made LainaHealth a notable Ohio health-tech company helping scale care beyond the clinic.

Meta

Meta has established central Ohio as a primary site for Prometheus, among its most significant AI infrastructure developments. The New Albany campus, which has seen continuous growth since 2017, is evolving into a supercluster designed to power the company's AI-driven services. Together with its Bowling Green Data Center, these facilities serve as the anchor for Meta's statewide operational footprint.

To sustain this expansion, Meta has entered into long-term agreements with Vistra and Oklo to bolster nuclear energy production in Ohio, targeting the Perry and Davis-Besse plants alongside a proposed advanced campus in Pike County. Ohio accounts for half of the 6.6GW in nuclear capacity Meta is backing across the country, a commitment projected to generate thousands of construction roles and hundreds of permanent positions.

These data center investments represent billions in capital, contributing to the local tax base and supporting community initiatives. Meta has already directed over $7 million toward schools and non-profits in Franklin and Licking Counties, with an additional $266,000 reaching Wood County. For Ohio, Meta is acting as a major catalyst in the convergence of AI infrastructure, sustainable energy, and regional economic development.

Nationwide

Columbus-based Nationwide is using AI across its insurance and financial services business, with much of the work taking place in Ohio. The company says it has used those capabilities for more than a decade and is scaling them throughout its enterprise operations, customer experience, and sales support workflows.

Nationwide has also made a major financial commitment to technology, announcing a $1.5 billion investment through 2028 with 20 percent of those funds earmarked for AI. The company's enterprise AI initiatives include flagship efforts to transform business processes, exploratory initiatives that allow teams to experiment with new capabilities, and tools that bring AI into every associate's hands to make work easier, faster, and spark innovation. The company's goal is to have 90 percent of employees actively using everyday AI tools by 2027.

For Ohio, Nationwide's story shows how a Fortune 100 company can use AI at an enterprise scale to speed work while keeping humans at the center of key decision-making.

Northwoods

Dublin-based Northwoods is using generative AI to reduce the administrative burden on Ohio's health and human services workers. Its Traverse platform helps caseworkers quickly access case details, streamline documentation, and spend more time with the children and families they serve instead of paperwork.

Built for child protective services and broader human services work, Traverse supports secure case management and better safety decisions across the workflow.

For Ohio, the impact is simple and significant: better tools for frontline workers, faster agency workflows, and more focus on the people being served.

OH.io

OH.io is a privately funded Columbus startup platform built to make the city a national center for business-to-business (B2B) software and AI company growth. Backed by Ratmir Timashev, the initiative aims to recruit 100 startups, pair them with embedded go-to-market (GTM) support, and build the kind of physical and commercial infrastructure founders usually have to leave Ohio to find.

The model is different from a traditional venture fund. OH.io says it combines capital, an AI-driven GTM engine, and workspace to help startups scale revenue while keeping their equity.

For Ohio, OH.io represents an unusually ambitious bet on Columbus as a startup capital, with the goal of pulling global software and AI founders into the region and creating long-term tech jobs.

The Ohio Educational Service Center Association (OESCA)

The Ohio Educational Service Center Association (OESCA), leveraging the strength of its member ESCs, has become a key statewide delivery arm for AI education in Ohio. Working with aiEDU, OESCA has helped build teacher training, summits, and a nine-part professional learning series for Educational Service Center staff and district AI champions across the state.

That effort is backed by state support and designed to reach educators in all 88 counties, with professional development focused on AI literacy, readiness, privacy, and policy implementation. OESCA says the goal is to build local capacity so every district, regardless of size or resources, can responsibly adopt AI.

For Ohio, OESCA and the statewide network of ESCs are unsung but essential players, helping turn AI policy into practice by training the educators who will shape how students experience the technology.

The Ohio State University

The Ohio State University is making AI a campus-wide priority, pairing research, workforce development, and public-interest innovation under one umbrella. Its AI(X) Hub is designed to bring researchers, clinicians, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders together to accelerate discovery and use artificial intelligence for the public good.

The AI(X) Hub spans 15 colleges and focuses on six pillars: foundations; health; business, engineering, sciences and humanities; agriculture; cybersecurity; and trustworthy AI.

Ohio State is also embedding AI more directly into undergraduate education through its AI Fluency initiative, which will enable the class of 2029 and beyond to graduate fluent in applying AI to their field of study.

Beyond teaching, Ohio State is advancing applied AI research through partnerships like NextGenAI and programs tied to therapeutics, data science, and advanced computing. For Ohio, that makes Ohio State a central institution in building the state's AI talent pipeline and research base.

Parallax Advanced Research

Beavercreek-based Parallax Advanced Research is helping move AI from the lab into mission-ready use. The nonprofit works across government, industry, and academia to advance autonomy, digital engineering, and AI programs with national security and dual-use applications.

Over the past two years, Parallax has stood up new Ohio testbeds and programs spanning areas such as autonomy, neuromorphic computing, and precision urban agriculture, turning multiple pilots from concept into field evaluation with local partners. Its work is designed to accelerate innovation while creating practical pathways for transition and deployment.

With deep Ohio roots and a broad research network, Parallax has become a key connector in the state's AI economy, helping promising technologies move from research to real-world impact.

Path Robotics

Columbus-based Path Robotics is building what it calls physical AI for manufacturing, starting with autonomous welding systems that can see, adapt, and learn on the factory floor. The company says its technology is designed to help fill skilled labor gaps while increasing throughput and flexibility in industrial production.

That pitch is now showing up in major industrial and defense applications. Path recently signed deals with HII, America's largest military shipbuilder, and autonomous vessel maker Saronic to bring its welding automation into shipbuilding. Those partnerships extend Path's reach beyond traditional fabrication shops into a more strategic role in U.S. manufacturing and naval production.

Path is one of the clearest examples of a homegrown company turning AI into real-world industrial capacity. Its Ohio roots, heavy investment, and rapid expansion have made it a standout in the state's robotics and advanced manufacturing economy.

PipeAid

PipeAid got its start inside an engineering firm, using computer vision and AI to automate sewer inspection coding for a workforce that was already stretched thin. The technology eventually spun out as its own independent company, reflecting how broadly it could be applied beyond its original home.

Columbus-based PipeAid takes sewer inspection video and turns it into map data that drives real-world action. PipeAid's AI standardizes defect coding, giving utility owners and engineering firms more consistent data for maintenance and capital planning. The company now works with partners and clients across the country, bringing Ohio-built infrastructure AI to a national market.

That combination of practical utility, engineering credibility, and scalable AI has made PipeAid a notable example of homegrown innovation turned standalone company.

Root Insurance

Columbus-based Root Insurance is one of Ohio's biggest startup-to-success stories. Founded in 2015, Root built its business on mobile technology, machine learning, and data science to transform the auto insurance industry by making driving behavior the foundation of how car insurance is priced rather than relying solely on traditional demographic factors.

Root scaled quickly from a Columbus startup to a public company, launching its IPO in 2020. Not quite a decade after selling its first policies, Root surpassed $1.5 billion in revenue in 2025, reaching the size and scale of Columbus peers founded nearly a century ago. Today, it is the largest publicly traded auto insurtech in the United States by written premium.

As AI reshapes the insurance industry, Root is applying the technology across its core business, from pricing and underwriting to claims, engineering, and customer experience, to make insurance faster, more personalized, and more efficient. The company has expanded beyond its direct-to-consumer roots through partnerships with leading automotive and financial platforms, integrating insurance into digital experiences consumers already use.

That growth, backed by major venture funding, a growing customer base, and continued investment in AI innovation, has made Root a symbol of Ohio's ability to produce nationally significant tech companies. Root has remained headquartered in Columbus while expanding its product offerings and partnership ecosystem nationwide, helping strengthen central Ohio's reputation as a growing hub for technology and innovation.

State of Ohio

Ohio is setting the pace on AI governance in both government and education. The state has released a formal AI policy for state government that sets guardrails for responsible implementation, while the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce has issued a model AI policy that all traditional public school districts, community schools, and STEM schools were required to adopt by July 1, 2026.

Those education rules make Ohio one of the first states to require local AI policies in K-12, with the model policy addressing appropriate use by students and staff and emphasizing privacy, integrity, and human-centered use. The state government policy similarly focuses on training, procurement, security, privacy, and a multi-agency AI Council to oversee adoption.

For Ohio, that means the state is actively leading on how AI should be used across classrooms and agencies rather than simply reacting to it, making policy itself part of the AI economy.

Ubihere, Inc.

Hilliard-based Ubihere is turning ordinary camera systems into real-time spatial intelligence tools. Its Ubivision platform uses computer vision and AI to track objects and events across multi-camera environments, helping businesses understand movement and activity across a full operating site.

Ubihere says the system is designed to work on-site with existing cameras or through a secure cloud setup, and it has been recognized as one of Columbus Business First's 2025 "Startups to Watch." The company's broader vision is to move beyond single-camera analytics and create a unified view of complex operations.

Ubihere represents the kind of deep-tech startup that blends university research, computer vision, and practical enterprise use cases into a scalable product.

Upstart

Upstart is a standout Ohio startup-to-scale story built on AI and machine learning. Founded in 2012, the company uses its lending platform to price credit and automate borrowing in ways that expand access to affordable loans.

Upstart opened its Columbus R&D center in 2019 and quickly turned the city into a major hub for software engineering, data science, and operations. That growth helped Columbus become the company's "HQ2" and one of its largest offices.

The company later went public, cementing its rise from startup to nationally significant fintech. For Ohio, Upstart is a strong example of an AI company that chose Columbus for talent, scaled fast, and became a major employer while keeping a deep local footprint.

Twenty-five companies and organizations can't capture everything happening in Ohio AI right now, and that's rather the point. We received submissions from across the state, and the process was highly competitive. Consider this list a snapshot, and an early one at that.

A project like this depends on two groups of people: those willing to nominate deserving leaders and those willing to take on the difficult work of reviewing those nominations. Our deepest thanks to the reviewers who read closely, weighed difficult tradeoffs, and lent their time and judgment to determining this year’s AI25 list:

Duane Powell, Miro Humer, Anthony Joy, Standish Stewart, Tony Pietrocola, Todd James, Pinak Barve, Aud Jucaitis, Jessica Sublett, Tim Grace, Jessica Kopelwitz, Colleen Bush, Kristy Campbell, Patricia Colella, Ilana Habib, Brian Boye, Cheryl Turnbull, Arun Moolchandani, Steve Cross, Fe MacKinnon, Tonjia Coverdale, Elizabeth Crowe, and Keith Instone.

Know someone who belongs on next year's list? Subscribe to OhioX and Ohio Tech News to be among the first to learn about nominations: https://www.ohiox.org/subscribe