Brian Adams redefines software delivery through product and purpose

Brian Adams is redefining how software gets built — and how Ohio builds its tech community. As CEO of Seven Hills Technology, he leads with a product-driven, AI-enabled mindset that’s transforming the way teams deliver digital solutions. By integrating tools such as Claude Code, Cursor, and conversational models like ChatGPT and Claude, Brian has equipped his developers to code faster, collaborate smarter, and focus on strategy and user outcomes.

Under his leadership, Seven Hills Technology has evolved into a trusted partner for clients across industries, from real estate to restaurant tech, anchoring each engagement in business alignment, design thinking, and measurable results. Brian encourages his team to pair technical excellence with empathy, building systems that are efficient, scalable, and built to last.

Beyond his company, Brian plays a pivotal role in shaping Cincinnati’s innovation ecosystem. He serves as the Butler County Government Liaison for the Cincinnati AI Catalyst, helping bridge local government with emerging AI expertise. He’s also a featured speaker and workshop leader at Cincy AI Week, where he champions practical, responsible uses of AI to drive software development progress.

Community is central to Brians’ vision. He founded and hosts a monthly Product Management Meetup, mentors through ProductCamp, and sponsors the Cincy Tech Leaders forum — a quarterly event that brings together founders, engineers, and product leaders to discuss opportunities shaping the region’s future. Through these initiatives, he’s fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous learning that strengthens the entire Ohio tech landscape.

Brian's vision for Ohio innovation

Custom software only makes headlines when something disastrous happens, and we all know someone with a horror story. Brian believes these failures stem from misaligned incentives, poor relationships, and tech people who only care about the tech.

Seven Hills focuses on building software that actually meets business and user needs — not on how cool the tech stack is. It's a culture focused more on product and user needs, and less on specific technology niches. As the world races toward AI, Brian argues the human side of business matters more, not less.

Software development has gone global, and while that's fine, the tradeoffs are real. Lack of accountability, poor quality, all in service of maximizing profit. That's why Seven Hills focuses on being the kind of partner who has your back when things go wrong.

The Ohio piece is straightforward for Brian: he just likes building something here. That's why a huge chunk of Seven Hills' team is in Ohio, with the rest spread throughout the US. It's why he spends so much time building community in Cincinnati. At the end of the day, he believes in relationships over chasing dollars.

Picturing Ohio's next moonshot

Grand speculation isn't really Brian's style. But when he looks at where the truly innovative tech work is happening, it's mostly on the coasts.

At Seven Hills, the mission is to "build world-class software and people." Brian knows big tech and coastal companies can outpay anyone in Ohio, and therefore attract the top talent. But if Ohio companies commit to developing talent — not just competing on salary — they can build something worth staying for. Do that long enough, and Ohio can become a place that attracts top talent.

By uniting universities, government, and industry around a shared commitment to responsible AI and continuous learning, the state can attract world-class talent while developing homegrown innovators ready to solve complex, real-world challenges. That's how Ohio becomes the nation's most connected, collaborative hub for applied technology.

This profile is part of the OhioX and Ohio Tech News Next25, a series highlighting the leaders, 35 and under, driving the state's innovation economy. From responsible AI to medtech breakthroughs, discover the full class of 2025. Meet the Next25.