Startups + VC
Veteran software operator Gerald Hetrick is tackling the costly hurdle of fractional CFO services by integrating with existing accounting tools to offer instant financial clarity. Through proactive alerts, the new software helps business owners anticipate cash gaps and track margins in real time.
Artificial Intelligence
AI25, presented by Ohio Tech News and OhioX, recognizes leaders turning artificial intelligence into real-world impact across Ohio — from startups and classrooms to hospitals, public agencies, manufacturing floors, and the capital backing what comes next.
Statewide Roundups
From a 249-person gathering in Cleveland to 827 leaders in Columbus, the milestone data points reveal how the state's flagship tech conference has expanded. The multi-state draw brought together 55 speakers, 30+ sponsors, and a waitlist that grew into triple digits.
Statewide Roundups
The fifth annual Ohio Tech Summit drew 827 founders, operators, investors, and policymakers to Ohio State — sold out, with travelers in from Pittsburgh to Denver. Inside a day on applied AI, re-industrialization, and the Ohio companies turning the state's structural advantages into products.
Partner Content
Columbus-based Aplos Data emerged from stealth as a Platinum Sponsor of the Ohio Tech Summit. Specializing in Palantir Technologies, the firm unifies fragmented tools into a single operational layer, helping organizations "Operate as One" through real-world AI implementation.
Statewide Roundups
The 2026 Ohio Tech Summit brings together Fortune 500 executives, investors, and founders at The Ohio State University on May 14. Featuring leaders from Nationwide, Path Robotics, and a keynote by Ratmir Timashev, the sold-out event explores the future of AI and re-industrialization.
Spotlights
Ohio tech leaders remain invested because the state has moved beyond early-stage hype into a period of execution and scale. By pairing deep industrial expertise with favorable tax policies and a maturing network of research and capital, Ohio offers a durable foundation for global innovation.
Corprorate Innovation
The 90-year-old institution is embedding itself within the venture studio to gain early visibility into fintech and emerging tech trends. By prioritizing market signals and founder relationships over simple vendor sourcing, the move aims to build long-term innovation capabilities.
Financial Services
Erebor Bank just became the first newly chartered national bank of Trump's second term — with $635 million in VC capital to finance defense-tech and hard tech, from a headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. It's the biggest bet yet on a post-SVB banking landscape.
Financial Services
Marking its fifth global tech hub, the insurer’s new Easton office joins major centers like Chicago and Hyderabad. The site will house 75 employees dedicated to AI and cloud architecture, signaling a strong bet on Central Ohio’s engineering talent to drive future innovation.
Startups + VC
The Cleveland startup digitizing the DMV has raised $55 million in its largest financing round to date. CEO Shane Bigelow calls it a "Netflix vs. Blockbuster" moment for the public sector, as their platform cuts title processing times from 60 days to mere hours for over 35 million Americans.
Statewide Roundups
Our analytics revealed an undeniable trend: you care about the mega-builds. From defense hubs to crypto banks, the most-viewed stories of 2025 weren't about potential—they were about production. See how the physical and financial backbone of American innovation is being built in Ohio.