The University of Cincinnati's 1819 Innovation Hub was founded in 2018 with a grand vision: "to attract and retain talent … to lead into a bold tomorrow."
Look to Ohio's governance to witness how, seven years after its founding, 1819 drives innovation in the Buckeye State. From 1819 leaders speaking at innovation conferences to the striking success of UC-backed startups, there's an indelible 1819 mark on Ohio.
Innovation lies at the heart of Ohio's long-term economic strategy, giving 1819 a chance to positively contribute to the state's future. Launched in 2018 as the centerpiece of the Cincinnati Innovation District, the first such district in the Buckeye State, the 1819 Innovation Hub's mission is to lead Ohio in the pursuit of forward-thinking development.
RJ Sargent, UC's assistant vice president of partner success, knows exactly why top figures in Ohio turn to 1819 for insights.
"Leaders in Columbus look to the 1819 Innovation Hub because we created the model for Ohio to connect world-class talent, cutting-edge research and industry partnerships to turn bold ideas into real impact," he says. "With a proven track record of helping organizations accelerate innovation, we help innovators discover novel insights and connect them with the resources and collaborators they need to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving world."
Sargent was also invited to speak at the Ohio AI Symposium. He mentioned how Cincinnati - particularly UC's 1819 Innovation Hub - is winning the war for AI talent in a cutthroat market.
"At 1819, we try to move at the speed of innovation," Sargent said at the Ohio AI Symposium. "But that's not fast enough right now; we need to move at the speed of AI. And we're trying to learn where great work is happening … so we can absorb that, copy the best and be able to move even faster."
The 1819 Innovation Hub isn't just speaking about innovation; it's sparking transformational change, too. The Venture Lab, an in-house startup incubator, perfectly encapsulates 1819's vision for building statewide success.
Since its inception in 2018, the 1819 Venture Lab has offered nearly $10 million in early-stage funding to promising Ohio startups. Airtrek Robotics, Band Connect and Kilele Health provide a sample of the over 300 ventures that have graduated from the Venture Lab.
Most recently, Venture Lab startups ComfortCath and MetaMol Theranostics won $200,000 each from the state of Ohio's Technology Validation and Startup Fund (TVSF). With plans to reengineer catheters and increase breast cancer detection rates, these ventures won state funding after receiving support from the 1819 Venture Lab and UC's Technology Transfer team.
Kate Harmon, assistant vice president of UC's Office of Innovation, is proud to observe the 1819 Venture Lab's victories becoming statewide successes.
"By focusing our resources on Cincinnati's earliest, 'top-of-funnel' high-potential entrepreneurs, the Venture Lab's impact in preparing companies for downstream growth and statewide investment has been transformational," Harmon says. "Our state's visionary support of founders has been instrumental in contributing to the advancement of our Venture Lab portfolio of startups and we look forward to the continued economic development and job creation these companies will foster in the years ahead."
The 1819 Innovation Hub's entrepreneurial buzz has electrified Ohio leadership, and they're coming to UC to discover what's working. Gov. Mike DeWine traveled to Cincinnati on Feb. 5 to discuss the school's pioneering co-op program, which U.S. News & World Report has ranked top five in the U.S.
Technological prowess regularly draws prominent Ohio figures to 1819, with then-Lt. Gov. Jon Husted visiting 1819 in June 2023 to meet Venture Lab graduate startup Clean Earth Rovers. "Clean Earth Rovers is a great example of our aspirations for the Cincinnati Innovation District," Husted said. "The makerspace at the 1819 center serves as a laboratory for academic research … ultimately, these homegrown entrepreneurs will fuel the future of the Cincinnati economy."
Husted returned to 1819 in August for the Ohio AI Forum, where he spoke about AI's ability to supercharge students' future careers. He emphasized Cincinnati's potential - and that of Ohio as a whole - in leading the charge on AI in the U.S.
DeWine and Husted joined many other statewide leaders in witnessing the transformational change pulsing from 1819 and powering the future of innovation in Ohio.
Featured image at top: View of downtown Columbus, Ohio. Photo/Unsplash
