Columbus : Featured Stories

Columbus was recently ranked the 8th hottest technology job market in the U.S., lending credence to what many locals already know. Take a tour through the capital city's renewed neighborhoods and vibrant downtown with Mayor Michael Coleman as your trusty guide, and find out how a city once dismissively referred to as "cowtown" is rapidly becoming a startup city.

A few years ago, Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood was considered to be endangered by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Today, it is a redevelopment success story. That's partially due to startups that are not only fueling the state's economy, but also aiding the redevelopment of urban neighborhoods. ONE Fund accelerators have ignited demand for rehabilitated office space in Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland, bringing a new, exciting energy to their cities. 

A not-so-quiet revolution is taking place at the Entrepreneurship Innovation Center at Lorain County Community College. The organizations and companies located here are helping to propel Ohio's innovation economy forward. Now its newest tenant, the National Association of Seed and Venture Funds, is launching educational programs and a national conference to build on the momentum.

Ohio's aerospace industry is one of the strongest in the country, yet its continued prominence is by no means assured. In the past few years, fierce global competition, rapid industry change and a fragmented business sector were real threats to our ongoing success. Yet now, the newly-created Ohio Aerospace and Aviation Council is offering a unified voice for the industry and creating a platform for continued growth.

Startup veteran and Ohio native Lisa Delp was recently appointed Ohio Third Frontier's new Executive Director. In this interview, she discusses how far we've come in creating a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, and how Ohio Third Frontier's new focus areas will help grow our high tech economy.

Recently, a group of self-proclaimed hackers, hustlers and hipsters traveled on a Startup Bus from Ohio to Austin, Texas for the South by Southwest Interactive conference. They had 72 hours to create a great product idea. Recently, hiVelocity caught up with Greg Svitak, the Bus Conductor, to talk about what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur and the growth of Ohio's tech community.

Derek Brown and Don Hunter both know something about the value of acceptance. They excelled in the Honors-PLUS program at the Carl Lindner H. College of Business at the University of Cincinnati with the help of critical scholarships. Last year, they also launched an online platform that helps fine arts administrators and applicants to simplify the college admissions process. They're living proof that the entrepreneurial ecosystem is alive and well across Ohio.