The University of Dayton has joined with the University of Cincinnati and three other universities in the region in a partnership that will greatly increase the resources and opportunities available to the region's early-stage startups.

Startups formed to commercialize intellectual property developed at the University of Dayton, Wright State University, Xavier University, and Cincinnati State Technical and Community College are now eligible for placement in UC's Venture Lab pre-accelerator program at its 1819 Innovation Hub. Startups from each university and college can now connect to the entrepreneurial talent they need to launch their businesses.

"Partnering has always been a key to success for the University of Dayton, especially with respect to innovation, which is part of Dayton’s DNA," said University of Dayton President Eric F. Spina. "As such, we are excited to join our regional universities in building an entrepreneurial ecosystem to commercialize more of Ohio’s inventions by companies in Ohio." 

The seven-week Venture Lab program connects innovative startup founders with talent and entrepreneurial expertise, speeding up the process of getting ideas to market. Venture Lab will play a critical role in maximizing the strengths of each institution while also providing a swift track for future startups to thrive.

The partnership, which brings together private and public universities, is the first of its kind led by a public urban research university in the Midwest and among the first in the nation.

"Working together, we can move ideas faster than what any of us could do individually," says UC Chief Innovation Officer David J. Adams. "Universities are the strongest generators of startups. As a unified group, we can attract even more prosperity to this region and move at the speed that the knowledge economy demands. The 1819 Innovation Hub is the nexus that brings all of these efforts together."

More than a dozen Venture Lab graduate startups — and counting — have attracted funding. Since July 2019, Venture Lab has connected companies with more than $1.4 million funding from grants and UC investment. 

The 1819 Innovation Hub is recognized by Forbes as one of the country’s top 50 innovation hubs, and anchors the Uptown Innovation Corridor, recognized by The Global Institute On Innovation Districts as one of just 27 innovation districts in the United States. 

For more on the partnership, visit University Partnership FAQs.