Entrepreneur Magazine predicts Queen City's startup scene 'about to hit'
University of Cincinnati and 1819 Innovation Hub cited as reasons Cincinnati is poised to become 'the premier Midwestern startup city'
After spending two years traveling the country and investigating startup ecosystems in search of which city's would "next," Entrepreneur Magazine contributor Jeff Barrett has concluded that Cincinnati's startup scene is "about to hit."
"The 1819 Innovation Hub, which opened this year at the University of Cincinnati, is the hub for where large companies fill their talent pipelines and mentor future startups," Barrett wrote in a recent piece for Entrepreneur.com. "UC President Neville Pinto's vision is to make the university a leading competitor in creating immediate opportunities for its students. The program is attracting many large companies."
The 1819 Innovation Hub and the university's Innovation Agenda are key components of UC's strategic direction, Next Lives Here.
The recently announced partnership between UC and Worldpay plays prominently in the Entrepreneur piece, creating "an instant fintech hub" that gives students the opportunity to gain industry experience.
Entrepreneur names CincyTech, one of the largest and most active seed funds in Southwest Ohio, as another key reason for the Queen City's emergence as the Midwest's premier startup city. CincyTech now calls the 1819 Innovation Hub home. Furthermore, the article lists CincyTech CEO Mike Venerable as one of the top three guides to Cincinnati's startup ecosystem. "He's a tremendous asset for the region and surprisingly approachable for someone with a busy schedule," Barrett wrote.
Innovation Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is classified as a Research 1 institution by the Carnegie Commission, is ranked in the National Science Foundation's Top-35 public research universities and secured a spot on Reuter’s World’s Most Innovative Universities list. UC's students and faculty investigate problems and innovate solutions with real-world impact. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
UC co-op offers a glimpse into the future
March 12, 2026
UC engineering student Savannah Dickens wore many hats at companies during her co-op rotations. She will graduate this spring and a has a job lined up with Davey Resource Group in Akron, Ohio.
Engineers develop deft solution to orient robots in space
March 11, 2026
To keep a repair robot stable while fixing satellites in space, University of Cincinnati engineers took a page from experts in balance: bull riders. UC College of Engineering and Applied Science graduate student James Talavage and Professor Ou Ma looked at simple but effective ways for a robot to maintain orientation while working on a broken satellite in zero gravity.
Student Lighting Designer named 2026 Howell Binkley Fellow
March 10, 2026
University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music student Jules Cabrera, MFA Lighting Design and Technology, is the 2026 Howell Binkley Fellow, presented by Hemsley Lighting Programs.