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
Local media highlight completion of Blood Cancer Healing Center fourth and fifth floors
March 16, 2026
Local media including WLWT and the Cincinnati Business Courier highlighted the opening of research laboratories and the UC Osher Wellness Suite and Learning Kitchen at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center’s Blood Cancer Healing Center.
Trial results support weekly buprenorphine treatment of opioid use disorder during pregnancy
March 16, 2026
Supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), researchers led by the University of Cincinnati's John Winhusen published clinical trial results in JAMA Internal Medicine that found administering weekly injectable extended-release buprenorphine for treatment of opioid use disorder during pregnancy led to higher rates of abstinence from illicit opioids than buprenorphine given daily under the tongue, one of the standard methods of treatment.
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.