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THE DISTRICT

PROXIMITY MATTERS

More than just a concept, the Cincinnati Innovation District is a destination where creative collisions occur and people, companies and organizations solve problems that matter. Stretching from I-71 to I-75 in the heart of Cincinnati’s vibrant Uptown neighborhoods, the CID attracts, produces and retains talent by co-locating and collaborating with the companies that need it. The CID leverages proximity with the University of Cincinnati, a Carnegie level 1 research institution, as well as other innovation anchors like Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, NIOSH and the EPA. Companies from start-up to Fortune 500 are locating in the CID for frictionless collaboration and unprecedented access to talent.

1819 INNOVATION HUB

The 1819 Innovation Hub is the nerve center of the Cincinnati Innovation District. The repurposed and reinvigorated former Sears, Roebuck & Co. building serves as an ecosystem and catalyst for collaboration between industry and talent by co-locating companies from startup to Fortune 500 with the UC Venture Lab (a startup accelerator program), the Groundfloor Makerspace and the Office of Technology Transfer. 

Strategically located near the triangle of trauma-1 hospitals, UC’s uptown campus, College of Medicine and the Digital Futures Complex, the 1819 Innovation Hub has been the home of innovative programming and events connecting students, faculty, local and regional business people — all working together to develop inspired solutions to current and future problems.

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Venture Lab

The Venture Lab is where startup opportunities and entrepreneurial talent / investors collide. An activation point for myriad startup opportunities, Venture Lab attracts entrepreneurial talent and investors looking to bring ideas to life. The space hosts 1819 Innovation Hub staff, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, coaches, curated service providers, and subject matter experts.

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Makerspace

Where ideas take shape, the 12,000-square-foot prototyping and microfactory facility is an incubator for research, exploration, and the creation of new objects, and products. From inspiration to physical manifestation, the MakerSpace provides training, support, and guidance in the use of a broad array of tools from the traditional to the state-of-the-art, including high-performance 3D printers, laser cutters, a CNC router, and a waterjet cutter.

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DIGITAL FUTURES COMPLEX

The mission continues with the opening of the first building in the Digital Futures Complex, a 600,000-square-foot mixed-use development which houses UC’s Interdisciplinary Research Institute.  

INNOVATION ANCHORS

Strategically located in the urban center of Cincinnati, the CID allows students, researchers and business leaders to share knowledge and intellectual property in person, while also offering easy access to downtown and seamless transportation options. Our mission is leading the way for heartland cities to stop the exodus of talent and transform into vibrant centers of economic activity.

JOIN THE DISTRICT

The district is fortunate to have a vibrant cluster of innovation assets. The University of Cincinnati, a Carnegie Level 1 research institution, is nearly 50K students strong and produces $500M+ annually in research. The economic engine of the university fuels the needs of employers to support their growth in talent: students, research and educational. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) is a world-class, preeminent children’s hospital system and health care research center. CCHMC is a trailblazer in healthcare research and a dominant leader in pediatric care. The EPA has a national center focused on environmental issues. These innovation anchors are a strong attractor of talent.

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