About

The Office of Innovation was formed in 2017 when the University’s 30th president, Dr. Neville G. Pinto, completed a new strategic direction called “Next Lives Here” with an Innovation Agenda as one of its primary platforms.

Since its creation, this office has:

• Developed a ‘front door’ process for industry partners to access talent, and recruited nine strategic partners to co-locate next to the university in the 1819 Innovation Hub.

• Attracted over 50,000 students, faculty, staff, and community members in its first year of operation.

• Generated record commercialization metrics for the Univ. of Cincinnati in terms of inventions and startups launched.

• Developed tiered licensing options for industry, that make it clear upfront that we are serious about doing business and generating deal flow.

• Implemented an ‘express license’ option to increase the velocity of potential startups.

• Brought online a makerspace + microfactory serving the entire university, that has seen over 1,400 users in its first 9 months of operation.

• Recruited CincyTech (entrepreneurial service provider for Southwest Ohio) to the 1819 Innovation Hub to support entrepreneurial efforts.

• Hosted academic classes in the 1819 building focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, cross-disciplinary problem-solving, or engagement with industry.