Ohio University

The Innovation Center provides valuable business incubation resources to fuel the economy in Athens, Ohio and surrounding regions. Created in 1983, the Ohio University Innovation Center was the first university-based business incubator in the State of Ohio and just the 12th in the United States. The current 36,000 square foot facility, which opened in 2003, is now home to 16 prospering member companies.

The Innovation Center provides a considerable range of resources including, but not limited to, the following:

• Area for professional use including office space, labs, and meeting space, all leased at competitive rates
• Flexible space and lease options intended to allow companies room to expand
  
• Access to seasoned expert professionals who can coach and provide erudite insight
• Shared access to exclusive office equipment that grants your small business team access to printing, copying, faxing, scanning, high speed Internet, conference phones and more
  

By becoming an Innovation Center client, you are also gaining access to our extensive list of business partners.

What Is Business Incubation?

True to its name, a business incubator provides a carefully designed environment with just the right climate for something young and fragile to grow. By providing resources and guidance, a business incubator like the Innovation Center maximizes the chances of success by providing business owners with the resources and guidance they need. The grim statistics are common knowledge: an overwhelming percentage of new businesses left to survive on their own fail after only a short time. By comparison (according to smallbusinessnotes.com), over 80% of companies with roots in an incubator are still in operation today.