A new online research portal will more efficiently deliver research and innovation opportunities to both industry and Ohio’s academic institutions, facilitating partnerships, expanding workforce and funding opportunities, and fostering economic development throughout the region.

The Ohio Innovation Exchange (OIEx), launched today by the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE), connects industry with faculty, students, equipment, and facilities available at Ohio’s research universities. OIEx consolidates these academic resources from multiple universities into a single, searchable, and easily accessible web portal at www.ohioinnovationexchange.org. OIEx provides extensive search functionality and an intuitive interface that allows visitors to:

• Find relevant experts and suitable potential collaborators
• Explore each institution’s publications, patents, and equipment
• Connect with the OIEx network of industry liaisons to find more information and create relationships with researchers and institutions

An initiative of ODHE and built by research technology company Digital Science, OIEx was originally developed by four Ohio universities with industry support from the Ohio Manufacturing Institute. OIEx is now a publicly available platform that, in its current phase, provides industry in search of expertise with free access to more than 8,250 faculty members and 900 resources from the following universities:

• Case Western Reserve University
• Cleveland State University
• The Ohio State University
• Ohio University
• The University of Akron
• The University of Cincinnati

From research partnerships, intellectual property, and technology licensing opportunities to business development and even student internships, OIEx brings those connections to bear, and the scope of OIEx will expand further as other institutions join.

“It is critical to our state’s economy that we utilize every aspect of our knowledge and innovation talent across the public and private sectors” said ODHE Chancellor John Carey. “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve created with OIEx - better connecting the experts and resources at our state research universities to the industries that can utilize them to push their breakthrough ideas to fruition.”

“We have experienced much success working with universities to advance our research and product initiatives,” said Margaret Barkett, associate director, the Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital. “But it’s not always obvious who we should partner with, so making those connections in a timely manner can be difficult. We’re excited to use OIEx to jump-start these partnerships, and our own innovations.”

“Ohio University is thrilled to join in the launch and successful operation of the Ohio Innovation Exchange. As a development partner since its inception, we believe, now more than ever, that OIEx represents a best-in-class solution to connect the resources of Ohio’s universities to the private sector,” said Kevin King, director of industry partnerships at Ohio University. “My office stands ready, as part of the OIEx Rapid Response Team, to ensure portal users are able to effectively link to Ohio University assets and translate their queries into valuable collaborations.”

“Ohio University’s ecosystem of innovation, research and entrepreneurship is a perfect fit for the Ohio Innovation Exchange,” Ohio University President M. Duane Nellis said. “Ohio University, its students and alumni added $2.9 billion to the state’s economy in 2016-17, and we look forward to increasing that further through the partnerships that will stem from the Exchange.”