A new center aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and innovation among students has opened at Ohio State University.
Students, faculty, university leaders and business builders celebrated the grand opening of the new Student Entrepreneurship Center in the Gateway District on Wednesday. The center, established by students for students with support from The Ohio State University’s College of Design, provides young business developers with a space where their innovations can flourish. The building will also serve as the new home for the Tim and Kathleen Keenan Entrepreneurship Center.
“This center will serve as a nexus between our campus and the Columbus community, between up-and-coming Buckeye entrepreneurs and industry veterans, and our students who can share and combine their expertise to create the next big thing,” said Ohio State University President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. “This center will be a critical resource for our students in terms of space, mentorship, support for all of their ideas, and the tools to bring them to fruition.”
Features of the Entrepreneurship Center include modular spaces, meeting rooms, adjustable lighting, state-of-the-art audio-visual technology and smart boards.
“The Keenan Center works alongside traditional classroom education to foster and grow entrepreneurship across campus by offering hands-on workshops, competitions, and mentorship from faculty and alumni,” said Peter Mohler, executive vice chancellor for Research, Innovation and Knowledge. “Through these efforts, we’re creating a community of students who are passionate about entrepreneurship and innovation.”
One of those students is Devi Dikshita Nerakurti, a biomedical sciences major and co-founder of SmileChild, a student-founded nonprofit that aims to reduce infant mortality by educating caregivers on self-care and infant care through a module-based mobile app. The startup received funding from the President’s Buckeye Accelerator in 2023.
“Having a clear space for entrepreneurship means having integrated resources, mentorship, and a safe space to speak to people with diverse backgrounds and experiences,” Nerakurti says. “In other words, a place where inspiration and passion can take hold and potentially change lives.”
Ohio Department of Higher Education Commissioner Mike Duffy said there is a growing enthusiasm for entrepreneurship and innovation in Ohio and he hopes the center will support that growth. Also on hand at the grand opening was Ohio State alumnus and entrepreneur Jesse Tyson, who runs a Starbucks franchise in the new student center. Tyson agreed that there is growing support for student entrepreneurship and said students are realizing they can start a business and contribute to their community at the same time.
The building is a state-of-the-art space with resources to help students on their entrepreneurial journey – from early idea to successful startup and beyond. Tim Keenan said the center is a way to help student entrepreneurs be as successful as he was when he was a student.
“When I was here at Ohio State, we had a professor who quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson: ‘Don’t go where the road is. Go instead where there is no road and leave a trail,'” Keenan said. “And that’s what we’ve done. We’ve left a trail for the students here, and we want you to widen that trail.”
Other features of the center include:
- Specialized programs and educational opportunities for students, customized to develop entrepreneurial skills and knowledge.
- Individualized mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs who guide and support students in their entrepreneurial endeavors.
- It provides access to a community of like-minded entrepreneurs and creatives, offering opportunities for networking and collaboration.
- Access to Startup Studio services that provide the facilities and tools students need to realise their entrepreneurial ambitions.
