Ohio's new onMain Innovation Hub in Dayton, supported by state funding, will drive digital technology advancements in aviation and defense. Through collaboration with various partners, the hub aims to create 2,000 jobs, generate $39 million in tax revenue, and attract $500 million in research dollars by 2031. Led by the University of Dayton and Premier Health, the hub will focus on STEM workforce development.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik announced Aug. 19 that Dayton has been selected as the site of Ohio's second innovation hub.
Supported with $35 million in state funding from the Ohio Innovation Hubs Program, the new onMain Innovation Hub will bring together government, academia and private sector industry partners to make Dayton a global leader in the research and development of digital transformation technologies. The project also is supported with a local match of at least $23 million and a private sector investment of up to $37 million.
State funding will primarily be used to construct the onMain Innovation Hub's Digital Transformation Center (DTC) on the former Montgomery County fairgrounds site in the greater downtown Dayton area. The DTC will serve as the hub's headquarters, where partners will collaborate to create digital technology that will drive advancements in aviation and national defense. Among its top priorities, the onMain Innovation Hub will support the digital transformation of the U.S. Air Force to revolutionize how it designs and manufactures everything from airplanes and missiles to sensors, hardware, software and more.
"The Miami Valley has always been a place where big ideas take flight, and the unprecedented collaboration that will happen under the umbrella of the onMain Innovation Hub will lead to digital technologies that will impact lives across the world," said DeWine. "This new collaboration will be transformative for this region, leading to more investments, more jobs and more of the world's most innovative thinkers calling Dayton home."
"The Dayton Innovation Hub will pull together the talent, research and private/public partnerships the region needs to be a world-class leader in digital integration for defense and aerospace," said Husted. "As for its location, this is something I and many others have worked on for a very long time as we transition the former site of the county fairgrounds into a world class hub for research and collaboration."
Led by onMain Inc., a collaborative venture between the University of Dayton and Premier Health, other key partners supporting the onMain Innovation Hub include Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the University of Dayton Research Institute, the city of Dayton, Montgomery County, JobsOhio and the Dayton Development Coalition. By 2031, partners anticipate that the work of the hub will lead to 2,000 new jobs, more than $39 million in additional state and local income tax revenue, and $500 million in new research dollars.
"From the groundbreaking achievements of the Wright Brothers to today's cutting-edge technological advancements, Dayton has a rich legacy of innovation," said Mihalik. "By investing in this Innovation Hub, the DeWine-Husted Administration will create new opportunities in the areas of research, technology, and manufacturing."
The onMain Innovation Hub will put significant focus on the development, attraction and retention of a highly educated and well-trained workforce capable of sustaining digital technology advancements in Dayton over the long term. Partners are striving for a 25 percent increase in regional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) graduate retention in Ohio by 2031, along with 1,400 individuals from non-traditional backgrounds in STEM careers, 3,000 additional STEM technical certifications and degrees, and 2,000 additional STEM internship opportunities.
"We are grateful for the vision and strong support of Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted and for the state's $35 million investment which will be used both to fund a highly functional building and to help build a digital future for the Dayton area," said University of Dayton President Eric F. Spina. "The signature facility at onMain will be a hub where innovation fuels both cutting-edge research and education, providing solutions for challenging problems and giving students extraordinary opportunities for hands-on experiences. Our partnership with the Air Force, other Dayton-area universities and colleges, and high-tech companies will open doors for students of all kinds — ranging from working professionals to local high-schoolers — ensuring a diverse and skilled workforce ready to lead in the digital age."
"Today's announcement brings new momentum and further strengthens the spirit of collaboration for which our region is well-known," said Mike Riordan, president and CEO of Premier Health. "The impact of this investment will be far-reaching, advancing the mission-driven work of many institutions and supporting the workforce of tomorrow."
"The Dayton region is taking a bold step into tomorrow's knowledge economy through onMain that will exponentially expand the work already being done in the digital technology area," said Brian Heitkamp, CEO of onMain. "This project builds upon our region's innovative culture. On behalf of onMain and our partners, we are grateful to the state of Ohio for their vote of confidence in this unique project."
The DeWine-Husted Administration developed the Ohio Innovation Hubs Program in partnership with the Ohio General Assembly last year to spur investment outside Ohio's major metro areas. A total of $125 million from the Ohio Innovation Hubs Program will be invested in the creation of innovation hubs across the state. Ohio's first innovation hub, the Northwest Ohio Glass Innovation Hub, was announced in Perrysburg in July.
For more information on the Ohio Innovation Hubs Program, visit development.ohio.gov.
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