Greater Akron. Just right.

Greater Akron was once called the rubber capital of the world because the major tire companies called it home. Manufacturing tires was tough work. Stretching rubber over steel molds took muscle. The brawn left decades ago, but the brains remained. The University of Akron’s College of Polymer Science and Engineering is consistently ranked one of the top three programs in the world. An entrepreneurial culture has developed in place of manufacturing. A 2019 report by Go.Verizon rates Greater Akron among the top 50 U.S. places for innovation—the only Ohio area to make the list. The ranking is based on number of patents per 10,000 residents. Our Goldilocks size contributes to our innovative culture. We’re big but not too big. Entrepreneurs have easy access to corporate chief executives and other entrepreneurs. We’re collaborators. When you come up with a thorny problem, there’s always someone who knows someone who can help. We’re that kind of place.