- The one-time headquarters of B.F. Goodrich Co. has been transformed into Canal Place, home of the Bounce Innovation Hub. Founded in 2018, Bounce is the region’s first open innovation hub. The building has office, lab, light manufacturing and co-working space. Bounce is home to more than 50 organizations and more than 200 people in various industries.
- In 2018, MAGNET (Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network) opened two Akron offices to assist small to medium manufacturers. More than 600 metalworking, electronics, machining and polymer-linked manufacturers call Greater Akron home. They make everything from artificial joints to everyday household products.
- BioEnterprise offers entrepreneurs in the healthcare industry access to bioscience venture capital, private equity and grant funding opportunities. It also creates relationships between founders and world-class clinical and research organizations.
- Akron’s Small Business Development Center, part of the U.S. Small Business Administration, is a valuable resource in any industry.
- The University of Akron’s I-Corps is a public-private partnership that teaches grantees to identify product opportunities in their academic research.
- The Greater Akron Chamber’s Business Owners Council (Small Business Council) represents the interests of all businesses with fewer than 250 employees in Medina, Portage and Summit counties.
- Entrepreneurial pitch competitions and other efforts steered by local partners have focused on maintaining the area’s legacy as a catalyst for technological advancement.
- Spark Akron is a principle of Elevate Akron, to unleash and stoke Akron’s latent innovation and startup potential by realizing the potential of Bounce, providing intensive support for emerging high-tech firms, and reinvigorating connections between firms and research universities.
- The OSC Tech Lab was the first co-working space in downtown Akron for freelancers, remote workers and small business. It’s also helped foster collaboration for key groups of startup enthusiasts.
- There are many more resources for entrepreneurs and innovators in Greater Akron. Check out this list.
