When it comes to the tech revolution, it’s not all about the coasts or the biggest cities. 

Although areas like Silicon Valley continue to dominate the headlines and the public imagination, there’s an undercurrent of tech growth and innovation in “Heartland” and “Rust Belt” areas like Ohio.

Ohio may not be the first place to come to mind when you hear “Tech hub,” but there is a steady climb in advancement, starting with being the first state to accept Bitcoin tax payments.

Chris Berry, President and CEO of OhioX, has first-hand experience of how Ohio’s tech boom is evolving and how that affects the landscape as a whole.

He aspires to help get Ohio on the map as a tech hub — without dismantling what makes it a unique setting — and to encourage today's students to explore a career in computer science. 

The uniquely collaborative nature of Ohio’s tech industry

Unlike the clustered setting of metro areas such as Manhattan, Chicago, Atlanta, or Boston, Ohio — much like Florida, California, and Texas — has three main metro areas, spread out:

• Cleveland
• Columbus
• Cincinnati

How does that affect how financial and tech companies communicate, and where does OhioX step in?

“If you look at financial services, there are incredible companies in all of our major metro regions, and we're connected by an easy highway system,” Berry said. “And so, in a lot of ways, OhioX is taking something simple and making it easier to connect, promote, and advocate.”

It’s a regular occurrence for Ohio natives to drive between the “Three C’s,” making them more connected than one would expect in such a layout.

OhioX’s mission of connecting, promoting, and advocating financial services couldn’t have chosen a better outlet to achieve those goals, and we at Upstart share their affinity for that special Ohio collaboration.

The two main pain points in Ohio’s tech landscape

What are two essential elements of a thriving metro area? 

• Capital — funds, resources, etc.
• Talent — bright minds, innovation, go-getters.

Without those two supports, growth slows and industries suffer.

Capital

The majority of venture capital dollars flow between San Francisco, Boston, and New York, with Ohio in the 1% of national funding.

“For a state that is the eighth largest in terms of population, with all these big industries — I think we have 54 Fortune 1000 companies, a very large base of potential sales opportunities for startups — we are still not attracting and earning the venture capital investment dollars and larger share of the pie than we should,” Berry said.

There are changes on the horizon to better position Ohio to receive the support it needs to excel but, in the meantime, it takes a little extra intention and collaboration to move the tech needle.

Talent

Ohio’s population isn’t growing as quickly as southern and western states. Though vibrancy and energy rev in Columbus — Upstart and OhioX's home base — the numbers still struggle.

“A lot of students will go off to Chicago or New York. I went to the East Coast, myself, and I came back a couple of years later,” Berry said. “We have a ton of universities and community colleges, but we also export a lot of talent. There's some population challenges in terms of keeping that talent.”

Graduates looking to start their careers in tech and computer science go where the jobs are. And though COVID-19 did much to narrow the gap between residence and opportunity, there are still challenges in providing the right positions at the volume needed to retain all those bright minds.  

Initiatives to expose K-12 students in Ohio to skills and careers in tech

One initiative meant to further cement Ohio as a tech hub comes in the form of nurturing interests and expanding awareness across K-12 students to foster a connection early on.

“There's also a lot of movement around rescaling and upskilling,” Berry said. “Whether it's tech apprenticeships or helping companies — maybe larger grocery store chains — take someone that has been a cashier or a bagger, that knows the industry because they're interacting with customers, and move them into career trajectory opportunities.”

Through reskilling and upskilling initiatives, the future is brighter for tech in Ohio. The more students of all ages are introduced to the possibilities in tech, the more likely they are to choose that path.

“If we wait for students to self-select that they're going to go to Ohio State or Case Western or Miami or the University of Cincinnati, and then self-select that they're going to go into computer science, and then self-select that they want to go into a tech career — we've already lost out on 95 or 99.9% of potential tech workers because they just don't know it's an option,” Berry said.

OhioX advocates for this initiative through Ohio Tech Day, a time meant to inspire students to consider and explore innovative careers. This day connects schools at the local level with tech companies, where they can actively build relationships through career days, campus visits, and even company tours. 

Internships, apprenticeships, and spreading awareness about innovation careers are all byproducts of a mission to connect, promote, and advocate for the betterment of Ohio. 

Stay tuned for new episodes every other week on the Leaders in Lending Podcast.