Akron may have been built on rubber (Goodrich, Goodyear, Firestone), but today the city is forging ahead as a world-class center for high-tech industries such as advanced polymers and liquid crystals.
Yet, the greater Akron area is more than the sum of its 21,000 businesses, offering a wide blend of educational (University of Akron), cultural and recreational resources.
Like baseball? Take in a game at Canal Park, where the Akron Aeros battle it out with teams like the Binghamton Mets and the Harrisburg Senators. Are you the outdoor type? Hike or bike through 40,000 acres of parkland. Rock fan? Chrissie Hynde hails from here, as do the Black Keys and -- who could forget? -- Devo. There's also plenty to see under roof. Museums -- including the Inventor's Hall of Fame -- as well as wineries and top-flight restaurants make Akron a vibrant city on the move.
Larry Miner is founder of Ring Rang, a service that notifies businesses of potential customers.
James Hilton is co-founder of Quixby, an Internet startup that helps people build custom computers.
Manoj Sinha is founder of LapKeyBoard, a comfortable, ergonomic keyboard.
Stephen Spoonamore is co-founder of ABSMaterials, a company that provides solutions for clean and affordable water.
Courtney Gras is a cofounder of Design Flux Technolgies, LLC, which has made the first all-in-one energy management system for batteries.
Brian Deagan is cofounder of Knotice, whose software allows marketers to reduce their costs while providing relevant marketing messages and digital experiences to consumers.