Talent Dividend : Featured Stories

From student business ideas to cutting-edge medical research, The Ohio State University Technology Commercialization Office is revolutionizing how companies are created on campus. Now, thanks to a new partnership with TechColumbus, the TCO promises to bring ideas to market even faster -- and make sure these startups have the resources needed to grow.

In the past decade, the Youngstown Business Incubator has created more than 400 software jobs in downtown Youngstown. Nearly all of these 32 companies are still in the heart of the Mahoning Valley. hiVelocity recently caught up with YBI Chief Evangelist Jim Cossler to talk about Youngstown's burgeoning tech scene and his unusual model of not graduating companies.

Toledo's tech entrepreneurs say that Northwest Ohio is nourishing startups by offering funding, business support and peer-to-peer collaboration. Can the growing entrepreneurial scene here bring new life to this traditional manufacturing town? Here's a look at three Toledo companies -- Classbag, Netronex and Seed Coworking -- shaking things up in The Glass City.

How does an incorrect soda price at a retailer lead to an emerging tech company? Just ask Case student Mark Lorkowski, who came up with the idea for an electronic shelf display system while shopping for a case of Mountain Dew. With Lorktech, he hopes to drink up a portion of the $250 billion flexible electronics market.

What's the best thing a city can do to achieve more economic success? Increase its number of college graduates. The most prosperous cities have the highest number of college grads. Read how the Talent Dividend calculates just how much college degrees add to a city's bottom line--think billions--and why cities from Cleveland to Cincinnati are among the 57 cities competing for the million dollar prize to boost college attainment.