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Ohio's Thomas Edison Program

Contact:  Ohio's Thomas Edison Program, Technology Division, Ohio Department of Development at 614-466-3887 or 1-800-848-1300

A network of non-profit organizations around the State are funded to provide services to new and existing businesses that will result in an increased percentage of product-based high technology businesses in the state, new and improved products brought to market by Ohio businesses, and improved and more efficient processes in existing Ohio businesses.  The overall objective of the Program is in the retention and expansion of high-wage jobs and high-growth companies, and the creation and growth of early-stage technology companies.  In addition, the Program encourages regional and statewide collaborations with other economic development entities within and outside the network.

1. Edison Program Services are focused in the following four areas:

a. Product Innovation and Commercialization - the development and application of technology to create or improve something to be sold.
b. Process Innovation - the identification, development, and implementation of methods that maximize efficiency.
c. Business Assistance - assessing customers' needs and linking customers with professional resources for business development.  (The applicant can be one of the resources.)
d. Linking Ohio research to in-state applied innovation - fulfilling the technology needs of business by exploiting the products of research laboratories.

2. The services are delivered primarily by entities known as Edison Technology Incubators,  Edison Technology Centers, and Edison Affiliates.