Growing Ohio’s High Performance Economy

by Bruce Johnson, Lieutenant Governor, State of Ohio and Director, Ohio Department of Development

New products and innovations have been at the heart of Ohio’s economic prowess for a century and a half. Thomas Edison, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Thomas Kettering, Charles Goodyear, Jonas Salk and Henry Timken are just a few of the Ohio inventors who shaped the world’s economy over the last 100 years. Today, Ohio companies working in medical devices, fuel cells, liquid crystals, pharmaceuticals, super-efficient cooling systems and nanostructured materials are making the discoveries that will shape the world’s economy for the next century.

Technicians complete work on a fuel cell that will supply electricity to nearby homes. The Westerville, Ohio Fuel Cell Demonstration Project is the only known application of a fuel cell in which the electricty produced is patched into the power grid for general consumption. Photo by Chris Kasson/The Ohio Department of Development.

Transforming Ohio’s image from a “rust-belt” state to a center of technological innovation has taken a commitment to economic reform, program development and statewide collaboration among governmental, corporate and academic entities. Today, the state’s long-term investments and commitment to technological innovation are bearing successes, as evidenced by some of the best practices we’ve learned along the way.

Identify core competencies

In order to build a world-class economy, it is critical first to understand one’s core competencies – the strengths and opportunities that can serve as baselines for focusing investments and driving economic growth.

Ohio’s Third Frontier Project is a 10-year, $1.1 billion initiative to fund world-class research, foster collaboration, promote company formation and encourage the commercialization of new technologies. Governor Bob Taft introduced the project based on a study the state had commissioned to determine Ohio’s current economic position and what was needed to compete in the global marketplace. Conducted by Ohio-based Battelle Memorial Institute, the study revealed invaluable information regarding the outside world’s perception of Ohio, its relative strengths and weaknesses and areas for action to cultivate a high performance economy.

Included within the Battelle study were data to support Ohio’s strengths in five core technology competency areas: advanced materials, bioscience, power and propulsion, information technology, and instruments, controls and electronics. These five areas became the foundation upon which Ohio built the Third Frontier Project and established clearly defined goals for investing state funds.

Ohio continues to re-evaluate its positioning periodically, commissioning both statewide and industry-specific studies to determine if our strategies align with the realities of our industries. For example, earlier this year, the state released the Ohio Fuel Cell Roadmap, a five-year strategic guide to maximize Ohio companies’ involvement in the fuel cell industry.

Encourage collaborations

Identifying core competencies also shows where collaborations among varying research institutions, organizations and corporations can drive technological advancement. In Ohio, programs such as the Edison Technology Centers and the Third Frontier Project have helped establish unprecedented partnerships among universities, research organizations and private industries. Together, these collaborations are working on innovative research, the development of scientific discoveries into applicable technologies and product commercialization.

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