COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State University announced the Timashev Family Foundation has donated $110 million to establish the Center for Software Innovation.
The donation from Ratmir Timashev and his family is the largest in the school’s history.
“It is my privilege to give back to the Buckeye community, which has played a tremendous role throughout my life and career,” said Timashev. “Bringing together the best of academia and startup innovation will empower the dreams of future generations of students, and I look forward to helping bring this vision to reality for Ohio State and Columbus.”
The university says the center will bring together the College of Engineering, Fisher College of Business and other partners in “creative new ways, including through the creation of endowed professorships, cutting-edge academic offerings and hands-on industry experience for students.”
“This historic gift will be transformational for our students, faculty and the entire heartland and beyond,” said President Kristina M. Johnson. “Ratmir and Angela met in Columbus, and their generosity has been remarkable. A brilliant entrepreneur, Ratmir launched two globally successful companies right here in Columbus. He embodies the American Dream – study and work hard, become successful and give back to those that supported you along the way.”
The center will maintain a fund to assist professors teaching software innovation, offer student scholarships and internships and create an incubator program to support students and faculty.
Additionally, the donation provides initial funding for the center to be housed on two floors of a new, state-of-the-art entrepreneurship and research-focused building. The university said construction will begin once additional, external funding is secured.
The $110 million builds on the foundation’s history at Ohio State. In 2020, the family gave $17 million for the Timashev Family Music Building, a state-of-the-art facility which opened its doors to students in October 2022.
Veeam, a software company founded by Timashev, gave the College of Arts and Sciences $5 million in 2016 to support student scholarships, teaching and research in data analytics and chemical physics.
Timashev earned his master’s degree in chemical physics at Ohio State in 1996 and went on to build software and computer businesses in Columbus.
His companies, beginning with Aelita Software and Veeam, grew global prominence before being acquired by Quest Software and Insight Partners, respectively.
Timashev serves on The Ohio State University Foundation Board of Directors.