COLUMBUS, Ohio — If you are trying to take your idea and turn it into a business, one Columbus-based company could take a chance on you.
Rev1 Ventures sees about 1,000 new innovative ideas every year from entrepreneurs and works with about 125 companies. Even though Rev1 is a non-profit, it has invested in more than 130 startups.
Startups can utilize lab space, marketing, resources, and $130 million dollars in capital under management available. It's part of a push to make Columbus a standout hub, to grow the business climate and workforce.
“Columbus has really become one of the fastest growing and most dynamic ecosystems in the country and that's because of this community is all in approach to helping startups” said Kristy Campbell, the chief operating officer at Rev1 Ventures in Columbus. “The work that we do is very, very focused on connections and capital. So, if you think about the fact that the majority of venture capital goes to the coasts and a few cities, New York, Boston and San Francisco, our work is very focused on the capital gap at the earliest stages.”
There are currently 49 resident companies and they raised more than $30 million in 2021. The company has made an impact of more than $4 billion with capital, revenue, and exits.
Campbell says Rev1 has more than 45 public and private sector organizations that are funding the nonprofit work that they do, and building the next companies headquartered here in Columbus. Its intern program has placed 400 interns interested in technology over the past three years.
If you have experience starting or growing a business and investing there is a mentorship program available to help out Columbus-based startups.