Center for Entrepreneurship

At the Center for Entrepreneurship, ideas are just the beginning. We help students build the mindset, skills, and confidence to turn curiosity into action through hands-on experiences, meaningful connections, and an entrepreneurial curriculum designed to support innovation at every stage.

Full classroom at 1819 with presenter explaining their pitch deck

Our Mission

Our mission is to equip aspiring entrepreneurs from all backgrounds with the skills, resources and connections to launch and scale their business ideas and build an entrepreneurial mindset. We endeavor to catalyze the commercialization of marketable technologies and translational research, as well as foster connections to the local startup and business communities.

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Launch UC

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Launch UC, the Center for Entrepreneurship’s resourced pathway to support small business development, launch and growth. This initiative gives particular focus to supporting businesses in the food and beverage, E-commerce, and product/consumer packaged goods (CPG) sectors. 

Venture Lab

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The Venture Lab at the 1819 Innovation Hub, part of UC's Center for Entrepreneurship, offers founders a powerful launchpad with comprehensive programming, non-dilutive funding, expert mentorship, and a vibrant startup ecosystem to turn ideas into scalable ventures. This program is for venture-backable startups.

Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA)

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Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) is the act of acquiring an existing business for the purpose of adding value and growth. ETA benefits include leveraging existing customer bases, brand recognition and infrastructure through new leadership, technology, resources and innovation. For more information about upcoming initiatives and Entrepreneurship through Acquisition as a whole, please visit the ETA webpage.

Follow Us

1

UC named a best employer in Ohio by Forbes

August 14, 2026

Forbes ranks the University of Cincinnati No. 24 on its 2026 America’s Best Employers By State list for Ohio, recognizing UC’s strong workplace culture and employee experience.

3

How a UC nurse practitioner turned a clinical problem into digital innovation

July 23, 2026

Nurses spot what others miss. They notice gaps in care, recurring patient questions, and inefficiencies baked into the system, but most never think to turn those observations into something they can build University of Cincinnati College of Nursing alumna Nicole Homan, MSN, APRN, WHNP-BC, did. Through years in maternal newborn care and women's health, Homan kept meeting women who wanted more than a routine office visit could give them.