AI-generated illustration; not a photograph of the reported event.
- calendar_today October 30, 2026
Ohio State Celebrates the BuildX Initiative Launch
The Ohio State University hosted a launch event for the BuildX initiative at Pomerene Hall, marking a significant investment in student entrepreneurship. The event brought together students, faculty, startup founders, and local business leaders to celebrate the university's efforts to cultivate a dynamic environment for student innovators.
Building a Platform for Student Startups
BuildX is designed to guide students through every phase of the startup process, from exploring initial ideas to preparing for investor engagement. The initiative intends to support the creation of 100 investable student startups each year by 2030, contributing to increased investment in Ohio and a vibrant startup ecosystem.
The initiative’s physical home will be a 7,000-square-foot space in Pomerene Hall. This active workspace will foster entrepreneurial collaboration among teams, provide a venue for meeting mentors, and support hands-on learning as students refine their business ideas alongside their peers.
Empowering Student Entrepreneurs Through Curriculum
At the event, Ohio State leaders announced new educational offerings as part of the BuildX initiative. Starting in spring 2027, students will have the option to enroll in two new three-credit-hour BuildX startup labs. These courses add to the existing Intro to Software Startups course at the university.
One of the startup labs will be open to any student interested in problem validation and developing early-stage solutions. The second is tailored for student teams ready to build and launch their new ventures. Both labs emphasize learning by doing and offer networking opportunities across academic disciplines.
Collaborative Environment in Pomerene Hall
Associate Vice President for Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Shereen Agrawal emphasized the importance of a dedicated space, describing Pomerene Hall as a place for students to work, learn, and connect. Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Trevor Brown highlighted how the open, airy environment supports creativity and accelerates the conversion of ideas into tangible business ventures.
Brown noted, “When you combine [learning] with experimentation and hands-on activity, people working together, often with mentors and their instructors, you can get acceleration of ideas from concept into proof of concept and into implementation, in a much faster way because you have a place where that can occur.”
Mentorship, Coaching, and Access to Investors
BuildX connects students to current entrepreneurs, Ohio State alumni, and local business leaders. Tim Keenan, founder of the Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship and Ohio State alumnus, stressed the program’s collaborative spirit and interdisciplinary appeal. He remarked that the initiative will train students in diverse aspects of building a company, enabling them to combine skills in business, technology, and engineering.
Selected student teams also have the chance to join the BuildX Accelerator. This startup accelerator provides $15,000 in funding, embedded founder coaching, and direct introductions to investors. The accelerator experience culminates with Demo Day, where founders present their startups to an audience of investors and supporters.
Opportunities Ahead for Aspiring Founders
Tim Keenan encouraged students to embrace the resources available, saying, “All these resources are here to help you, and frankly, the only thing an opportunity needs is for you to take action.”
With its ambitious goals, dedicated space in Pomerene Hall, new startup labs, and strong mentorship, the BuildX initiative positions Ohio State University as a prominent hub for student entrepreneurship and innovation.
Related coverage
Source: news.osu.edu.
