Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI)

Name

Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI)

Legal name

Ohio Aerospace Institute

Website

https://oai.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace Research Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (541330), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts (3724)

akta.pro primary industry

Military Fixed-Wing Aircraft Manufacturing (IMABAAAB)

Keywords

• Aerospace research services
• Federal laboratory R&D support
• Consortium management aerospace
• Workforce development STEM
• SBIR STTR support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Brook Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: OAI operates membership-based access to national and global aerospace supply chains, innovation partners, and funding opportunities. Members receive company news, job listings, global partnerships, and free access to events including the annual Aerospace Summit
2. Federal Grants and Contracts: Research funding from federal agencies including NASA, DoD, NSF through various programs. OAI provides research leadership and support to government laboratories
3. SBIR/STTR Support Services: FAST Program provides guidance to help small businesses win SBIR and STTR grants, including opportunity assessment, grant-writing assistance, and connections to funding programs
4. Consortium Management: OAI manages multiple consortia (AARC, DECWG, PIWG, DRIVE) bringing together industry, government, and academia for pre-competitive collaboration on aerospace research

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ohio Aerospace Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research institute that delivers on-site aerospace research, development, test and evaluation services to NASA Glenn Research Center and the Air Force Research Laboratory, manages industry-government-academia consortia, runs STEM and aerospace workforce development programs (including the Ohio Space Grant Consortium), and provides SBIR/STTR proposal support to small businesses. Its activities span advanced materials, sensing, computational modeling, thermal management, additive manufacturing, and propulsion research, with a 2023 strategic affiliation to Parallax Advanced Research expanding its reach across Ohio.

Product overview

Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research institute founded in 1989, offering a portfolio of programs rather than a unified software product. Core offerings include: Research & Development Services providing on-site support to NASA Glenn Research Center and AFRL across six research areas (Advanced Aerospace Materials, Aerospace Systems Sensing, Computational Modeling, Mechanical Characterization, Space Science, and Thermal Management); Consortia Management including AARC, DECWG, DRIVE Consortium, and PIWG that bring together industry/government/academia; Workforce Development through OSGC and microelectronics programs; SBIR/STTR Support Services for small businesses; and the Precision Urban Agriculture Initiative applying aerospace-grade technologies to urban farming. In 2023, OAI formed a strategic affiliation with Parallax Advanced Research to expand capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AeroAcoustics Research Consortium (AARC): Partnership among NASA Glenn Research Center, Airbus, Honeywell, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce managed by OAI for advancing aeroacoustics research.
• Distributed Engine Controls Working Group (DECWG)
• DRIVE Consortium
• Ohio Space Grant Consortium (OSGC)
• Propulsion Instrumentation Working Group (PIWG)
• Precision Urban Agriculture Initiative

Products and services

• Research and Development Services Award-winning on-site research, development, test and evaluation services delivered to NASA Glenn Research Center and the Air Force Research Laboratory, covering advanced aerospace materials, sensing systems and health monitoring, computational modeling for propulsion, mechanical characterization and physics-based modeling, space science and exploration technology, thermal management, and additive manufacturing of ceramics. Customers are federal laboratories and aerospace entities.
• Ohio Space Grant Consortium (OSGC) Statewide network of 26 Ohio institutions of higher learning managing scholarships, fellowships, higher education support, research infrastructure, pre-college (K-12) STEM, and informal education outreach. Operates as part of NASA's national Space Grant network of 52 consortia.
• SBIR/STTR Support Services (FAST Partnership Program) Expert guidance through Ohio's SBA FAST Partnership Program to help small businesses win SBIR and STTR grants, including opportunity fit assessment, grant-writing assistance, and connections to funding offset programs. Target customers are small businesses and startups with aerospace or dual-use technology applications.
• Precision Urban Agriculture Initiative Urban agriculture program leveraging drones, robotics, AI-driven irrigation, and precision agriculture technologies to transform food deserts in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio into productive hubs, with community engagement components.
• AeroAcoustics Research Consortium (AARC) Partnership among NASA Glenn Research Center, Airbus, Honeywell, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce, managed by OAI to advance noise-reduction technologies for commercial aircraft through pre-competitive research collaboration.
• Distributed Engine Controls Working Group (DECWG) Collaborative forum advancing affordable, environmentally robust distributed control systems for dual-use aeronautic propulsion, power, and thermal management applications.
• Digital, Research, Innovation, Validation and Experimentation (DRIVE) Consortium Consortium focused on digital transformation of the Air Force, touching every aspect of the value chain through engagement with industry stakeholders and academic institutions.
• Propulsion Instrumentation Working Group (PIWG) Working group addressing critical turbine engine test cell instrumentation, sensors and measurement technology to keep pace with turbine engine development needs.
• Microelectronics Workforce Development Workforce development program delivered through affiliated partner Parallax Advanced Research, with partnerships spanning 25 colleges, 50 industry leaders, STEM schools, and career centers for microelectronics training.
• Strategic and Technology-Based Partnerships Service Service connecting companies with academic research, workforce development, and industry connections. Includes research commercialization support, supply chain strengthening, entrepreneurship, and tech transfer support for aerospace and dual-use technology companies.

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature7 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Parallax Advanced Research: Strategic affiliate and de facto parent of OAI; 501(c)(3) research institute in Beavercreek, OH, focused on aerospace and defense research, workforce development and technology transfer. Directly comparable non-profit aerospace R&D model with overlapping AFRL/Wright-Patterson alignment.
• Universities Space Research Association (USRA): Nonprofit, university-governed aerospace research institute operating consortia, research facilities and workforce programs on behalf of NASA, DoD and industry. Closest structural analog to OAI in operating model (university-government-industry nonprofit research intermediary) and NASA/DoD R&D mix.
• Southwest Research Institute (SwRI): Large 501(c)(3) nonprofit applied R&D organization with deep aerospace and defense programs (space science, propulsion, materials, automation). Comparable because it is a multidisciplinary, nonprofit, contract R&D organization serving federal primes and government agencies.
• The Aerospace Corporation: Federally funded R&D center (FFRDC) supporting the national security space community, providing on-site engineering support to government customers. Comparable to OAI as a nonprofit aerospace R&D intermediary embedded with U.S. government sponsors.
• Battelle Memorial Institute: Columbus, OH-based nonprofit applied science and technology organization managing large federal contracts and consortia across defense, aerospace and energy. Comparable because of Ohio roots, 501(c)(3) structure, federally anchored R&D portfolio, and consortium management experience.
• Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI): Nonprofit research institute operating science operations and research support for NASA missions. Comparable in operating model (nonprofit, university/government collaboration, NASA-focused research support, workforce development).
• SRI International: 501(c)(3) nonprofit research institute performing contract R&D for government and industry across aerospace, defense, materials and advanced computing. Comparable because of its nonprofit, multidisciplinary, contract R&D model and federal-customer orientation.

Broad incumbents

• Aerospace Industries Association (AIA): Industry trade association representing U.S. aerospace and defense manufacturers. Not a direct R&D peer, but competes for influence in shaping government/industry collaboration, consortium funding, and SBIR/STTR policy relevant to OAI's mission.
• MIT Lincoln Laboratory: Federally funded R&D center operated by MIT for DoD, with deep aerospace and sensing expertise. Comparable as a large, federally aligned nonprofit research intermediary, though much larger in scale and scope than OAI.

Others

• National Space Council Users' Advisory Group / NASA Advisory Council: Public-sector advisory bodies that, like OAI, convene government, industry and academia around U.S. aerospace priorities. Relevant as adjacent ecosystem players influencing the policy and funding environment OAI operates in.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OhioAerospace
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohio-aerospace-institute/posts/?feedView

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI)