Kricker Innovation Hub

What Kricker Innovation Hub does

Kricker Innovation Hub is a privately operated, university-affiliated innovation and entrepreneurship center headquartered at 221 Chillicothe Street in downtown Portsmouth, Ohio, managed by Shawnee State University. Founded in 2018, it serves as the primary regional front door for entrepreneurship, small-business support, workforce development, and competitive gaming across Southern Ohio and the Tri-State area (Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia). Its customer base spans aspiring and existing small-business owners, regional manufacturers (through the eight-county BESTOhio industry-sector partnership), high-school students, and rural technology trainees — collectively 5,000+ participants, 375 small businesses assisted, and 70 startups launched.

The product portfolio is a curated stack of programs and facilities rather than a technology platform. Core programs include the Ignite Portsmouth six-week bootcamp, the ShawneeXP gaming/tech accelerator, Dare to Dream high-school pitch competition, Startup Weekend Portsmouth (in partnership with Techstars), the Appalachian Conference on Social Enterprise, NSF EPIIC ComPEET, and the Shawnee State Esports program with the Tri-State Esports League. The physical asset layer comprises co-working space, event-venue rental, and a collegiate esports arena. Underlying technology is limited: no proprietary AI/ML product or data asset, with AI integrated only via off-the-shelf tools (Magai, ChatGPT, Copilot) for internal content workflows and as curriculum content. Third-party validated training credentials (Cisco, CompTIA) are delivered through the WORC Tech Workforce Program.

The revenue model is institutionally and grant-supported rather than commercial. Operating capital flows from Shawnee State University's institutional budget, federal and state grants (NSF EPIIC, TechCred, JobsOhio), corporate program sponsorships (Dare to Dream $31,000 prize pool in 2026), and ancillary facility rental income from the co-working and event spaces. Pricing to end users is overwhelmingly free or subsidized — the STEM Innovative Learning program is explicitly free for grades 6–8, pitch competitions award prizes rather than charge entry fees, and the bulk of programs are no-cost to participants. Distribution is regional, anchored by the physical Portsmouth location and extended through the BESTOhio manufacturing network, Tri-State Esports League, and Appalachian Conference partnerships.

Name

Kricker Innovation Hub

Legal name

Kricker Innovation Hub

Website

https://ssuinnovation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kricker Innovation Hub is a Shawnee State University–affiliated entrepreneurship and innovation center in Portsmouth, Ohio, serving rural Southern Ohio with bootcamps, pitch competitions, esports, manufacturing workforce development, and co-working facilities for entrepreneurs, students, and regional manufacturers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Portsmouth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. University Funding: The Hub is operated by Shawnee State University with institutional funding support. This serves as the primary operational funding source.
2. Grant Funding: The Hub receives grant funding from organizations including NSF EPIIC and other government/private grants to support specific programs and initiatives.
3. Program Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors fund specific programs and events such as Dare to Dream pitch competition, Ignite Portsmouth, and BESTOhio initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

No substantive information about the company's core offerings was provided in the supplied input.

Product overview

Kricker Innovation Hub is a physical innovation hub and entrepreneurship center at Shawnee State University offering multiple interconnected programs and services. The portfolio includes ShawneeXP Accelerator for gaming entrepreneurs, BESTOhio for manufacturing workforce development, Ignite Portsmouth for entrepreneurship bootcamps, Dare to Dream for high school pitch competitions, and Shawnee State Esports with Tri-State Esports League for competitive gaming. Additional offerings include STEM Innovative Learning, Startup Weekend Portsmouth, Appalachian Conference on Social Enterprise (ACOSE), co-working spaces, event venue rental, NSF EPIIC ComPEET partnership, and Verizon Small Business Digital Ready. The hub also facilitates the WORC Tech Workforce Program for cybersecurity training. Together, these programs support entrepreneurs from ideation through launch, provide workforce development, and foster innovation in Southern Ohio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BESTOhio: Business & Education Success Team - an industry-sector partnership advancing manufacturing in south central Ohio
• ShawneeXP Accelerator
• Ignite Portsmouth
• Shawnee State Esports
• Tri-State Esports League
• Shawnee Game Conference
• Dare to Dream
• Startup Weekend Portsmouth

Quantifiable outcome

• 70 new business starts
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ECDI Women's Business Center of Central Appalachia at SSUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Economic Development Administration (ECDI) to open a Women's Business Center providing training, assistance, and loan capital to women-owned small businesses in Central Appalachia.
• Ohio Manufacturers' AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOMA endorses BESTOhio and coordinates Ohio's network of industry sector partnerships, providing Career Ambassador Program and Earn & Learn workforce initiatives.
• TechstarscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTechstars partners with the Hub to host Startup Weekend Portsmouth, bringing global startup methodology and resources to Southern Ohio entrepreneurs.
• VerizonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVerizon Small Business Digital Ready program offered through the Hub, providing digital resources for small businesses.
• Center for Rural Innovation (CRIN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRIN's WORC (Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities) Tech Workforce Program provides free cybersecurity and networking training with paid internships, launched through the Hub.
• Innovative ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnered for AI Lunch & Learn sessions to help community understand how AI can be a business tool.
• GE AerospaceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBESTOhio industry partner - GE Aviation Peebles Test Operation, manufacturing jet and turboprop engines, participates in workforce development initiatives.
• General MillsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBESTOhio industry partner - General Mills Wellston facility produces food products, participates in regional workforce initiatives.
• Bellisio FoodsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBESTOhio industry partner - frozen food company in Jackson, Ohio, part of regional manufacturing network.
• Lawrence Economic Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development partner co-sponsoring Dare to Dream pitch competition and supporting Hub initiatives.
• Marshall UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Appalachian Conference on Social Enterprise with SSU Kricker Innovation Hub, bringing together social entrepreneurs across the Appalachian region.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University City Science Center: University City Science Center is a Philadelphia-based university-affiliated innovation hub that combines co-working, programming, and industry partnerships to commercialize research, structurally comparable to Kricker's Shawnee State University-affiliated model.
• gener8tor: gener8tor operates a national network of startup accelerators, comparable to Kricker's ShawneeXP Accelerator and Ignite Portsmouth bootcamp. Both run cohort-based entrepreneurship programs combining mentorship, pitch competitions, and corporate partnerships for early-stage founders.
• LaunchCode: LaunchCode is a nonprofit providing free technology training, apprenticeship pathways, and career support, comparable to Kricker's workforce development offerings including the WORC cybersecurity/networking program and AI training for rural entrepreneurs.
• Center for Rural Innovation (CRIN): CRIN is a Kricker partner delivering the WORC Tech Workforce Program, but also operates as a peer organization focused on building inclusive tech economies in rural U.S. communities, directly aligned with Kricker's Appalachian rural entrepreneurship mission.
• MassChallenge: MassChallenge runs non-equity startup accelerators and innovation programs globally, directly analogous to Kricker's model of free/low-cost cohort programs culminating in pitch competitions. Both focus on connecting founders to mentors, investors, and corporate partners without taking equity.
• Rev1 Ventures: Rev1 Ventures is a Columbus, Ohio-based startup accelerator and innovation hub offering funding, mentorship, and programming for early-stage companies. Operates in the same Ohio ecosystem as Kricker with comparable founder-support services and university/regional economic development ties.
• Capital Factory: Capital Factory is a Texas-based innovation hub combining co-working, accelerator programming, and event hosting for entrepreneurs, mirroring Kricker's combination of physical workspace, structured programs, and pitch events under one roof.
• Economic & Community Development Institute (ECDI): ECDI is a Kricker partner running the Women's Business Center of Central Appalachia, and as an organization it operates small business development programs, lending, and training for underserved entrepreneurs, paralleling Kricker's mission-driven rural entrepreneurship support.

Broad incumbents

• 1871: 1871 is one of the largest university-affiliated innovation hubs in the U.S. (Chicago), offering co-working, accelerator programs, and corporate partnerships. Comparable to Kricker's multi-program hub model though at significantly larger scale and broader market scope.
• Techstars: Techstars is a global accelerator that partners with Kricker to host Startup Weekend Portsmouth. As a hub operator itself, Techstars offers the relevant comparison of what a scaled, multi-city accelerator infrastructure looks like compared to a single-region university hub.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ssuinnovation
• Facebookfacebook.com/ssuinnovation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ssu-innovation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Kricker Innovation Hub