Cleveland Plus Industries + Initiatives
America’s innovators, entrepreneurs and business giants built the Cleveland Plus region to take advantage of our central location to US and Canadian markets. Then and now, the region is home to many of the world’s largest Fortune 500 businesses. This heritage made us the inventor of liquid crystal displays, the best at bypass surgeries and the nation’s leader in polymers, plastics and chemicals. This heritage left 30 colleges and universities developing next generation technologies and 175,000 degree-seeking innovative minds; a highly productive 2 million strong workforce with Midwest values and work ethic; and a fundamental ability to produce and distribute products worldwide cost-effectively. Today, we leverage these roots to expand into emerging markets.
Healthcare and Life Sciences
World Renowned Healthcare Plus Biomedical Hub: Our foundation of world-renowned healthcare is creating bioscience research and commercialized technologies used globally. With 60 hospitals, 30 colleges and universities, strong manufacturing capabilities, plus billions of dollars in private and public investment, our region is quickly becoming a global hub for biomedical business. The region’s industry is growing on average by 7.4% annually, and today is home to 600+ biomedical businesses has grown by 34% in 5 years. For statistics, click here
BIOMEDICAL START-UPS: Unique to Northeast Ohio, , is a business formation, recruitment, and acceleration initiative designed to attract outside venture capital into the Cleveland Plus region for biomedical start-up opportunities. In just 5 years, the organization has generated more than $500 million in new VC funding, making the Cleveland Plus region stronger in VC recruitment than many states. For great ideas, BioE can help a business attract funding. Only catch is that that the business locate in Northeast Ohio – easily done with our strong research and clinical trial base, yet low cost of business operations.
MEDICAL IMAGING: With GE, Phillips, Case Western and more, medical imaging companies are clustering in Northeast Ohio. Now the North American home to ViewRay, QED, M2M Imaging and an expanding list of global imaging businesses, companies looking to sell into this market, partner with experts and leverage expert workforce are moving to Northeast Ohio. To access these opportunities, contact .
CARDIOVASCULAR: For 14 years, US News and World Report has named the Cleveland Clinic the best heart hospital in America. Businesses like Clear Catheter, Arteriocyte and Irish-based Proxy Biomedical have located in Cleveland to capitalize on this strength. To commercialize products, the State of Ohio invested $60 million into the Cleveland Clinic’s $250 million to attract, incubate and accelerate cardiovascular related companies. Businesses in this field looking for added investment, partnership and support should contact .
STEM CELL and ORTHOPEDICS: Growing clusters in Northeast Ohio, both Stem Cell and Orthopedics companies are locating in Northeast Ohio to take advantage of increased venture and partnership opportunities.
Advanced Manufacturing
Due to the region's central location and immediate access to waterways and railroads, entrepreneurs who built global industry like Henry Timken and Henry Sherwin, made Northeast Ohio home to manufacturing innovation. It is not just that we know how to make products, we advance the manufacturing industry with innovation in automation, productivity and workforce training. Plus, our expertise in metalworking, polymers and electronics, combined with our highly skilled workforce create a unique industrial resource network that supports biomedical, advanced energies, chemicals, instrumentation, controls, automotive, industrial machinery, and consumer durables production. Industrial giants like , , , , and call Cleveland Plus home, along with hundreds of growing advanced manufacturers. Regardless of where technology is developed, when it is time to produce the product, VC firms and management need to remember this simple fact: "In Northeast Ohio, we make things efficiently and well."
Logistics and Distribution
Northeast Ohio's geographic location is ideal for logistics operations and distribution centers. Situated on the shores of Lake Erie and the banks of the Ohio River, Cleveland Plus provides port access not only to the Great Lakes Region, but also to worldwide ports via the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Mississippi River. Centrally located between Chicago and New York, more than half of the United States, and much of Canada, is within a 1 day drive, more than any other region, ensuring that products can be distributed quickly and cost effectively.
Polymers, Plastics and Chemicals
The Cleveland Plus region is the worldwide leader in plastics manufacturing, innovation and commercialization. , , , and are just a few of the global brands that call Cleveland Plus home. Serving a variety of markets and end-user applications, Northeast Ohio produces industrial gases, paints and pigments, industrial chemicals, soaps and cleaners, rubber products, clay and concrete products and adhesives and sealants. Our world-class research institutions, such as the plus will give you access to the most cutting edge technologies and R&D, plus unending workforce development & growth opportunities.
Advanced Energy
Ohio is a leader in advanced energy research and production, and with new legislation passed in May, 2008, Ohio now is “walking the talk”. New law requires electric utilities to obtain at least 25% of their power requirements by 2025 from advanced energy sources – including renewable energy (such as wind, solar and biomass), fuel cells, energy efficiency, and next-generation coal and nuclear technologies. Half of this requirement must be satisfied by renewable energy, and utilities must begin obtaining new renewable energy supplies as soon as 2010. Not only will this reduce emissions, this also creates local demand for advanced energy supply. We are “open” for business.
WIND ENERGY: According to WIRE-Net, a recent national study reports that the Great Lakes region has the highest potential to supply the 8,000+ components found in today's wind turbine. With a well-trained workforce and well-established base of manufacturers, Northeast Ohio offers wind energy OEMs and suppliers efficient manufacturing opportunity in mechanical components, coatings and lubricants, engineering, materials development and performance material supply are ideal for wind turbine manufacturing. Northeast Ohio workforce expertise includes castings, forgings, machining, bearing and gear production and fabrications. For more information, visit the Great Lakes Wind Network.
FUEL CELLS: Ohio is one of the few places in the world where all phases of fuel cell development take place, from research and development, to component supply, to final product manufacturing, leaving the state poised to lead the nation's fuel cell industry as a top research and manufacturing hub. In fact, Cleveland Plus is home to US headquarters for its fuel cell business, joining , and HydroGen in the region. Plus, $4.7 million Fuel Cell Prototyping Center and the Case Western Reserve University's make Cleveland Plus the center of the action in fuel cells.
Aerospace
Cleveland Plus has a strong, yet expanding aerospace cluster. From research and development to manufacturing, our region's technological, engineering, metalworking and advanced manufacturing capabilities make this an ideal location for aerospace businesses to thrive. With industry leaders such as , , in Northeast Ohio, as well as a cluster of growing firms, Northeast Ohio’s workforce and supply chain is ideal for aerospace businesses that are taking off.
Moreover, with the , (the only northern NASA center,) Northeast Ohio is home to one of the few centers involved in space activity. NASA Glenn is assembling and test the new spacecraft that will be used in future missions to the Moon and Mars. For suppliers to the crew exploration vehicle (CEV), location in the Cleveland Plus region offers close proximity to NASA Glenn, critical supply chain and talented workforce.
Food Processing and Distribution
The reason most commonly cited for Northeast Ohio's leading position in food processing is our strategic location between the grain belt and the populous Eastern markets. Our borders are within 500 miles of 60% of U.S. and Canadian populations, and our talent food processing workforce understands critical FDA regulations. Moreover, with The Ohio State University’s in Northeast Ohio, the Cleveland Plus region offers advanced food/agriculture technology, research and development partners and experienced technical workers. Companies that call Cleveland Plus home include , , , , and .
Back Office Processing & Call Centers
Available workforce + lower operational costs + high volume fiber-optic & broadband infrastructure + strong work ethic + our “accentless” Ohio dialect make Northeast Ohio a prime location for BPO and call centers. Located in the middle of the action, Northeast Ohio is home to financial and health care sectors, many Fortune 1000 companies, and is in close proximity to most major corporations in need of BPO services. Many BPO suppliers are choosing the Cleveland Plus Region including TeleTech – who recently chose Northeast Ohio for its only new US center in 4 years.
Insurance, Financial and Professional Services
Perhaps surprising to some, Cleveland Plus is a U.S. hub for financial services. With a in Cleveland, and the headquarters of multi-national banks including and , financial services is a thriving industry in Northeast Ohio. Plus, headquarters and our region's thousands of professional services firms employ tens of thousands of creative and talented individuals. This sector continues to be a robust and growing industry for the regional economy, bringing in a talented pool of professionals, an array of services for all companies and individuals, and attracting those companies that provide service support, such as banking technology firms and IT firms.
Flexible Liquid Crystal Displays
Industrial research centers around the world are pursuing the development of flexible displays; however the manufacturing base has yet to develop. Northeast Ohio stands poised to establish the early lead in this global race. Our region's strong industrial base in plastics and printing, and leading research strengths in liquid crystals, polymers and engineering make it the logical home for this emerging industry. Cleveland Plus is capitalizing on this lead, assuring that the enabling technologies and manufacturers establish in this region.
Entrepreneurialism Plus Innovation
All of the world's largest companies began with an idea passionately pursued by an entrepreneur. All of the world's largest companies began with an idea passionately pursued by a driven entrepreneur. That spirit made Northeast Ohio the nation's 12th largest economy today, and will continue to diversify our economy going forward.
In fact, Entrepreneur Magazine ranks the Cleveland Plus region “hotter” for entrepreneurs than San Francisco, Boston, Seattle and New York.
Incubators and accelerators are popping up throughout the region, fueled by $1.6 billion from , $500 million+ in outside VC funding, and organizations dedicated to accelerating entrepreneurship in Northeast Ohio. Plus, through technology transfer initiatives and unmatched research departments committed to commercializing opportunity, Northeast Ohio is poised to continue entrepreneur growth.
Unique Private Non-Profit Support Organizations in Northeast Ohio include:
- : Business formation, recruitment, and acceleration initiative designed to grow healthcare companies and commercialize bioscience technologies.
- : Venture development organization that advises, invests in, assists, and accelerates Northeast Ohio's early-stage ideas and companies.
- The : Assists manufacturers with networking and product development, ensuring that Northeast Ohio manufacturers remain globally competitive
- : Champion for growing Northeast Ohio’s technology economy
Business Accelerators: