Entrepreneurs' Center (EC) Ohio Third Frontier Commission Technology Validation and Start-up Fund (TVSF) is sponsored by Ohio Third Frontier Commission (administered by Entrepreneurs' Center). This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

Entrepreneurs’ Center Powers $400K in Ohio Grants to Bring New Tech to Market | The Entrepreneurs' Center Research Commercialization Entrepreneurs’ Center Powers $400K in Ohio Grants to Bring New Tech to Market Posted by Anne Kane on July 24, 2025 With support from the Entrepreneurs’ Center, two tech ventures are helping drive Ohio’s growing innovation ecosystem.

DAYTON, OH, July 24, 2025 – Entrepreneurs’ Center (EC) clients Airelon and Auxilium have secured a combined $400,000 in grant funding from the Ohio Third Frontier Commission through its Technology Validation and Start-up Fund (TVSF). These competitively awarded grants support the development and commercialization of breakthrough technologies with the potential to transform industries and improve lives across the state.

“These awards reinforce the role innovation plays in driving Ohio’s economic growth,” said Scott Koorndyk, President of Entrepreneurs’ Center. “We’re committed to supporting the people and ideas that turn emerging technologies into meaningful solutions. ” Airelon has secured $200,000 to advance HelioChain, its fixed-cost, on-premise AI platform designed to serve the unique needs of small-to-midsize businesses and municipalities.

Airelon is a technology studio building transformational AI solutions for startups, enterprises, and public sector partners. HelioChain enables secure, scalable AI deployment without reliance on third-party cloud infrastructure, empowering organizations to harness AI fully while maintaining complete data sovereignty. “Entrepreneur’s Center has been instrumental in the development and launch of the HelioChain platform.

From refining the concept to opening up critical networks and resources, the EC team has been a true partner at every stage, said Tushar Kulkarni, CEO and Founder of Airelon. “Their support was key to helping us secure funding, and that funding is now enabling us to bring HelioChain into the hands of real-world users who need AI solutions that are both affordable and secure.

” Auxilium has secured $200,000 to advance its biomaterial platform, which integrates therapeutics and diagnostics to address skin tissue infections and support regeneration. The technology is designed to provide point-of-care, predictive, and preventative solutions for microbial infections—particularly biofilms—transforming the treatment of chronic wounds.

As a preclinical-stage company, Auxilium is developing breakthrough therapies aimed at reducing hospital readmissions, improving healing outcomes, and reshaping the standard of care for skin tissue repair. “Securing this grant would not have been possible without the exceptional support of the Entrepreneurs’ Center, whose mentorship and strategic input were instrumental,” said Isaiah Kaiser, PhD, Co-founder and CEO of Auxilium.

“We are deeply thankful to the Ohio Third Frontier Commission and the Ohio Department of Development for their continued investment in innovation and their support as we work to bring our technology to patients.

” Airelon and Auxilium are engaged with Entrepreneurs’ Center, which supports a wide range of technology ventures by providing strategic guidance, commercialization support, and access to resources that accelerate growth and drive regional economic impact. “As we move into the second half of the year, we’re encouraged by the strong progress our clients have made,” said Paul Jackson, VP of Strategic Programs at Entrepreneurs’ Center.

“Securing $2. 5 million in non-dilutive funding from TVSF so far this year reflects the strength of Ohio’s innovators, and we’re excited to continue building on that momentum. ” The Entrepreneurs’ Center (EC) is a modern venture development organization that powers progress and prosperity through entrepreneurship.

Annually, the EC works with over 1,000 entrepreneurs to start and grow companies, create jobs, generate revenue, and attract investment. The EC empowers main street and technology businesses through complimentary professional services, including business planning, mentoring, training, networking, commercialization, and capital investment.

The EC’s talented and experienced team of advisors, entrepreneurs-in-residence, and staff design and facilitate diverse, world-class business acceleration programs on behalf of corporations, higher education institutions, and government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Defense from their headquarters at The Hub Powered by PNC Bank in the historic Dayton Arcade. Learn more at EC Innovates .

Managed by the Ohio Department of Development, Ohio Third Frontier (OTF) is an internationally recognized $2. 1 billion economic development initiative supporting technology entrepreneurship and growing jobs across the state of Ohio, positively changing the trajectory of its economy.

Through a statewide robust network of resources, entrepreneurs with compelling business models for near-term market opportunities based on technology and tech-enabled products and services have access to the technology, business assistance, capital, and talent to turn great ideas into thriving companies.

OTF is driving this expanding, vibrant community of high-growth technology companies and making Ohio a top destination for tech entrepreneurs. Learn more at Ohio Third Frontier . About the Entrepreneurial Services Provider Program The purpose of the Entrepreneurial Services Provider (ESP) Program is to fill gaps in the entrepreneurial system for high-potential Ohio concept, seed, and early-stage technology companies.

Its goal is to significantly increase technology-based entrepreneurial commercialization outcomes in the State. Each ESP represents a coordinated network of high-value services and assistance providers that is visible and easily accessible to technology-based entrepreneurs and small tech-based companies.

The ESP providers take an approach that tightly integrates sources of deal flow, entrepreneurial support, and capital to effectively grow each region’s startup ecosystem. Reaching out to minorities, women, veterans, and rural entrepreneurs, the program seeks to position Ohio as a leader in inclusive technology and entrepreneurship. Learn more at ESP Program .

For More Information, Contact: Leslie Klenke, Director of Marketing A Letter from our President & Board Chair At the Entrepreneurs’ Center, everything we do is driven by one goal: delivering real impact to the clients and communities we serve. Over the years, we’ve celebrated major milestones—but none more meaningful than the one we’re proud to share today.

Between 2017 and 2024, EC-supported businesses surpassed $1 billion in cumulative economic impact , measured through revenue generated, investment capital attracted, and grant funding secured. That kind of impact doesn’t happen by accident.

It’s the result of relentless work to make the Dayton Region one of the very best places to build a business—through bold programming, expanded access to capital, and a community that’s more connected than ever. For high-growth, high-tech startups, we continue to lead the region’s Ohio Third Frontier Entrepreneurial Services Provider program.

Today, we support more than 100 tech companies whose innovations are fueling job creation, attracting capital, and reshaping Dayton’s economic future. In 2025, our successes were recognized with a program extension through mid-2027. At the same time, we remain equally committed to the small businesses that sustain and energize our communities.

Through the Miami Valley Small Business Development Center , we served more than 500 Main Street entrepreneurs in 2024, offering education, one-on-one advising, and support to access the funding they need to grow. We also deepened our role as a convener, hosting Dayton Startup Week and welcoming over 400 attendees and 80 speakers to share, learn, and connect.

2024 was also a breakout year for the Arcade Innovation Hub, our flagship innovation space. Now home to more than 160 member companies, The Hub Powered by PNC Bank has become the region’s most dynamic gathering place for entrepreneurs, educators, and creatives.

This partnership between the University of Dayton’s Crotty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and the Entrepreneurs’ Center is a powerful example of what’s possible when institutions work together to spark innovation. From our earliest days as a startup incubator to today’s billion-dollar milestone, we’ve remained grounded in one mission: to build progress and prosperity through entrepreneurship .

The future we envisioned is now happening—and we’re just getting started. We’re deeply grateful to our public and private partners, our community collaborators, and especially the hundreds of small business owners and startup founders who trust us to walk alongside them. This impact is yours, too.

We believe the next billion is already on its way. Scott Koorndyk, President Dr. David Kirschman, Board Chair A Letter from our President & Board Chair As we reflect on another year of bold ideas, resilient founders, and transformative growth, it’s our pleasure to present the 2025 Annual Impact Report for Entrepreneurs’ Center—the Region’s preeminent venture development organization.

In 2025, our team remained focused on our mission: to accelerate the growth of entrepreneurial businesses across the Dayton region at every stage—from a good idea to a scaling business to a business attracting capital.

Through targeted programming, expert mentorship, access to capital, and deep partnerships across the ecosystem, we continued to build a thriving environment where entrepreneurs can turn visionary ideas into economic engines for our community. In 2024, we reported that our impact exceeded $1B since 2017. That momentum is not just continuing—it’s accelerating.

In 2025 alone, EC-supported businesses generated more than $X00M in economic impact, signaling a pace of growth that is compounding year-over-year. These outcomes are more than numbers—they represent real stories of innovation, perseverance, and community reinvestment right here in Dayton.

From high-growth technology startups to main-street businesses and neighborhood innovators, the entrepreneurs we serve are strengthening our regional economy and positioning Dayton as a hub for opportunity and progress. None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of our Board of Directors, our funders, investors, corporate partners, academic collaborators, and dedicated team.

Your belief in the power of entrepreneurship fuels our work and amplifies our impact across the Miami Valley. We invite you to explore the full 2025 Annual Impact Report to see the depth of our programs, the success stories of the founders we are privileged to work with, and the forward momentum we’re building together. Thank you for your continued partnership as we continue to power progress and prosperity in the Dayton Region.

Scott Koorndyk, President Dr. David Kirschman, Board Chair