The Ohio State University Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Max M. Fisher College of Business has announced the addition of Cardinal Health/fuse, Greif, The J.M. Smucker Company, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and The Wendy’s Company as founding members of the center.

The companies will be providing valuable private sector engagement with Fisher students through curriculum and programming, taking lead positions in informational seminar series and advancing the exchange of best processes and practices in innovation and entrepreneurship.

“The support and guidance from these five leading companies underscores the importance of The Ohio State University Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship as an engine for economic growth and workforce development here in Ohio,” said Paul Reeder, the center’s executive director. “We are excited to collaborate with these founding members and our partners from across the university to increase the impact of corporate innovation, entrepreneurship, technology commercialization and social enterprise.”

Launched in 2015, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship provides access to sponsored research for faculty, engagement with corporate partners, and the delivery of trans-disciplinary learning experiences for undergraduate, graduate and executive-level students. Examples of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s impact include:

• Partnering with Fisher, the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering in the creation of the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship & Innovation Minor, which provides students from multiple disciplines and majors with a core understanding of how to develop a start-up business or create new products and services within an existing enterprise.
• The delivery of thought leadership and expertise in innovation and entrepreneurship to executives, managers and company leaders through corporate programming, speaker series and executive education offerings.
• Outreach events that will bring together entrepreneurial leaders and stakeholders from across the region and the state.

The support of these founding members speaks to the critical role of innovation and entrepreneurship in business and business education,” said Anil K. Makhija, dean and John W. Berry, Sr. Chair in Business at Fisher. “I look forward to the unique perspectives and experiences each company will provide, as well as to the continued progress of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which has quickly become a leader in this ever-evolving, critical area of business.”

“The Center provides an important focal point for business leaders to interface with University faculty, staff and students to advance the study of critical research questions with the goal of solving pressing industry challenges,” said Caroline C. Whitacre, senior vice president for research at Ohio State. “This Center represents an important partnership between Fisher and the Office of Research.”