Creation of hub brings $250K to Valley

Staff report

youngstown

Gov. Ted Strickland will announce the creation of the Youngstown Hub of Innovation and Opportunity today, a designation that potentially could unlock millions in state funds.

Youngstown’s hub, the sixth in the state, will focus on fostering growth, entrepreneurship and economic development in the advanced-materials industry.

The hub designation comes with a $250,000 state grant to “help get it running and organized,” said Katie Sabatino, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Development, which administers the program. Hubs also gain priority status for millions of dollars in grants and loans from the DOD and other state agencies.

The creation of the hub will advance Youngstown State University’s plans to become a Center of Excellence in Materials Science and Engineering. The university’s materials-science and engineering program focuses on the transformation of ceramic, metal and electronic materials into manufactured products. The Ohio Board of Regents recently approved YSU’s doctorate in the field.

Strickland will visit the university this afternoon to make the announcement. He will be joined by YSU president Cynthia Anderson, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams, Warren Mayor Michael O’Brien and other local business and community leaders.

To be designated a hub, a region must identify its core strengths and develop a strategic plan for urban revitalization. Hub partners include local governments and economic-development organizations, private businesses, universities, community colleges and other research institutions.

Ohio’s other hubs are the Dayton Aerospace Hub, the Cleveland Health and Technology Corridor Hub, the Toledo Solar Energy Hub, the Cincinnati Consumer Marketing Hub and the Akron Biomaterials Commercialization Hub.

The state aims to create at least six more hubs, according to the Department of Development’s 2009 strategy.