5 Central Ohio startups worth following
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Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
The Columbus area is home to hundreds of startups, and not even the savviest investors can be totally sure which will become the next huge thing.
Why it matters: Startups that evolve into massive corporations can boost a region's economy by creating jobs, bolstering its reputation and fostering venture funding and talent development.
What we're watching: Here are five Central Ohio startups we're paying close attention to this year:
Redi Health: The chronic disease management app attracted $14 million in Series B funding last year.
- From pharmaceutical disruptors CoverMyMeds to gene therapy leaders Forge Biologics, Columbus is becoming a hub for health care innovation, and Redi Health could be next in line.
Power to Hydrogen: The startup raised $18 million last year ahead of European expansion plans.
- Its industrial hydrogen production systems come as the U.S. competes with China on green energy tech.
Trace: The company specializes in creating and deploying augmented reality content for hardware like the Apple Vision Pro.
- After three years in stealth, Trace raised $2 million last year when it emerged.
Clarametyx: The company, founded in 2020, is developing ways to fight drug-resistent infections and raised $33 million last year.
- Now, it's working on a vaccine to prevent bacterial infections.
Five Star Fans: Two former OSU cheerleaders launched this startup in the advent of college sports' name, image and likeness policy.
- It allows users to directly reward their favorite players through paid "likes."