What’s going on at UC’s 1819 Innovation Hub?
In short: big progress, plenty of fun and, of course, lots of innovation
If the University of Cincinnati’s 1819 Innovation Hub isn’t currently on your radar, it should be.
Welcome to Where Next Happens, a futuristic space where you can pursue Esports passions, design and build the coolest of tools and even launch your own student-run business.
The moral of the story is that 1819 isn’t just a building; it’s a launchpad for your boldest dreams and desires. Best of all, it’s just a five-minute trip on the Bearcats Shuttle from the center of Uptown campus. What are you waiting for? Just look for the white shuttle that leaves from behind the Carl H. Lindner College of Business, with drop-offs in front of 1819 and Digital Futures.
UC Makerspace: Build something awesome
The opportunities are endless in the Ground Floor Makerspace, located on the first level of the 1819 Innovation Hub. Walk in and you’ll discover 12,000 square feet of making equipment, perfect to bring your most exciting thoughts to life.
Turn your boldest ideas into reality in the largest makerspace in Greater Cincinnati. Packed with advanced equipment, it’s ideal for building class projects, prototyping or even crafting one-of-a-kind gifts for family members! Even better? The Ground Floor Makerspace is free to all UC students, faculty members, staff and 1819 corporate partners. Community members can also tap into the space’s possibilities through flexible membership options.
Here’s just some of the equipment at your fingertips in the UC Makerspace:
View of part of the UC Ground Floor Makerspace. Photo/Mary Dwyer
- 3D printers and scanning machines
- CNC machining
- Laser cutters
- Metalshop and welding equipment
- Soldering equipment
- Waterjet cutters
- Sewing machines
- Woodworking tools
Feeling unsure about getting started? You’re not alone; makerspaces can seem a bit overwhelming at first. But at the Ground Floor Makerspace you’ll find orientation sessions, hands-on classes and certifications and friendly assistants who’d love to walk you through your first – or 50th – project.
If you’re craving an exciting, interactive class to jump-start your UC experience, consider the Ground Floor Makerspace. We’ve got two courses available on Catalyst:
- Maker Studio 1 (PD 1180C): A seven-week, one-credit-hour course that introduces you to makerspace tools, methods and lessons. Ideal for first-year Bearcats!
- Maker Topics: CNC Routing (PD 1181C): A seven-week, one-credit-hour course giving a hands-on deep dive into CNC workflows. Ideal for students with prior makerspace experience, requiring the instructor’s permission to sign up.
Whether it’s through a UC Makerspace orientation or one of our college courses, we can’t wait to build something amazing with you soon!
Esports Innovation Lab: Get in the game
We don’t just pay lip service to Esports at UC; we’re all in. And that’s because you are, too.
The Esports Innovation Lab is stacked with high-end gaming equipment and all your favorite titles. Located on the ground floor of the 1819 Innovation Hub, it’s also home to the UC Esports Club, a community of gaming enthusiasts with over 2,000 members on its Discord server.
Here are some of the titles available through UC Esports:
Gamers in the 1819 Esports Innovation Lab. Photo/Andrew Higley
- Apex Legends
- Call of Duty
- Fortnite
- Hearthstone
- League of Legends
- Overwatch
- Rainbow Six Siege
- Rocket League
- Valorant
Our high-end gaming PCs are set up to enrich your gaming experience and boost competitive play. And when it’s time to chill, squad up in our fully loaded community lounge, perfect for hanging with friends, sizing up the competition or talking game.
Venture Lab: Jump into entrepreneurship
Ever thought of yourself as a potential entrepreneur? If you’ve got a good idea in mind, why not? That’s the mindset fostered at UC’s Venture Lab, a startup accelerator on 1819’s second floor that helps students bring their small business dreams to life.
Founders pitching at 1819 on Venture Lab Demo Day. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II
The Venture Lab Accelerator is a biannual business accelerator for founders with at least a minimum viable product (MVP). This 10-week, biannual program offers to cohort members entrepreneurial insights, connections within Cincinnati's business community and potential access to nondilutive funding from the state of Ohio.
Find additional entrepreneurship resources here:
UC Office of Commercialization: Own your invention
Anyone can be an inventor — and yes, that includes you! If you’ve got an intriguing product idea in mind, reach out to UC’s Office of Commercialization to learn what it would take to be patented.
Founders celebrate receiving a patent through the UC Office of Commercialization. Photo/Andrew Higley
Protecting your intellectual property sounds daunting, and to be honest, it can be. But the Office of Commercialization will help you navigate the process. Its team of IP experts, based on the fourth floor of the 1819 Innovation Hub, has brought hundreds of ideas to market.
In the last five years alone, UC’s Commercialization team has received 77 invention disclosures from undergraduates like you. While that’s an impressive number, it also reveals just how much student innovation hasn’t been recognized or protected.
Be part of the evolution by contacting Commercialization if you’ve got an idea that’s novel, nonobvious and useful. UC’s office can support you in pursuing patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets. Swing by the 1819 Innovation Hub to see how the Office of Commercialization can transform ideas into inventions.
… and way, way more!
The 1819 Innovation Hub is packed to the brim, clearly, with opportunities for incoming Bearcats. There’s more in store:
NEXT Innovation Scholar strategizing at 1819. Photo/Aaron Bradley
- Co-op and internship opportunities: You may have heard, but co-ops are a big deal at UC. You’ll discover a wide range of businesses at 1819, spread across all floors of the building – and many of them want to connect with students like you! Our building is home to both high-potential startups and major companies like Procter & Gamble and Microsoft, making 1819 a great place to network and find your next co-op, internship or full-time role.
- NEXT Innovation Scholars: A competitive scholarship program based on 1819’s third floor that uses an interdisciplinary educational approach to mold problem-solvers as they seek answers to today’s most complex challenges.
- 1819 Broadcast Studio: A professionally equipped broadcast booth for students who’d like to launch a podcast, livestream a video game or even record a script they’re working on. Book a session by contacting Gianna DiMona at dimonaga@ucmail.uc.edu.
In recap: the 1819 Innovation Hub really has it all. Come visit us to fall in love with a new hobby, discover your next job, design something from the ground up or fight off other Esports fanatics. So, why wait? We’re here for you – just minutes from your new home. Welcome to UC, Bearcats!
Frequently asked questions
Students can build prototypes and designs in the Ground Floor Makerspace, game and grow skills in the Esports Innovation Lab, brainstorm the future with the NEXT Innovation Scholars and connect with potential employers at the 1819 Innovation Hub.
Business leaders at the 1819 Innovation Hub can brainstorm and strategize in the Learning Lab, accelerate their startups through the Venture Lab, prototype their design concepts in the Ground Floor Makerspace, learn through innovation-focused events and connect with student talent from across UC.
The University of Cincinnati's 1819 Innovation Hub is located at 2900 Reading Road, Cincinnati, OH 45206. It's located in the center of the Cincinnati Innovation District, just a six-minute ride on the UC Shuttle from the center of UC's Uptown Campus.
Featured image at top: Front-on shot of UC's 1819 Innovation Hub. Photo/Gregory Glevicky