YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jim Tressel, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik today announced the creation of Ohio’s fourth Innovation Hub in Youngstown, OH. This new collaboration will further strengthen Youngstown’s position as a global leader in additive manufacturing (AM) research, technology, and workforce development.
Funded with $26M from the Ohio Innovation Hubs Program and $36M in local, federal, and private investment, the new Youngstown Innovation Hub for Aerospace and Defense will bolster economic development locally and statewide, capitalizing on the region’s long-standing additive manufacturing technology and research.
Additive manufacturing, known more commonly as 3D printing, is the process of creating three-dimensional objects one layer at a time. This technology has revolutionized the production of military equipment through the rapid creation of complex and customized parts, which limits the overreliance on foreign manufacturing.
“Building on the region’s deep manufacturing roots, Youngstown has spent the last decade establishing itself as a leader in the research, development, and commercialization of additive technology,” said Governor DeWine. “With support from the Ohio Innovation Hubs Program, partners will now have added capacity to drive critical advancements in the defense and aerospace industries by transforming the way military equipment is made and strengthening our country’s national defense supply chains.”
Much like the State of Ohio, Youngstown is well known for its strong roots in traditional manufacturing. Building on its reputation as a “steel town,” Youngstown has been reinventing itself as the nation’s premier hub for additive technology.
Additional Funding
In addition to state, local, federal, and private investments, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources will contribute $1.2M to the Innovation Hub for Aerospace and Defense through the Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) program. This funding will support the design and engineering of the new facility, as well as initial renovations. The AMLER program provides grants for economic development projects that benefit regions affected by decades of coal mining.
In February 2023, America Makes — the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, joined forces with the City of Youngstown, the Youngstown Business Incubator, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, state legislators, and business leaders to form a coalition vying for innovation hub funding from Gov. DeWine’s budget plan. Backed by strong partnerships and a proven track record in additive manufacturing research, technology, and workforce development, the coalition positioned Youngstown as an ideal site. Establishing a hub in the city would reinforce its role as a leader in additive manufacturing, driving economic growth and innovation across the region and state.
“Partners in this region have been laying the foundation for the Youngstown Innovation Hub for years, and it’s incredibly moving to see their hard work pay off,” said Lt. Governor Tressel. “Today’s announcement is a victory for this community, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.”
America Makes is the nation’s leading public-private partnership dedicated to advancing additive manufacturing technology, education, and ecosystem development. “For over a decade, we have collaborated with our members from industry, academia, government, and workforce organizations to drive additive manufacturing adoption and enhance U.S. manufacturing competitiveness,” stated John Wilczynski, Executive Director of America Makes. “Together with our regional ecosystem partners, we have elevated Youngstown as the epicenter for market-ready additive manufacturing technologies. This initiative strengthens that foundation, aligning our capabilities with the defense and aerospace industries and empowering small-to-medium manufacturers to leverage advanced technologies for new opportunities in these critical sectors.”
According to Director Mihalik, the Ohio Innovation Hubs Program is a direct investment in Ohio’s people and communities. “We’re ensuring that the next breakthroughs in additive manufacturing are proudly ‘Made in Ohio.’ Beyond the technology developed here, the Youngstown Innovation Hub for Aerospace and Defense will drive lasting economic growth and create opportunities that will benefit this region and its people for generations to come.”
The Youngstown Innovation Hub will be a catalyst in fortifying current and emerging supply chain manufacturing connections within the Mahoning Valley’s aerospace and defense sectors. “By enhancing these industries’ capabilities and expanding their market presence, the Hub will not only boost local industrial capacity but also pave the way for cutting-edge solutions to meet Ohio’s evolving needs,” said Kimberly Gibson, Ecosystem Director at America Makes. “Additionally, the technologies commercialized through the Hub for aerospace and defense will ripple into other sectors, including energy, medical devices, construction, and semiconductors. With its focus on enabling technology and optimizing core manufacturing processes, the Hub positions additive manufacturing as a key force in driving the future of these diverse industries—ushering in a new era of innovation and economic growth.”
According to Alexander Steeb, Senior Operations Director of America Makes, a significant portion of the state’s funding will be used to adapt and construct the Hub’s high-quality manufacturing space located in the former Vindicator II building. “This will complement the Youngstown Business Incubator’s existing ‘technology campus’ with up to 75,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space and approximately 30,000 sq. ft. of equipment, office, and convening space. The sprawling facility is centrally located and ideal for housing larger, complex additive manufacturing equipment that currently does not have adequate space to call their own,” he said.
A Dream Come True
For Barb Ewing, CEO of the Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI), this project is a dream come true. “This truly represents the best of the Mahoning Valley,” she stated. “This community came together to achieve this goal and without the support of our local government, nonprofit, industry, and academic leadership, we wouldn’t be celebrating this achievement. We’re grateful for everyone’s support – and confidence – in the project team’s ability to turn this dream into reality.”
By 2029, project partners expect the work of the Youngstown Innovation Hub for Aerospace and Defense to create approximately 450 new jobs in the Mahoning Valley (Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, and Ashtabula counties), and $161.6M in increased state revenue. Partners will also work to develop the local workforce growth of the additive industry over the long term by not only increasing the number of jobs, but also by offering 40 interns and 185 new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) credential certificates. This initiative aims to attract and retain the next generation of innovators and engineers. Efforts will emphasize scaling training and curricula programs targeting re- and up-skilling for both youth and adults. The Hub will also provide support for small businesses looking to commercialize new additive applications.
“I’d like to thank Governor DeWine for helping further our vision for the future of Youngstown,” said Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown. “The Innovation Hub is not only an anchor to the other economic investments we’ve made to bring our downtown back, but it cements Youngstown as the national leader in additive manufacturing and creates technology-based jobs right here that will attract and retain the best and brightest.”
“The Innovation Hub for Aerospace and Defense establishes Youngstown nationally, if not globally, as ground zero for the technology that will revolutionize manufacturing. The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber is proud to have been part of the coalition that developed the idea of a Hub in Youngstown. We see once again that prosperity is born from people and organizations working together for the good of the Valley,” said Guy Coviello, President & CEO, Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber.
“The Mahoning County Commissioners are proud to have contributed matching funds to help secure this award. As public officials, few decisions are as easy as this one. This award is not only going to be transformative for the City of Youngstown but for the entire county,” stated Anthony Traficanti, President of the Mahoning County Board of Commissioners.
“This project is going to offer significant benefits to the region,” said Alexa Sweeney Blackann, Interim CEO of Lake to River. “Lake to River is proud to be a part of this project team, seizing new opportunities to build the defense and aerospace industries in our communities. With our core expertise in advanced manufacturing and the collective capabilities of our partners, we are poised to redefine the region’s economy and drive long-term growth.”
Innovation Hub Partners, Stakeholders, and Contributors
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Ohio Lt. Governor Jim Tressel, Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik, State Senator Al Cutrona, State Representatives Lauren McNally, Tex Fischer, Monica Robb Blasdel, Nick Santucci, and David Thomas, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, The City of Youngstown, the Youngstown Business Incubator, the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber and its Foundation, the Youngstown State University and the YSU Foundation, the Mahoning County Commissioners, the Western Reserve Port Authority, the Lake to River Economic Development, Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, the Youngstown Foundation, Vince and Phyllis Bacon, Humtown Products, Center Street Technologies, Ursa Major, JuggerBot 3D, Additive Engineering Solutions, BDI, XJET, TMI Inc., the Brilex Companies, Compco Industries, Hexagon, EOS, Stratasys, Team NEO, Nottingham Spirk, the Ohio Aerospace Institute, and the Association for Manufacturing Technology.
Ohio Innovation Hubs Program
The DeWine-Husted Administration developed the Ohio Innovation Hubs Program in partnership with the Ohio General Assembly last year to spur investment outside Ohio’s major metro areas. Like the Innovation Districts located in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland, Innovation Hubs combine the talents of leading academic and research institutions, workforce and economic development partners, and private companies to gain a competitive advantage through collaboration.
In total, approximately $125M has now been awarded as part of the Ohio Innovation Hubs Program. Ohio’s first Innovation Hub was announced in Perrysburg in July, awarding $31.3M to the Northwest Ohio Glass Innovation Hub. The second innovation hub was announced in Dayton last month, awarding $35M to the onMain Innovation Hub. The third was announced in Akron in September, awarding $31.25M to the Greater Akron Polymer Innovation Hub. For more information on the Ohio Innovation Hubs Program, visit development.ohio.gov.