Powering Progress
Ohio Wesleyan Adds Kickstart Ohio Event to U.S. Entrepreneurship Competition to Fuel Ohio's Economy
Editor's Note: This event is being postponed till Fall 2025 and will be held in conjunction with the U.S. Entrepreneurship Competition.
DELAWARE, Ohio – Ohio Wesleyan University is expanding its rising leadership in Ohio and U.S. entrepreneurship by launching Kickstart Ohio, the region's largest entrepreneurial conference, featuring Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak as its keynote speaker.
The three-day Kickstart Ohio conference, organized by the Delaware Entrepreneurial Center at Ohio Wesleyan University (DEC OWU), complements the annual U.S. Entrepreneurship Competition, Ohio's largest and most lucrative business plan contest, launched by the DEC OWU last year.
"As 'Founder U,' Ohio Wesleyan is rapidly emerging as a leader in attracting world-class talent to Ohio, equipping aspiring entrepreneurs to bring creative ideas to market, and retaining these innovators to strengthen our communities and economy," said OWU President Matt vandenBerg, Ed.D. "Through signature initiatives like Kickstart Ohio, the U.S. Entrepreneurship Competition, and more to come, we are thrilled that OWU's Delaware Entrepreneurial Center serves as a vital catalyst for innovation and collaboration in Ohio and beyond."
Ohio Wesleyan will host Kickstart Ohio from March 24-26, 2025, at the Hilton Columbus at Easton, 3900 Chagrin Dr., Columbus. Tickets are available online now at kickstartohio.com.
Phil Smith, director of the DEC OWU, said the conference will offer five program tracks – ideation, startup, growth, maturity, and exit – all curated to meet attendees wherever they are in their entrepreneurial journeys.
"Kickstart Ohio will connect entrepreneurs, investors, and businesses to gain insights from industry leaders, network with peers, and experience the vibrant spirit of Ohio's entrepreneurial ecosystem," Smith said. "And we'll also hear from the great and powerful 'Woz' himself – Steve Wozniak, who co-founded Apple Computer Inc. with Steve Jobs in 1976."
A technology entrepreneur, electrical engineer, computer programmer, philanthropist, and inventor, Wozniak single-handedly created Apple's first line of products, the Apple I and II, and he influenced its popular Macintosh. The Apple II – featuring a central processing unit, keyboard, color graphics, and floppy disk drive – is considered integral in launching the personal computer industry.
More recently, Wozniak co-founded Woz U, a postsecondary education and training platform focused on software engineering and technology development, and he co-founded Efforce, a company built with a goal of "making every energy system efficient to preserve our planet."
Kickstart Ohio conference-only tickets are $250; tickets including admission to Wozniak's address are $300 for overflow seating and $375 for in-the-room seating. More ticket options are available at kickstartOhio.com.
Conference attendees also will learn more about the second annual U.S. Entrepreneurship Competition, which will open for submissions in July. The competition offers two tracks (professional and college student) and a total prize package worth nearly $500,000. Learn more about the competition, including how to enter, at owu.edu/USEC.
About the Delaware Entrepreneurial Center at Ohio Wesleyan University
Opened in 2018, the DEC OWU, 70 S. Sandusky St., Delaware, is a first-of-its-kind liberal arts business accelerator as well as a first-of-its-kind city, county, and educational institute partnership. The center was launched in collaboration with the City of Delaware and Delaware County. Its benefits include connecting members with Ohio Wesleyan student-interns able to assist with accounting, data analysis, event planning, graphic design, market research, volunteer coordination, website creation, or other needs. As the students work, they also gain hands-on experience to help them fulfill their personal entrepreneurial ambitions. Learn more about the DEC OWU and its opportunities for up-and-coming entrepreneurs at owu.edu/DEC.
About Ohio Wesleyan University
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation's premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and competes in 24 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through its signature experience, the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to understand issues from multiple academic perspectives, volunteer in service to others, build a diverse and global perspective, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience through internships, research, and other hands-on learning. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book "Colleges That Change Lives" and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review "Best Colleges" lists. Connect with OWU expert interview sources at owu.edu/experts or learn more at owu.edu.