Unlocking Collaboration: How Ohio State Researchers Leverage the Ohio Innovation Exchange (OIEx)

Ohio is home to world-class research, cutting-edge innovation, and a deep pool of academic talent—and the Ohio Innovation Exchange (OIEx) is designed to make that collective expertise more accessible than ever. OIEx is a dynamic platform that connects your work to industry partners, research centers, and fellow academics across the state. We invite STEMM faculty to view instructions for updating their profile, 

What is OIEx?

OIEx is a multi-university, statewide knowledge management platform supported by the Ohio Department of Higher Education. It currently brings together ten of Ohio’s top research institutions and growing, offering a centralized tool to showcase faculty expertise, research interests, publications, patents, lab equipment, and more. With more than 10,000 faculty profiles and 450,000+ scholarly works, OIEx is vital for advancing Ohio’s innovation ecosystem.

Benefits to Ohio State Researchers 

1. Expand Your Network and Collaborations
OIEx helps break down institutional silos by enabling faculty to connect with peers at other universities and with potential external collaborators. Whether you’re looking for a co-investigator for a grant or a company to partner with your research, OIEx serves as your starting point.

2. Increase Visibility and Impact
Your OIEx profile amplifies your digital presence beyond Ohio State. It makes your research more discoverable by companies seeking academic expertise, funding organizations, and policymakers who want data-driven insights.

3. Facilitate Technology Transfer and Industry Engagement
Many researchers want to see their work applied in real-world contexts. OIEx helps bridge the gap between academia and industry by providing businesses direct access to research expertise, research capabilities, and licensable IP ready for collaboration.

4. Support Interdisciplinary Work
With research interests spanning everything from biomedical engineering to climate policy, the platform is ideal for identifying interdisciplinary partners—particularly those working on complex societal challenges that require multidisciplinary approaches.

5. Position Yourself for Funding and Innovation Opportunities
Increasingly, grant-makers and agencies prioritize collaborative and impact-driven proposals. A strong OIEx profile positions you as an accessible and proactive researcher, making it easier for others to include you in emerging proposals.

How to Get Started

Ohio State faculty members in the STEMM disciplines, likely have an OIEx profile. View instructions to: 

• Claim and update your profile; enhance your bio with descriptions of your current research interests and areas to partner with industry 
• Add researcher IDs to auto-curate your publications
• List your affiliations with centers, institutes, and other profile/networking tools, e.g., Google Scholars, LinkedIn, etc.
• Connect with other researchers across Ohio institutions

In a time when innovation depends on speed, connectivity, and collaboration, OIEx is a powerful tool for advancing your research and extending your impact beyond the university. By making your work more visible and accessible, you help strengthen Ohio’s role as an innovation hub of research-driven problem solving.

Let’s build a more connected research community—together.

Contact: connect@ohioinnovationexchange.org