Ohio startups raised $1.11 billion across 17 venture rounds in Q3 2026. It was the state's largest quarter since StartMidwest began tracking in 2025, and the most of the six Midwest states we cover. One deal did most of the work: Keyfactor, the machine-identity company in Independence near Cleveland, took a $1 billion-plus growth round. The other 16 rounds came to $109.7 million, more than double Ohio's Q2 total (Ohio Q3 2026 report).
Ohio's activity is spread across three cities. Cleveland is home to CHAMP Titles, Splash Financial and Eagle Wireless, and to Cleveland Clinic spinouts such as Trailhead Biosystems. Columbus produced Ohio's largest seed round of the quarter, Stack Health's $21 million, along with Series A rounds for Healia and RWX. Cincinnati has payments company Payload and an early exit in Lyceum AI.
Ohio also invests in its own founders. The O.H.I.O. Fund backs companies across the state, Rev1 Ventures spun out R1 Capital in Columbus, and Cincinnati's Queen City Angels is now QCA Ventures.
This page collects StartMidwest's Ohio startup news, funding data and founder stories, updated as we publish.
