What’s going on at UC’s 1819 Innovation Hub?

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 six-minute trip on the UC 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 the Digital Futures building.

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:

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!

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:

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 just talking game.

The perfect time to explore is right around the corner, as the Esports Innovation Lab is celebrating its third birthday on Wednesday, Aug. 20, from 1 to 3 p.m. Join us for a sweet treat and an opportunity to ooh and aah over the immense array of Esports equipment at 1819.

Discover more ways to engage with UC Esports in our full article.

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.

You’ll receive personalized training from seasoned professionals when you join the students-only Venture Lab NEXT cohort. The program provides Bearcats with peer-to-peer learning, offers funding to promising startup ventures and helps you engage with venture capitalists and angel investors.

The 1819 Venture Lab partners closely with UC’s Center for Entrepreneurship to advance student-run businesses. In partnership with the Carl H. Lindner College of Business, the Venture Lab promotes student-led entrepreneurial endeavors via the Bearcat Launchpad accelerator, events like the Innovation Challenge and student organizations like Bearcat Ventures, Net Impact UC and Women in Entrepreneurship.

Find additional student entrepreneurship resources here:

• 9 tips for aspiring student entrepreneurs
• 7 startup challenges and how to solve them

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 Technology Transfer office to learn what it could take for it to be patented.

Be part of the evolution by contacting Tech Transfer 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 Tech Transfer can transform ideas into inventions.

Learn more about gaining student IP in our comprehensive guide.

The 1819 Innovation Hub is packed to the brim, clearly, with opportunities for incoming Bearcats. There’s more in store:

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!

Featured image at top: Front-on shot of UC's 1819 Innovation Hub. Photo/Gregory Glevicky