Northeast Ohio has spent years building the foundations of a thriving innovation economy. World-class health care institutions, leading research universities and growing investment in entrepreneurship have positioned our region to compete for the industries of the future.
This fall, Cleveland will take an important next step with the launch of CDL-Cleveland, a partnership between Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), University Hospitals (UH), and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU).
Founded at the University of Toronto, CDL has become one of the world’s most successful accelerator programs for science- and technology-based ventures. Its objective-driven model has helped founders build companies that have collectively generated billions of dollars in value while creating meaningful economic impact across the communities where CDL operates.
The new Cleveland site will focus on health care delivery, bringing together startups developing technologies that improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, increase efficiency and enhance the delivery of care.
What makes CDL-Cleveland particularly distinctive is its close integration with UH and CWRU. Entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to engage directly with health care leaders, clinicians, researchers, and innovation experts as they refine and expand their solutions.
For Cleveland, however, the greatest opportunity extends beyond supporting local startups. CDL-Cleveland will serve as a magnet for high-potential health care startups globally, introducing founders to the unique strengths of Northeast Ohio’s health care and research ecosystem.
An example of the type of entrepreneur we might attract to CDL-Cleveland is Pavan Kota, CEO and co-founder of Anvil Diagnostics. After earning an undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering from CWRU and helping launch Apollo Medical Devices as a student, Kota is now building a promising health care technology company to improve the speed and accuracy of infectious disease diagnostics. His entrepreneurial journey reflects the type of talent Northeast Ohio helps develop and the type of founder CDL-Cleveland can help reconnect to the region. Kota built his company outside of Cleveland, but he plans to participate in CDL-Cleveland.
Founders like Kota represent an important opportunity for Cleveland. Across the country, entrepreneurs with ties to Northeast Ohio are building innovative companies in major startup hubs. CDL-Cleveland creates a powerful mechanism to bring those founders back into our orbit, whether as participants, mentors, investors, collaborators or future employers.
By attracting high-growth ventures and connecting them to our health care systems, research institutions and innovation community, we increase the likelihood that more companies will choose to build meaningful relationships in Cleveland and, in some cases, establish a lasting presence here.
The timing could not be better. Through initiatives such as the Cleveland Innovation District and continued investments by our health care systems, universities, foundations and civic leaders, Northeast Ohio has demonstrated a commitment to building a stronger innovation economy. CDL-Cleveland adds a critical new dimension by creating a globally recognized platform that attracts exceptional founders and companies to our region.
If we succeed, the impact won’t simply be measured by the companies that participate in the program. It will be measured by the entrepreneurs, investors and innovators who discover that Northeast Ohio is a place where transformative health care innovation can thrive. ●
Michael Goldberg is Associate professor, Department of Design and Innovation at Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management and Executive director at the Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship, Case Western Reserve University
