Columbus isn’t the next Silicon Valley and that’s just fine, experts say—
The Columbus Dispatch, by Tim Feran, November 25, 2017—Almost every city in the country sees itself as an emerging tech hub of national stature. But in the next 20 years or so, it’s likely that only a small percentage will fulfill such promise.
What about Columbus?
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Six Columbus-area companies to watch
These Columbus-area companies are considered possible breakout technology companies. Rev1 Ventures, an incubator and investment organization that assists fledgling companies, recently honored this year’s fastest-growing Columbus startups, and one or more could be the next company to achieve a $1 billion “exit” or buyout, said Tom Walker, CEO of Rev1.
“Wouldn’t it be fantastic if all of them were billion-dollar exits?” Walker said. “They’re all great companies and all at different stages of development and they all have a lot of positive momentum going on.”
The companies cover a wide range of business sectors, from agribusiness to health care:
3Bar Biologics — This bioscience company delivers microbes to farms to increase yields. “Much like probiotics for humans, we’re taking good bacteria and applying that to plants to help the plants take up minerals better,” said Jane Fife, chief science officer. “It’s more sustainable than conventional fertilizer.”