Driving innovation in Ohio through strategic partnerships
OFRN provided GhostWave with the resources we needed to take our company to the next level. As a result of the OFRN contract, we gained credibility, which led us to multiple SBIR and STTR contracts along with Army xTechSearch awards. The exposure from the OFRN contracts also introduced us to new Air Force contacts, new academic contacts, and DoD Prime connections. GhostWave cannot thank OFRN enough for its support.
Dean Zody
CEO, GhostWave Inc.
OFRN SOARING Round 3 & 4 recipient
Working with OFRN and Parallax has helped us tremendously. The OFRN effort and support opened us up to new partnerships with other Ohio small businesses and universities that allowed us to expand our reach and technologies and services we offer. Our OFRN effort opened the doors to a wider range of customers and organizations and provided us the visibility to advance our technologies. Our OFRN efforts directly allowed us to demonstrate our systems to defense, civil, and commercial customers beyond our previous reach.
Ross McNutt Ph.D.
Persistent Surveillance Systems
OFRN SOARING Round 3 recipient
We basically took the work we were doing under the OFRN and submitted it for a U.S. Air Force STTR Phase I, which we won and then submitted a Phase II STTR proposal and won that as well. The OFRN’s goal is to facilitate federal funding and commercial opportunities for innovative technologies in the State of Ohio, and this project is the perfect example of the realization of that goal. We have seen interest in our technology from clients like United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and the U.S. Army. Without the OFRN funding, that would not have been possible.
Rob Hettler
President, Asymmetric Technologies
OFRN SOARING Round 4 recipient
As an early career faculty member, SOARING Round 5 presents an excellent opportunity to launch my research career and collaborate with faculty from other universities, federal labs in the state of Ohio, and our industry partner, Flightprofiler. I look forward to deployment of the Low Altitude Weather Network, and future advances it will facilitate.
Chad Mourning
Assistant Professor in Computer Science at Ohio University
OFRN SOARING Round 5 recipient
The SOARING Round 5 opportunity from OFRN provides our team with a head start on solving the key technical challenges for advanced electrical power generation systems on upcoming military aircraft programs. This extra time allows risks to be addressed, and the technology to make it onto aircraft very soon. The student engagement portion of SOARING is a really innovative aspect of the program that aligns perfectly with Safran’s ongoing workforce development strategy. The interns and graduates from Ohio’s engineering universities and technical schools are core to our success as a high technology group.
Eric Kline
Engineering Manager, Electric Machines and Ram Air Turbines, SAFRAN Electrical & Power
OFRN SOARING Round 5 recipient
Our team is looking forward to engaging with Ohio-based universities, industries and federal research partners to establish the State of Ohio as a leader in LiDAR technology while providing hands-on experiential training for our students.
Sanjay Krishna
Professor and George R Smith Chair in Engineering at OSU
OFRN SOARING Round 5 recipient
With the support of the OFRN-funded project, our team became the first to successfully accomplish additive manufacturing of nickel titanium hafnium. This achievement branched into commercialization and the development of a platform to connect academia and industry to collaborate on additive manufacturing challenges. It also led to the development of a new technology used in additive manufacturing of functional shape memory alloys.
Dr. Mohammad Elahinia
Director, IAER
OFRN SOARING Round 1 recipient
The thing that excites me the most about SEE, is the fact that I get a taste of working a full-time engineering job, without being thrown into the deep end. SEE is a great way to gain experience and be prepare for graduation. And since I am still a student, mistakes aren’t paralyzing since I’m able to turn them into learning opportunities. SEE gets students working at reputable companies, which in turn are training them to have the skills to work there. Additionally, SEE gets the student comfortable with a company so by the time they graduate, they look forward to a hiring opportunity. This has been my experience so far, and I am hopeful for my future.
Alyssa Carnicella
SEE student with the Mechanical Engineering Co-op, Safran Electrical Power
The Ohio Federal Research Network (OFRN)
Who We Are and What We Do
The Ohio Federal Research Network is a science and technology enhancement program managed by Parallax Advanced Research in collaboration with The Ohio State University and funded by the Ohio Department of Higher Education. The OFRN brings together federal partners, academia, and industry in Ohio to drive innovation and commercialization and funds and facilitates statewide R&D projects that are focused on fulfilling the critical mission needs of Ohio’s federal installations. The OFRN also promotes and facilitates the successful commercialization and/or follow-on funding of the R&D projects, which result in high-quality job growth and workforce development in Ohio.
Our Vision
To be Ohio’s go-to solution for creating R&D partnerships among academia, industry, and government; driving economic development through innovation, and promoting and expanding Ohio’s innovation legacy.
Our Mission
We have the mission to stimulate Ohio’s innovation economy by building vibrant, statewide university/industry research collaborations that meet the requirements of Ohio’s federal laboratories, resulting in the creation of leading-edge technologies that drive job growth for our state.
Our Services
Commercialization/
Tech Transfer & Transition
Identify the best market(s) for your technology, and move your technology from concept to market quickly and efficiently.
R&D Funding
Apply for OFRN open solicitation rounds and earn government funding to move your technology from idea to reality.
Networking, Collaboration & Team Matchmaking
Make new connections, build teams, and share ideas with like-minded individuals to evolve your technology and/or scientific capabilities.
Marketing & Communications
Work with our marketing and communications team to develop case studies, success stories, and demonstration videos about your OFRN-funded technologies, and we'll promote these stories across the web, in media, and at various events throughout the year.
Workforce Development
Leverage our workforce development services to help you spinout new businesses, create high-quality jobs in Ohio, and commercialize your technologies.
Education, Training & Proposal Navigation
Learn how to write successful proposals and how to pitch your technology to potential government customers with our education and training resources and SBIR/STTR proposal navigation services.
