OSEIN Releases Its 2025 Impact Report
Building Buckeye-Connected Capital: Ohio State Early Investor Network 2025 Impact Report
The Ohio State Early Investor Network released its 2025 Impact Report marking a pivotal year of growth in capital deployment, investor engagement, and support for early-stage companies connected to The Ohio State University.
What began as a promising idea has evolved into a meaningful source of early capital and community for founders emerging from Ohio State’s research and alumni ecosystem. In 2025 alone, OSEIN facilitated more than $2.5 million in investments into Buckeye-connected startups, demonstrating how aligned alumni capital can accelerate innovation while strengthening long-term ties between the university and the venture ecosystem.
Turning Community Into Capital
OSEIN’s core mission is simple but powerful: connect investors who want to make an impact with founders building high-potential companies rooted in the Ohio State community. In 2025, that mission translated into disciplined capital formation across a diverse range of sectors, including healthcare, medical devices, software, therapeutics, and advanced technologies.
Through its Investment Committee process, OSEIN reviewed more than 60 early-stage companies and selected 22 to pitch to the full network. These companies reflected a mix of alumni-founded startups, university-adjacent ventures and technologies commercializing Ohio State research, reinforcing OSEIN’s role as a bridge between innovation and early capital.
Beyond deployed capital, investors contributed strategic guidance, industry expertise, and mentorship, reinforcing the network’s emphasis on pairing financial support with human capital.
A Growing and Engaged Investor Network
OSEIN’s investor community continued to expand in both size and diversity in 2025, growing to more than 120 active members. The network brings together alumni, parents, grateful patients, and friends and fans of the university with backgrounds spanning entrepreneurship, corporate leadership, venture capital, healthcare, technology, finance, and public service.
Investor engagement deepened through regular pitch sessions, educational programming, and informal networking opportunities. Members join OSEIN for a range of reasons, from interest in early-stage investing to a desire to stay connected to Ohio State innovation, but all contribute to a collaborative, learning-oriented investment culture.
Education as a Cornerstone
Education remained central to OSEIN’s work in 2025. The network hosted Lunch & Learns, expert-led discussions, and structured programming focused on topics such as due diligence, deal structures, portfolio construction, and founder support.
OSEIN also expanded its entry points for new investors. The Emerging Investor Program continued to provide hands-on exposure to the investment process for alumni preparing to become accredited investors, while the Observational Membership launched as a low-barrier, education-first pathway for those exploring angel investing for the first time. Together, these programs help build confident, informed investors who are prepared to engage responsibly over the long term.
Strengthening the Broader Ecosystem
In addition to capital and education, OSEIN invested in building deeper connections across the Ohio State innovation ecosystem. In 2025, the network launched an experiential learning pilot with Fisher College of Business Full-Time MBA students, offering real-world exposure to venture evaluation and early-stage finance while fostering meaningful connections between students and active investors.
OSEIN’s work is supported by a dedicated group of volunteer leaders, advisors, and committee members who bring decades of experience in venture capital, corporate innovation, and entrepreneurship. Their leadership helps ensure that OSEIN’s processes remain rigorous, transparent, and aligned with long-term value creation.
Looking Ahead
As outlined in the Impact Report, OSEIN enters 2026 focused on scaling high-quality deal flow, deepening post-investment support for founders, advancing investor education, and continuing to grow a diverse, values-aligned investor community connected to Ohio State.
The 2025 Impact Report reflects more than a year of activity. It captures a network gaining momentum, refining its role, and demonstrating how Buckeye-connected capital can drive innovation well beyond campus.