ANALYTICS

said. “The long-term vision was to build a sustainable company, not just a shortterm project, but an asset for our region.

“Our founders took a risk that they could do that. Now, we’re in the second phase.”

In this new phase, which has already begun, the Collaboratory has added four companies to the seven that are sharing technology. The group declined to name the new companies but did say they are all located in central Ohio.

“And we are aggressively expanding beyond that number,” Wald said. “We want many more major companies to benefit from what we have learned, especially in areas such as cybersecurity and analytics. The organizations that we bring into our system will have access to technologies and cases that will make them safer and more competitive.”

The Collaboratory has earned its keep just in cybersecurity alone, said Michael Krouse, chief strategy and transformation officer for OhioHealth and current Columbus Collaboratory board chairman.

“In today’s world of increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks, it has been invaluable for OhioHealth to lean on the wisdom of our fellow businesses while also sharing our own expertise,” Krouse said.

This latest round of financial support brings Columbus Collaboratory’s total funding over the past several years to approximately $42 million, putting the company among the top central Ohio startup companies in total funding, officials said.