Quest Defense moves into UC’s 1819 Innovation Hub
Partnership enhances industry-academia collaboration
According to the Cincinnati Business Courier, the 1819 Innovation Hub at the University of Cincinnati has secured another tenant, Quest Defense Systems and Solutions.
A rapidly expanding local firm headquartered in Blue Ash, Quest Defense Systems and Solutions is at the forefront of land-defense engineering, delivering vital solutions for contemporary ground operations.
With more than 25 years of aerospace and defense engineering expertise, the company said it is committed to delivering high-quality, transformative solutions sets it apart — not just as an industry leader but as a driving force for impactful change.
A growing number of our faculty work on defense-related research, so this new partnership with Quest Defense holds immense promise for everyone involved.
Ryan Hays UC Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer
Quest Defense space with living wall logo. Photo/Quest Defense
The company plans to start occupying its space inside 1819 in April. The company said its move aligns with its strategy to foster innovation and expand its talent pipeline by collaborating with UC students through its co-op program.
UC invented the co-op model more than 100 years ago and is dedicated to advancing workforce development while also showcasing the increasing collaboration between corporations like Quest Defense and higher education. Beginning April 1, QDSS will have a group of team members occupy its 700-square-foot suite. The layout is intended to promote student engagement and collaboration.
Through the 1819 ecosystem, student experiences and learning in the field of innovation equip UC co-ops with the essential skills needed to succeed.
Quest Defense will be in good company as 1819 innovation partners include Western & Southern, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, and several venture capital firms and startups.
Ryan Hays, UC’s executive vice president and chief innovation and strategy officer for UC, sees a strategic advantage to having Quest Defense at 1819.
“UC is home to the second-oldest aerospace engineering program in the country. A growing number of our faculty work on defense-related research, so this new partnership with Quest Defense holds immense promise for everyone involved,” he said.
The 1819 Innovation Hub is the nerve center of the Cincinnati Innovation District, the first innovation district built in Ohio. The district was launched in 2020 as a historic partnership between JobsOhio, the University of Cincinnati, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. The district continues to accelerate the growth of talent, innovation, research, commercialization, and entrepreneurship across the region.
Read more from the: Cincinnati Business Courier
Cover photo: Quest Defense building logo. Photo/Quest Defense
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