By JULIE CARR SMYTH Associated Press, and staff
COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio State University says it plans to use a $110 million donation from IT innovator and executive Ratmir Timashev’s family foundation to establish a software innovation center with the goal of becoming a hub for new ideas, entrepreneurship and product development.
The gift announced at Thursday’s board of trustees meeting is the largest in university history.
Timashev says the idea is to make Ohio State, Columbus and the Midwest “the new high tech mecca.”
Ohio State President Kristina Johnson says the project will benefit the university and region and ”stimulate innovation across the country for a very long time to come.”
In other action, board members approved $2.7 million for professional services to determine the full scope and cost for a new men’s and women’s ice hockey facility in the Athletics District.