APEX Accelerator hosts manufacturing summit

One of the hallmark efforts of the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service is assisting and nurturing small Ohio businesses.

Within that, there’s a dedicated staff to help owners navigate the complex world of securing government contracts through the school’s Apex Accelerator program. The program has been wildly successful: In 2023, OHIO’s Apex Accelerator helped businesses across the state secure over 8,500 government contracts, bringing in more than $1 billion in total awards.

In early October, the school hosted the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Manufacturing Summit at the OHIO-Dublin campus. More than 140 people participated, including small business owners and government officials. The goal of the event was to meet and hear from senior Department of Defense (DoD) officials about products the government is seeking to purchase. The keynote speaker was Farooq Mitha, director of the Office of Small Business Programs in the Department of Defense. 

Many Apex Accelerator events are open calls, but this one was explicitly targeted at manufacturing companies.

“We need help from a capacity or a need perspective, where we want to build new entrants into our supply chain,” says Daniele Kurze, director of the DLA Office of Small Business. “The partnership with the APEX Accelerator and the Voinovich School is essential to us.”

The DoD was looking for help in the manufacturing of a new weapons system (or Class Nine hardware in DoD speak), and working with Apex Accelerator brought together tool and equipment businesses to vie to supply items from machinery to nuts, bolts, and screws. Attendees felt that the narrower focus of the event was beneficial.

“It exceeded my expectations,” says Jared Crooks, founder of the Dublin-based A.M. Toolbox. “I've been to a couple of these things before where it was more of a showcase, but this one was ‘We want you to come because we want you to be a supplier. We need you in this specific supply chain.’”

The DLA also brought members to specifically coach business owners on how to apply for a government contract. For many attendees, it would be their first time approaching the DLA.

“It can be very overwhelming for small businesses,” says Kurze. “Our industry has its own language, and multiple things need to be completed before they pitch us. Navigating the federal contracting space can be very difficult.”

“Small businesses can do some pretty amazing things,” says Sharon Hopkins, director of the Ohio APEX Accelerator at Ohio University, “They can be very nimble and change directions if they need to on a project more easily than a big corporation like Boeing.”

Crooks—who started A.M. Toolbox four years ago in his basement—has a February deadline to draft a proposal for the DLA, something he feels more comfortable with after attending the event.

“I’m always trying to look for the next thing,” he says. “I'm grateful for the Voinovich School to help me explore this other avenue I never thought existed.”

For more information on the Apex Accelerator Program, please see the program website.