The Small Business Hub was created to link entrepreneurs, businesses, industry and governmental organizations in support of tech-driven business growth, strengthening the Air Force industrial base and commercializing technologies for new market opportunities. It was established in 2014 as a dual effort by the Wright Brothers Institute (WBI) and the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL).

The “444,” located at 444 E. Second St. in downtown Dayton, Ohio, provides a space to collaborate with organizations, startups and universities in the Downtown Dayton Innovation District. This collaborative environment includes meeting spaces equipped with the latest technology, proximity to many potential partners in the region, and a steady flow of subject matter experts from many backgrounds.

As an Intermediary facility outside the gate, it is very easy to have access to the 444 facility, not a typical office environment, but a wide open space which exudes creativity where young engineers, entrepreneurs, startups, millennials, and older professionals can gather – they are going to want to hang out here and collaborate with each other. It facilitates the velocity of ideas and the velocity of innovation and collaboration.