At Lunken Airport on Friday, May 30th, Councilman Mark Jeffreys in partnership with Cintrifuse, University of Cincinnati’s 1819 Innovation Hub, CincyTech, other startup ecosystem partners and Airtrek Robotics unveiled a ‘City as Lab’ initiative with startup Airtrek Robotics showcasing the future of aviation ground operations with a live demonstration of its autonomous technology platform, designed to streamline safety and efficiency in aircraft handling. The event marks the company’s second pilot in the Midwest region—and a strong signal of Cincinnati’s growing momentum as a launchpad for high-growth startups.
Airtrek Robotics is a graduate of Cintrifuse’s Venture Velocity program, a high-touch, cohort-based program for early-stage, high-potential startups. Since completing the program, the company has received an investment from Cintrifuse Capital and gained national attention for its work in the aviation sector—most recently as a standout participant in the SXSW Pitch competition, winner of several other prominent pitch events, and recipient of a $200,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Development’s Technology Validation and Start-up Fund Program.
We’re proud to support Airtrek as they scale cutting-edge technology from right here in Cincinnati,. They’re a perfect example of the kind of founder-led innovation that’s gaining traction in our region—and this partnership with the City is exactly what we want to see more of: startups building with Cincinnati, not just in it.
The University of Cincinnati’s 1819 Innovation Hub supported the Airtrek founders in their journey to entrepreneurship. Through the UC Venture Lab program, the Airtrek team took their concept from vision to commercialization. This includes access to critical resources such as funding and the UC Makerspace, where groundbreaking technologies like the Airtrek robot were built. The Airtrek demo is part of a broader initiative by the City of Cincinnati to foster meaningful pilots between startups and civic partners, creating a pathway for scalable solutions that address real-world challenges.
“Airtrek leads the way in next-generation autonomous solutions. The fact they’re building the future of aviation robotics at the 1819 Innovation Hub is a particular point of pride for us,” said Ryan Hays, UC executive vice president and chief innovation and strategy officer.
Airtrek’s platform automates key aspects of aircraft ground handling—tasks that, until now, have remained largely manual despite modern advances in aviation. By automating these routine but critical operations, Airtrek reduces safety risks, streamlines turnaround times, and frees up staff for higher-value work.
“What passengers don’t see is how much of aviation still depends on repetitive, manual work,” said Airtrek co-founders Jon Taylor, Huzefa Dossaji, and Chris Lee. “Our mission is to bring modern automation to ground operations—boosting safety, improving reliability, and helping teams work smarter. Thanks to the support of Cintrifuse and the University of Cincinnati, we’ve been able to move faster, make the right connections, and unlock opportunities like this pilot.”
Our mission is to bring modern automation to ground operations—boosting safety, improving reliability, and helping teams work smarter. Thanks to the support of Cintrifuse and the University of Cincinnati, we’ve been able to move faster, make the right connections, and unlock opportunities like this pilot.
“This kind of collaboration is a win-win,” said Councilmember Mark Jeffreys, who opened the event. “Startups gain credibility and traction, and the City gets early access to innovations that can improve public services. This ‘City as Lab’ initiative builds on Cincinnati’s frontier, innovation history to now make Cincinnati, creating a testbed for technology that can scale well beyond the region.”
Ready to Build the Next Innovation for the City of Cincinnati?
Airtrek Robotics’ journey from idea to national stage started right here in Cincinnati—and grew with support from Cintrifuse’s Venture Velocity program.
If you’re an early-stage, venture-backable startup with a big vision and a real problem to solve, Venture Velocity is built for you. Through an intensive cohort model, we provide targeted programming, pitch readiness, deep mentorship, and high-touch support to help you raise your first round and gain traction fast. Apply now to join the next generation of high-growth founders building with Cincinnati, not just in it.