Center for Software Innovation highlights growing AI ecosystem

Now is the time to build things.

That was the overarching message from founders, technology enthusiasts and futurists at Construct I/O 2025. The annual builder’s summit was hosted by The Ohio State University’s Center for Software Innovation last month, and featured speakers included software industry experts, alumni and university faculty.

Ohio State President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. helped open the conference with remarks that celebrated innovation at the university.

“Here at Ohio State, this is a place where we are creating a culture. We can bring the dreamers, the thinkers, the visionaries, and allow them to be the doers,” he said. “The Center for Software Innovation is the very foundation for how we’re going to build the future of digital innovation and entrepreneurship.”

Carter and Executive Vice President and Provost Ravi V. Bellamkonda spoke during the conference to highlight the university’s commitment to preparing the next generation of software creators and digital entrepreneurs. This year, Ohio State launched AI Fluency, an initiative to embed AI education into the core of the undergraduate academic experience, equipping students with the ability to not only use AI tools, but to understand, question and innovate with them.

“The take-home message is that we can shape the world, we can be bold. … Ohio State is doing that with AI in a very comprehensive way, and I’m happy to go on this journey with all of you,” Bellamkonda said.

Construct I/O speakers discussed ways artificial intelligence continues to shape their industries and create new ones.

Brett Bejcek, co-founder of Limitless, discussed his company’s development and challenges with entrepreneur and investor Ratmir Timashev. Bejcek and Timashev are Ohio State alumni, and Bejcek earned a scholarship sponsored by the company Timashev founded. Timashev’s vision for the Center for Software Innovation and the generosity of the Timashev Family Foundation made Construct I/O possible.

Limitless offers a wearable device that allows users to record sound from meetings or conversations and then use software to sort those conversations into tasks or summaries. Timashev and Bejcek noted the challenges a startup faces, from legal and regulatory issues to settling on a name for the company. But both agreed that it is an incredible time to build a company.

Christina Cacioppo, another entrepreneur with deep ties to Ohio State, discussed her role as CEO and co-founder of Vanta, a fast-growing technology company that helps businesses streamline their regulatory and compliance processes. Cacioppo grew up in Columbus and is a fan of the Buckeyes. Her mother, Barbara Andersen, is a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Psychology and her father, John T. Cacioppo, was also a faculty member.

Cacioppo described how she recognized the service Vanta could provide as a product manager for Dropbox – and noted that founders needed to develop companies that serve a real consumer demand.

Construct I/O 2025 also featured hands-on demonstrations of AI tools and networking opportunities, and ended with the Techstars Founder Showcase, where members of the Techstars Columbus start-up incubator shared information about new business successes.