After the fall of tech hub Bitwise, a new venture is rising from the ashes in Toledo; The National Museum of the Great Lakes ready to grow

LeSean Shaw – VP, Empowered AI It was the promise to not only transform a part of Toledo’s Uptown area, but also to bring change and create career opportunities for Toledo’s underserved communities by teaching people to code. However, the promise, the plan, the future wasn’t to be - as the powers behind the west coast tech hub operation Bitwise were found to be robbing Peter to pay Paul to keep the operation running, duping investors, including ProMedica, out of thousands or even millions of dollars. Since then, the former CEOs of Bitwise were charged with fraud and 18 local employees were furloughed. But now, some of those 18 former employees are determined to keep grinding for this city they love and the field that they know so well. Kate Fineske - Executive Director - National Museum of the Great Lakes The National Museum of the Great Lakes is celebrating 10 years in the Toledo area, but they aren’t growing complacent. In fact, the NMGL is about to undertake an expansion. Over the past ten years, the museum has captivated visitors with its diverse array of exhibits, featuring visual, audiovisual, and hands-on experiences spanning centuries of Great Lakes history. From the era of fur trading, to the challenges of the underground railroad, and the exploits of rum runners, the museum offers a comprehensive journey through the pivotal moments that have shaped the Great Lakes into the vital resource it is today.