Central Ohio is positioning itself as a place to foster transportation innovation in areas like autonomy and electrification, particularly as they intersect with agriculture. “Mobility, and smart mobility, and agriculture are definitely tied together,” said Doug McCollough, the inaugural, newly named executive director of The Beta District, an area stretching from Columbus through Dublin, Marysville and Union County. The Beta District, launched in 2021, is an economic development initiative that harnesses the region’s strengths in the transportation technology sectors to establish Central Ohio as yet another tech innovation zone.