Fired OH.io execs sue Timashev over AI venture.

TL;DR

Fired executives from OH.io Ventures, including CEO Jeff Schumann, sued billionaire co-founder Ratmir Timashev.
Three top executives - CEO and two others - were terminated then filed the lawsuit over the AI venture.
Signals early trouble in the $100M Columbus AI startup push, raising questions on leadership stability.

The story at a glance

OH.io Ventures' CEO Jeff Schumann and two top executives were fired by billionaire co-founder Ratmir Timashev, then sued him over their AI startup initiative in Columbus. The article reports this recent split in the firm launched just months ago to attract AI companies. It comes amid hype around Timashev's local investments.[[1]](https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2026/04/17/ohio-ventures-timashev-schumann-lawsuit.html)

Key points

OH.io Ventures aimed to bring 100 AI startups to Columbus with $100M from Timashev, using a "performance venture" model focused on sales support instead of equity.[[2]](https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2026/02/12/ohio-ventures-ratmir-timashev-columbus-ai-startups.html)
Jeff Schumann, co-founder and CEO, previously built cybersecurity firm Aware; he and two other executives were fired recently.
Lawsuit filed after firings, targeting Timashev; full details like claims or amounts not public due to paywall.[[1]](https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2026/04/17/ohio-ventures-timashev-schumann-lawsuit.html)
Timashev, Veeam Software co-founder and Ohio State alum, donated $110M to the university and picked Columbus for this venture.
Venture promised office space, sales teams, taking 50% of revenue growth to align incentives.

Details and context

OH.io Ventures launched publicly in February 2026 as Timashev's hands-on bet on Columbus for AI scaling, contrasting traditional VC by emphasizing sales help for global B2B software firms. Schumann was key operator, with experience proving revenue growth in Ohio.

The firings and suit mark a quick fallout, about two months after launch coverage; no responses from parties visible in previews or secondary reports.

Timashev's track record includes growing Veeam to $5B sale; this was his push to make Columbus a "startup magnet" amid regional tech ambitions.

Key quotes

None reliably sourced from full article due to paywall.

Why it matters

Internal strife at OH.io Ventures threatens a high-profile $100M AI ecosystem build in Columbus, potentially slowing startup recruitment. Investors and local boosters may rethink commitments to performance-based models amid leadership fights. Watch court filings or Timashev statements for claims details and venture future.