Innovation Park Seeks to Encourage Business Opportunity

Innovation Park Seeks to Encourage Business Opportunity

Innovation Park is a partnership between Florida State University, Florida A&M University, and the Leon County Research and Development Center that came together creating an environment that fosters start-up and growing scientific endeavors. The original idea came from a need to foster continued economic growth and diversify the economic base in the Leon county region. The park has been in operation for over 25 years as a public/private partnership with the local and state government. The current facility has over a million square feet in 16 buildings, 2,000 employees and over 50 businesses that call Innovation Park home.

One major program that Innovation Park offers is the 2010 Technology Commercialization Grant Program that provides up to $15,000 per grant in support of local technology and research efforts. The grant is used to encourage entrepreneurs and local businesses already in existence to grow and expand the local economy. While the grant program is very competitive it provides an opportunity that might not exist in these tough economic times.

Some of the past grant recipients are:

• TEAM Simulations, LLC that commercializes technology created at Florida State University Center for Disaster Risk Policy. It primarily produces software to train and exercise over 9000 federal, state, and local government officials in the development, delivery and after-action reporting of tabletop exercises and management solutions. The grant funds were used to purchase equipment needed to develop a supplemental web utility application as well as create some marketing materials.
• Elections by the People was established in 2009 to improve the accuracy, security, and integrity of U.S. elections by developing a new and technically advanced voting system that combines the desirable features of a computer based touch-screen system with the reliability of a 100 percent voter-verified paper ballot.
• Tai-Yang Research Company (TYRC) is a technology firm working under a cooperative research agreement with the Florida State University Center for Advanced Power Systems. TYRC used the $15,000 grant award to expand its high-temperature superconducting magnet and current leads manufacturing technologies.

Innovation Park is an ideal example of what is possible and can be achieved by strategic thinkers, community support, and willingness to execute a vision.