U News 2 | Florida State pursuing a major center for aerospace and defense manufacturing research and education
Innovation Gateway at the University of Georgia receives another $200,000 for its Federal and State Technology (FAST) program.
From Florida State University:
Florida State University (FSU) has selected The Applied Science & Technology Research Organization (ASTRO) of America to help establish the Institute for Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Research, and Education (InSPIRE) as a major center for aerospace and defense manufacturing research and education in Northwest Florida.
For its part, ASTRO America is tasked with collaboratively designing the facility’s factory equipment layout, managing InSPIRE’s industry and government collaborations and embeds, and helping prioritize applied research that will maximize U.S. industrial productivity, national security, and regional economic development.
This announcement coincides with ASTRO America’s decision to establish the headquarters of its signature Additive Manufacturing Forward (AM Forward) technology program in Panama City, FL. Launched in May 2022 by ASTRO America President Neal Orringer alongside President Joe Biden, AM Forward is a compact of several major corporations and government agencies to enhance supply chain resilience through the adoption of metal additive manufacturing.
“Florida State University is a national leader in aero-propulsion research,” Orringer said. “Together with ASTRO’s advanced manufacturing network and expertise, we will build a model public-private partnership to boost competitiveness for America’s aerospace and defense sector and ensure robust economic growth in America’s Gulf Coast Region.”
Separately, FSU announced its first hire. Chase Foster joins the team as Senior Research & Project Engineer for Aerospace.
Learn more about both announcements here and here.
From the University of Georgia:
Innovation Gateway will continue supporting start-ups and technology-based small businesses affiliated with the University of Georgia (UGA) — thanks, in part, to the renewal of the Federal and State Technology (FAST) Grant.
In partnership with the Center for Black Entrepreneurship (CBE), Innovation Gateway is one of 49 grant recipients in 2024, receiving $200,000 to support proposals for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants, which are awarded to start-up businesses engaged in developing advanced technologies. The FAST program, powered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), is a competitive grant program for organizations that work with small businesses in underrepresented and disadvantaged areas.
“We are excited to be working with The Center for Black Entrepreneurship to expand access to SBIR and STTR grants to stakeholders throughout Georgia,” said Dan Geller, Interim Director of Start-ups at Innovation Gateway. “This funding is an important early launchpad for these companies to get their technologies or ideas off the ground.”
Innovation Gateway’s start-up’s program assists the UGA community, as well as the state of Georgia, in turning ideas and discoveries into impact. Along with providing funding assistance, it offers several programs to support UGA faculty and others in their entrepreneurial journey. In FY23, Gateway gave out 27 FAST awards totaling $68,000
From the University of Colorado:
Fourteen teams of University of Colorado (CU) faculty, researchers and graduate student innovators competed for a combined $1.25 million in start-up funding grants in this year’s Lab Venture Challenge (LVC). Judges from CU Boulder’s entrepreneurial network heard Shark-Tank-style pitches across two nights, one for innovations in biosciences and another for physical sciences and engineering.
Through LVC, top innovators from CU’s Boulder, Denver, and Colorado Springs campuses compete for grants of up to $125,000. LVC supports projects that address a commercial need, have a clear path to a compelling market, and have strong scientific support. The LVC grants are funded by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) Advanced Industries Program, as well as Venture Partners at CU Boulder and the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund. Ten awards were granted this year for a total of $1,250,000.
This culminating event for these groundbreaking teams showcased the university’s initiative to support innovators from discovery to economic success. LVC is run by Venture Partners at CU Boulder, the university’s commercialization arm and central resource for researchers who wish to translate their work into impactful business and social ventures. As part of the LVC program, all the competitors worked with Venture Partners to protect their innovations and practice their funding pitches for business audiences. LVC awardees will continue to work and collaborate with Venture Partners on their path to commercialization.
“At this early stage, funding is essential, but can be a challenge to obtain,“ said Joshua Bennett, Director of LVC and Senior Licensing Manager at Venture Partners. “All of these teams have promising innovations ready to launch new businesses. LVC is a unique opportunity for those innovators to receive that vital funding, and we’re proud to work with the State of Colorado to make it happen.”
To date, LVC has funded more than 117 projects through 64 new deep-tech start-up companies. Collectively, these companies have raised nearly $350 million in follow-on financing.
From Wayne State University:
Wayne State University (WSU) has launched WSU OPEN, a groundbreaking new initiative aimed at streamlining and expanding partnerships between the university and corporations, nonprofits, and governmental organizations.
WSU OPEN (Opportunity, Partnership, Engagement, Network) provides a single gateway to the university’s expertise, research, talent and resources. Its concierge-style service offers facilitated access to advanced research facilities, industry-specific expertise, and workforce development programs tailored to meet partners’ needs. All inquiries will receive a response within 24 business hours.
The new initiative supports a wide range of potential partnerships, from sponsored research projects and collaborative innovation to internships, co-ops and career pipelines linking student and faculty talents with industry leaders. These connections will foster partnerships that advance innovation, entrepreneurship and community engagement while benefiting students, faculty and staff through new opportunities across the private and public sectors.
“WSU OPEN is our ‘open for business’ sign,” said Dr. Kimberly Andrews Espy, Wayne State University President. “By simplifying the ability for businesses and other organizations to work with us, we provide them with rapid access to exceptional talent, knowledge, and resources while creating valuable and unique opportunities for our students, faculty, and staff. Whether through tailored research, custom training programs, or hands-on student experiences, WSU OPEN is about building long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships that advance our community.”
WSU OPEN aligns with the university’s Prosperity Agenda, specifically its commitment to fuel innovation to propel Michigan’s competitiveness in the 21st-century economy. With support from TechTown Detroit — WSU’s entrepreneurship hub — and through cultivating a campus that is open for business, the university will deliver solutions to urban challenges while building a stronger, more inclusive economy.
From the University of Cincinnati:
The University of Cincinnati’s College of Engineering and Applied Science is a new partner with the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network, a coalition dedicated to equipping engineering students with an entrepreneurial mindset.
This collaboration, supported by the Kern Family Foundation, empowers engineering programs to inspire curiosity, connections, and value creation in their graduates, preparing them to address real-world challenges with innovative solutions.
UC will collaborate with more than 65 leading engineering institutions to integrate entrepreneurial skills into its curriculum, helping students build careers that contribute to economic and societal progress. Through shared resources, faculty training, and development opportunities, the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network, or KEEN, provides support for faculty and students.
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