Michigan Technological University is among several Michigan universities participating in a university-business coalition to boost technology, research and collaboration between schools.
It's all part of the University Technology Acceleration and Commercialization program, through the state's 21st Century Jobs Fund. With the help of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan Strategic Fund, $6.8 million is going toward university partnerships that are designed to encourage economic growth and job creation.
"Michigan is one of the top states in the nation for research and development with more than $16 billion in industrial R&D and close to $2 billion in university research," says Michael Finney, CEO and president of the
MEDC, who also chairs the MSF. "Companies like Google, Facebook and Dell were born on college campuses and we want to keep helping our leading universities turn the latest developments into jobs."
There are three main programs being funded by the $6.8 million, one of which is the Tech Transfer Talent Network, made up of University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, Michigan Tech University, Western Michigan University, Grand Valley State University, and Automation Alley. The network will get $2.43 million to exchange technology, enhance talent and strengthen relationships between the colleges and private sector businesses.
As part of the plan, a database will be created of tech experts who can help with transfer projects; a mentor-in-residence program will begin to connect entrepreneurs with colleges; a Tech Transfer Fellows program will allow graduate students to help in technology assessment and market analysis, and a post-doctoral fellowship program will support graduates working on startups or licensing for their research.
The other two programs are $1.8 million to build a corporate relations network for the state's research universities, and $2.4 million to fund a coalition of all 15 Michigan public universities under the Michigan Initiative for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and the Michigan Universities Commercialization Initiative. The latter will fund startups spun off from the schools, and connect university and private resources to get technology and ideas developed at colleges to the right markets.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Michael Finney, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
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