Representatives from the University of Central Florida (UCF) Technology Incubator will give presentations on the incubator at two major conferences this spring. The presentations will highlight the regional partnerships responsible for establishing the program and the incubator’s role in the economic development efforts of the region.

Tom O’Neal and Carol Ann Dykes will make the first of the two presentations on university incubators at the Association of University Technology Managers’ annual conference in March. This presentation will share insights on the incubator’s role in technology transfer and commercialization activities of UCF. In addition, the pair will present a session titled “Priceless Partnerships” at the National Business Incubation Association in April. This presentation will detail the local community’s role in establishing partnerships.

For additional information about the UCF Technology Incubator, visit www.incubator.ucf.edu.

The United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) has ranked the Life Sciences Entrepreneurship program at the University of South Florida (USF) as the number one specialty program in the country. USASBE credited USF’s program as being a national model for universities. The award recognizes USF’s benchmarked research, education and training programs in life sciences entrepreneurship.

The award comes after a competition between 26 major universities that started in October 2003 and ended with finalist presentations in Dallas in early 2004. USF, Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Hawaii were the finalist institutions. USF officials say the award is the result of collaboration between the Center for Entrepreneurship, the Health Sciences Center, the Honors College and the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration and Engineering.

For additional information, visit www.tampabay.org.

Inc. Magazine, one of the nation’s leading business publications, has released its list of “Top 25 Cities for Doing Business,” and several cities in the Florida High Tech Corridor have made the list. Sarasota was ranked 3rd on the “medium cities” list. Orlando ranked 11th on the “large cities” list, followed by Tampa-St. Petersburg in 14th.

The magazine based its rankings on sustained job growth across a balance of industries, which was determined as a major indicator of a region’s economic vitality for entrepreneurs.

For additional information, visit www.inc.com.

Plant City-based UTEK Corporation has joined in a strategic alliance with Health Sciences Group, Inc. UTEK is a technology transfer company dedicated to building bridges between university-developed technologies and commercial organizations. The goal of the agreement is to have UTEK identify technology acquisition opportunities for Health Sciences Group, Inc., so they can transition from generic lower-margin products to branded ingredients that provide them with the potential for higher margins.

For additional information, visit www.utekcorp.com.

Starphire Technologies of Clearwater announced that it will release a free version of its highly acclaimed Web-based content management application, SiteSage™. The application is designed to provide enhanced management of Web content without the need for HTML proficiency or outside technical resources. “SiteSage-LE (Lite Edition) is perfect for personal or small business Web sites whose needs are uncomplicated but still want a robust CMS application” said Michael Murdock, President and CEO of Starphire Technologies.

For additional information, visit www.starphire.com.

Environmental Tectonics Corporation’s (ETC) Simulation Division, located in Orlando, has been selected by the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) to provide a $575,000 advanced, interactive virtual-reality based airport ground vehicle driving simulator. The simulator was purchased to enhance the skills of its Fire & Rescue and Operations & Maintenance teams in driving various vehicle types throughout the airport and within flight line areas.

The Simulator will also include features of ETC’s Advanced Disaster Management Simulator, which allows airports, airlines, fire departments and government agencies to simulate major airport incidents such as terrorist activities, natural disasters, fires or aircraft accidents for training and planning purposes. Nashville Airport joins airports like Chicago O’Hare International, Baltimore Washington International and others in their use of ETC’s airport technology.

For additional information, visit www.etcusa.com.

Melbourne-based Symetrics Industries has been selected by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to be part of an aviation and technology research team, led by United Airlines. The team will conduct research into the feasibility of installing self-protection systems on U.S. commercial airliners to protect them from terrorist missile attacks.

The team was awarded a $2 million system development and demonstration contract by the DHS. The award represents Phase I of a two-year research and development program to design countermeasures against the potential MANPADS missile threat to U.S. commercial airliners. “MANPADS” is the general term used for a variety of shoulder-fired anti-air defense missiles that have been used with increasing frequency by terrorists. These missiles are easily transported and launched by a single person, making them very easy to use.

For additional information, visit www.symetrics.com.

Lake Mary based FARO Technologies, Inc., the global market-share leader in the portable coordinate measurement machine (CMM) field, has earned a prestigious European engineering honor: The Euromold Gold Award. The award is presented to the most innovative new-product launch during the year.

The award comes in recognition of the FARO Gage, a portable CMM with .0002” accuracy and a touch-screen computer that machinists can use without training. Training is not necessary because the user only has to select the desired measurement task on the screen, and is then guided through the process with easy-to-understand graphic details. The FARO Gage was designed to replace all traditional hand-held inspection equipment. The device is a “mount it to where you make it,” truly portable, cost-effective, 3-D gage for machinists. A neutral panel of trade representatives made the award decision.

For additional information, visit www.faro.com.

St. Petersburg College’s eCampus has been named America’s Outstanding Distance Education Program by the American Association of Community Colleges’ Instructional Technology Council. Kevin Morgan, associate professor of Humanities, was one of two instructors to be named Outstanding Online Faculty. More than 12,000 students are served annually through eCampus, and it is the fastest growing program at the college. Lynda Womer, eCampus Program Director, and Kevin Morgan traveled to San Diego in February to receive the awards.

For additional information, visit it.spjc.edu.

MEDai Inc., headquartered in Orlando, launched the latest versions of its regulatory reporting and outcomes analysis application at the HIMSS 2004 show in Orlando. The company is a provider of innovative solutions that enable decision-makers to improve the delivery of healthcare and does so through their Pinpoint Quality and Pinpoint Compliance applications.

Pinpoint Quality collects data to measure performance and identify best clinical practices. Pinpoint Compliance is a Web-based application that loads data electronically and automatically from all places information resides – administrative, registry and clinical databases.

For additional information, visit www.medai.com.

The Florida High Tech Corridor Council’s eNewsletter subscriber base has grown considerably since the first issue was released in early 2002. Thank you to our subscribers and to the economic development, education and industry partners who have introduced us to other members of the community who share our mission – to attract, retain and grow high tech industry in the region.

The benefits of subscribing are immeasurable, as each eNewsletter is packed with information on new industry studies, local high tech success stories, available grants and how to apply, the latest high tech news from the University of Central Florida and University of South Florida and a listing of monthly high tech events.

If you know of someone who would benefit from receiving this newsletter, please forward them this issue and ask them to follow the instructions at the bottom of the e-mail to sign up. If you have received this issue from a friend or colleague and are not on our mailing list already, we look forward to you becoming a regular subscriber.

Subscribers, we need your help. We are constantly looking for news and success stories from within the region to spotlight in our eNewsletter as well as other avenues. Help us get the word out about your high tech company or economic development organization by sending us your news.

During 2004, we will be on the lookout for even more of your news to include in our new “Corridor Round Up” e-mails, which will be shared with numerous community leaders as well as media outlets. This month, we are specifically looking for stories and successes on biotechnology companies. Please send your news and successes with the subject line Corridor Round Up to pressroom@floridahightech.com and include your contact info in case we need to reach you.

Be on the lookout for calls for content from other sectors and industries in newsletters still to come!

The FHTCC is continuously updating its contact information of monthly newsletter subscribers. If you or your company currently receives the FHTCC monthly eNewsletter, please e-mail your complete contact information, including your name, company name, address, phone number, fax number and e-mail address, to pressroom@floridahightech.com. Your information will be used to notify you of important business events, proposal deadlines and grants that are available in your region. The Corridor does not share or sell its database to others.

This year the Council provided $3.5 million for research, matched by $8 million in corporate and federal funds. That equals a grand total of $11.5 million spent on research this year. Companies interested in participating in matching funds research with UCF or USF professors and graduate students are encouraged to request more information.

The deadline for USF’s next call for research proposals is rapidly approaching. Companies interested in USF’s matching research program should contact Dick Streeter, Executive Director for Economic Development, at (813) 974-5458. Proposals are due by May 17.

For details on UCF’s application process and for information on upcoming calls for proposals, companies should contact Tom O’Neal, Director of the Office of Research, at (407) 882-1120.

Congratulations to

Richard David, director of Pinellas County Economic Development and Cindy Margiotta, manager of City of St. Petersburg Economic Development. Each has earned the highest level of distinction for economic developers, the Certified Economic Developer designation from the International Economic Development Council.

Sydney Barnes, Florida Tech assistant professor of physics and space sciences has been awarded an $80,000 National Science Foundation grant from NSF’s Stellar Astronomy and Astrophysics Division. His research will focus on the rotation rates of stars that are 300 million to one billion years old.

Carol Ann Dykes, associate director of the UCF Technology Incubator, assumed the National Association of Management and Technical Assistance Centers (NAMTAC) president during the 2003 conference that was held in New York.

Homeland Security & Defense Technology Conference
Thursday, March 4 – Florida Institute of Technology
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
For event information, contact Jennifer Gabriel (407) 882-2447 or www.aeanet.org

USF External Matching Grants Workshop
Presented by: University of South Florida and Tampa Bay Technology Forum
Thursday, March 4 – University Technology Center,
USF Tampa Campus
For event information, contact Dick Streeter at streeter@oed.usf.edu
(UCF is currently planning an External Matching Grants Workshop as well. Look for further information in this eNewsletter once it becomes available.)

2004 Annual Joint Symposium
Presented by: Florida Chapter of the AVS, Florida Society for Microscopy and the Florida Section of the American
Ceramic Society
March 8 & 9 – University of Central Florida
Student Union Building
For event information, visit www.flavs.org

Electronic House Expo
Presented by: CEA’s TechHome Division and CEDIA
March 10-13 – Orange County Convention Center
For event information, visit www.ehexpo.com

New Cornerstone Leadership Forum: Creating the CFDC’s Blueprint for the 21st Century
Presented by: The Central Florida Development Council Inc. of Polk County
March 15 – Lakeland Center
For event information, visit www.cfdc.org

The UCF Leadership Edge – Leadership Strategies & Best Practices Impacting the Florida High Tech Corridor
Presented by: UCF ORBIT
Monday, March 22 and Tuesday, March 23 – Orlando
Science Center
For event information, visit www.ORBIT.ucf.edu

4th Annual State of Ports Address/Luncheon
Presented by: World Trade Center Orlando
Wednesday, March 24 – Citrus Club, Orlando, FL
11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
For event information, contact Misty Kane (407) 649-1899 or info@worldtradecenterorlando.org

Feminist Science Studies: Foundations, Imaginations and Innovations
Presented by: Department of Women’s Studies
Thursday, March 25 – University of South Florida FAO 196
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
For event information, visit www.research.usf.edu

Tampa Bay Technology Forum-BioFlorida Tampa Bay Partnering Conference
April 1 – Hyatt Sarasota
1:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
For event information, visit www.tbtf.org

BAMA 2004 Solution Conference for Manufacturers &
Suppliers
Presented by: Bay Area Manufacturing Association
Tuesday, April 13 – St. Petersburg Hilton Bayfront
For event information, visit www.bama-fl.org

41st Space Congress
Presented by: NASA and the Department of Defense
April 27-30 – Cape Canaveral
For event information, visit www.spacecongress.org

1st Annual Florida Tech Transfer Conference
Presented by: The Florida Research Consortium and the Tampa Bay Technology Forum
May 17-18 – St. Petersburg
For additional information, visit www.floridaresearch.org

Inside Florida’s High Tech Corridor is published by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, Inc. (FHTCC) and its economic development partners. The FHTCC is an initiative of the University of Central Florida (www.ucf.edu) and the University of South Florida (www.usf.edu). For more information visit our Web site at (www.floridahightech.com), or contact one of the region’s economic development partners listed below.

You can also find links to the region’s community college partners at www.floridahightech.com/careers/studies.htm and to various industry organizations at www.floridahightech.com/info/otherlinks.htm.

Central Florida Development Council
www.cfdc.org

Citrus County EDC
www.citrusedc.com

Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast
www.spacecoastedc.org

Enterprise Flagler
www.enterpriseflagler.org

Enterprise Florida, Inc.
www.eflorida.com

Greater Tampa Committee of 100
www.tampachamber.com

Highlands County EDC
www.highlandsedc.com

Lakeland Economic Development Council
www.lakelandchamber.com

Manatee Economic Development Council
www.manateeedc.com

Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission
www.orlandoedc.com

Ocala/Marion County Economic Development Council
www.ocalaedc.org

Pasco Economic Development Council
www.pascoedc.com

Pinellas County Department of Economic Development
www.siliconbay.org

Sarasota County Committee for Economic Development
www.sarasotacountyced.org

Seminole County Department of Economic Development
www.businessinseminole.com

St. Petersburg Economic Development
www.stpeteshines.com

Sumter County EDC
www.gosumter.com

Tampa Bay Partnership
www.tampabay.org

Volusia County Department of Economic Development
www.floridabusiness.org