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| INSIDE FLORIDA'S HIGH TECH
CORRIDOR |
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May 2007 |
USF Secures Plans for Technical Campus in East
Lakeland
With its newly purchased 550-acre site just east of Lakeland, the
University of South Florida (USF) is moving forward in its master
plan to establish the first free-standing campus in Polk County.
Administrators for USF Lakeland are hoping for a technologically
oriented campus that will attract nearly 16,000 students to study
curriculum in information technology, applied health and biotechnology,
manufacturing technology, business and education.
Marshall Goodman, chief executive officer of USF Lakeland,
has been lobbying Florida Legislators for the $48 million
needed to begin design and construction on the campus’ first
building. Donated by the Williams Acquisition Holding Company,
the site for the new campus sits just between I-4 and Polk
Parkway.
For more information, visit http://www.lakeland.usf.edu. |
UF Biotech Incubator Receives
International Acclaim
The Sid Martin Biotechnology Development Incubator at the University
of Florida (UF) was honored recently at the National Business Incubation
Association’s annual Incubator of the Year program and international
conference in Seattle. Awarded second place in the technology category,
UF’s biotech incubator was recognized for being an international
leader in developing new technologies into viable commercial ventures.
With a focus on all areas of research relating to the molecular
life sciences, the incubator was established in 1995 as one
of the nation’s first biotechnology incubation programs.
Housing 11 startup biotech companies, the incubator’s
40,000-square-foot facility features animal and fermentation
facilities, shared scientific and business equipment, and
a climate-controlled greenhouse.
For more information, visit
http://news.ufl.edu/2007/04/04/incubator-honor. |
Researcher at UCF’s Institute for
Simulation and Training Awarded Grant
Dr. Denise Nicholson of the University of Central Florida’s
(UCF) Institute for Simulation & Training (IST) will lead a
team of researchers to develop ways to measure human performance
during training simulations. Granted $3 million over three years,
Nicholson’s project is funded by the Office of Naval Research
as part of its program in human performance, training and education.
As director of IST’s Applied Cognition and Training
in Immersive Virtual Environments (ACTIVE) Laboratory, Nicholson
is forming a system that will allow simulation devices to
detect human reactions while training and adapt its programming
accordingly. These responsive technologies will allow the
user to achieve the best training results.
For more information, visit http://www.active.ist.ucf.edu. |
High Tech Corridor
a Candidate for WIRED III Grant
Endorsed by Florida Governor Charlie Crist, the Florida High Tech
Corridor Council has applied for a Department of Labor Workforce
Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) Initiative,
a federal grant totaling $5 million. On behalf of our Corridor,
the Florida MEP, and workforce boards in our 23-county region,
the Agency for Workforce Innovation and the Brevard Workforce Development
Board submitted the formal proposal titled “Launching Central
Florida’s Economy,” one of two initiatives the governor
selected to submit to Washington for consideration.
Utilizing the WIRED grant money to implement effective training
networks, Lisa Rice, executive director and president of
the Brevard Workforce Development Board, noted the purpose
will be to retain and redirect more than 8,000 highly skilled
workers who will be impacted during NASA’s transition
from the Space Shuttle to the Crew Exploration Vehicle programs.
For more information, visit http://www.doleta.gov/SGA/sga.cfm. |
Florida Shines in National High Tech Rankings
For the second year in a row, a study ranked Florida as the second-fastest
growing state in high tech industry job creation. The study,
from the nation’s largest technology trade association,
the American Electronics Association (AeA), reported Florida
had a net increase of 10,900 jobs in 2005, the most recent
data available, just behind California. According to the AeA
study, Florida had the largest percentage increase in growth
among the states, with a 4.1 percent rate. Also, Florida ranked
fourth among states in high tech employment following California,
Texas and New York.
For more information, visit
http://www.aeanet.org/PressRoom/prjj_cs2007_US1.asp. |
UF Scientists Look to Nature
to Spur Human Tissue Renewal
Seeking ways of repairing human cells after disease and injury,
researchers at the University of Florida (UF) are working to reveal
the regenerative powers of creatures such as starfish and newts.
Backed by $6 million in private donations, university support and
state matching funds, “The Regeneration Project” matches
scientists specializing in the development of tissues and limbs
in a variety of organisms with scientists at UF’s McKnight
Brain Institute who work with adult human stem cells.
While researchers have already found many of the same genes
possessed by both humans and other regenerative organisms,
UF’s team is looking to determine the link to encourage
repair in more complex human cells. One hope for the project
is to stimulate growth in brain cells to protect against
or fight Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease,
cancer, multiple sclerosis and traumatic injury.
The project received support from two private gifts – Jon
and Beverly Thompson of Sanibel, Fla., and the Thomas H. Maren
Foundation, based in Gainesville – and the UF Office of
Research.
For more information, visit
http://news.ufl.edu/2007/03/29/regeneration-x. |
Employ Florida Online Career
Resource Center Goes Live
Workforce Florida and the Agency for Workforce Innovation announced
the launch of the Employ Florida Marketplace (http://www.EmployFlorida.com),
a free internet Web site linking all of Florida’s career
services – state and local – to each other. Powered
by 24 regional workforce boards across the state, EmployFlorida.com
provides fast access to a complete set of employment tools in an
easy to use format for employer and job seeker alike.
Including features such as a resume builder and job searches
by city, region, or state, EmployFlorida.com gives applicants
the best tools to find the position most suited to their
needs. Employers looking for candidates also have free access
to seek out potential candidates and review job market trends.
Combining the strengths and resources of state-wide workforce
services, the site is also a valuable resource for policy makers,
researchers and others seeking to explore and analyze local labor
markets in Florida.
For more information, visit http://www.employflorida.com. |
Tech 50 Opens Nomination
Pool for Innovative Companies
Tech Journal South will select from among the
Southeast’s most promising technology companies for
its prestigious “Tech 50,” a list of the region’s
top innovative high-growth businesses. The nominated companies
will be judged on the criteria of technology innovation,
management team, marketplace potential and proven execution
success. To qualify for “Tech 50,” high tech
companies must be privately held high-growth oriented firms
founded since the year 2000.
With the May 7 deadline for applications approaching, the
Florida High Tech Corridor Council fully encourages and supports
all qualified Corridor companies to apply. “Tech 50” winners
will be announced in the June publication of Tech Journal
South.
For more information, visit http://www.tech50.org. |
OUC to Construct Clean Coal
Plant
Funded by Department of Energy
Implementing President Bush’s Clean Coal Power Initiative,
the Department of Energy announced the construction of a $569-million,
285-megawatt coal-fired power plant co-owned by the Orlando Utilities
Commission (OUC) and Atlanta-based Southern Power Company. Along
with two additional projects, the Orlando plant is a part of President
Bush’s $2-billion initiative seeking to enhance the environmental
performance of new and existing coal-fired power plants in the
United States.
Located at OUC’s existing Stanton Energy Center near
Orlando, the plant’s cost-efficient gasification technology
will employ state-of-the-art emission controls, capturing
as much as 95 percent of released sulfur dioxide and mercury.
Scheduled for completion in 2010, the coal plant will be
one of the cleanest, most efficient plants of its kind in
the world.
For more information, visit http://www.energy.gov/news/4924.htm. |
Venture Capitalist
to Deliver
Florida Tech Transfer Conference Keynote
Steven Lazarus, co-founder and managing director, emeritus of ARCH
Venture Partners, will deliver the keynote address at fourth annual
Florida Tech Transfer Conference. Managing six funds totaling over
$1 billion, ARCH invests in startup companies from the IT, life
sciences and physical sciences sectors. With more than 90 percent
of its investments coming from university research, ARCH is a leader
for successful commercialization of technologies developed at academic
research institutions and national laboratories.
Also presenting is Carlos Genardini, CEO of the Hong Kong
Science and Technology Park, and former president of Motorola
for the Latin America and Caribbean region, and vice president
and manager of Motorola’s Asia Pacific Group. Featuring
additional briefings and breakout sessions with topics from
biotech to renewable energies, the Florida Tech Transfer
Conference will be held on May 29 and 30 at the Doral Golf
Resort & Spa in Miami.
For more information, visit http://www.flatechtransfer.org. |
FHTCC Finalist for CoreNet Global
Award
The Florida High Tech Corridor Council (FHTCC) was one of five
finalists for CoreNet’s Economic Development Leadership Award.
The award, which recognize best practices, leadership and innovation
in economic development, was given out at the CoreNet Global Summit,
April 30, in Denver, Colo.
FHTCC’s congratulations go to the winning entry, the
Louisiana Department of Economic Development, for its efforts
to lead the region’s economic recovery from Hurricane
Katrina.
By being named one of five finalists from a pool of nominees
from across North America, the Council once again demonstrated
that its approach to attracting, retaining and growing high tech
industry and the workforce to support is groundbreaking and successful.
Additionally, the exposure the Council received from this special
recognition – CoreNet’s membership includes corporate
real estate executives and site selection consultants from throughout
the world – will pay dividends to the region for years
to come.
For more information, visit
http://www2.corenetglobal.org/home/index.vsp. |
Government Selects
Tampa Agency for
Pilot Digital Medical Information Program
The Department of Defense (DoD) has partnered with Florida’s
Agency for Health Care Administration to create a secure network
for sharing electronic medical information. Created as the first
joint partnership between the DoD and a non-federal entity to share
health records of current and former military personnel and their
families, this pilot program will allow health care practitioners
to electronically access and exchange personal health information
about their patients.
Tampa Bay Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO),
a state- and privately-funded entity, will lead the project
along with the Military Health System and its already-established
electronic health record system interface, AHLTA. Acting
upon President Bush’s call for all Americans to have
privacy-protected electronic medical records by 2014, this
partnership is a model initiative to inspire other states
and healthcare entities to collaborate on reaching this goal.
For more information, visit
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=10695. |
Trends in Service Innovation and
Design Series on June 5 in Tampa
Learn why design isn’t just about making products look pretty
at “Vision: Trends in Service Innovation and Design,” presented
by the Maddux Business Report and Ringling School of Art & Design,
on June 5 in Tampa. The lunch program will take a look at how service
design can increase competitive advantage, spur innovation and
deliver greater value to a company’s customers and constituents.
This event, taking place at the Renaissance Tampa International
Plaza Hotel, will explore many topics including what service
design is, the best innovation methods, tools and processes
for the design and prototyping of services and the measurable
benefits of adopting a consumer- and user-centered approach
to the design of services.
Featured speakers of the event are Larry Thompson, president
of Ringling School of Art & Design and Clive Roux, CEO of
Green LLC Atlanta and former senior director of Philips Design
USA.
The cost of the event is $45 and registration begins at 11:30
a.m. For more information, visit http://www.maddux.com or
call (727) 823-4394. |
UCF Community Relations
Department Redesigns Magazine
Partners in Progress, a magazine developed by
University of Central Florida’s (UCF) Division of
Community Relations, is unveiling a newly redesigned format.
The reformatted tabloid-style magazine informs business
and community leaders about facts, events and developments
at the university that could affect them or their companies.
It features articles regarding regional growth, downtown
meeting spaces, economic development in the area, including
Florida’s High Tech Corridor, as well as UCF developments
such as the College of Medicine, scheduled to open in 2009.
UCF’s Division of Community Relations anticipates
distribution at three times per year, but Partners in
Progress is also available online as an interactive
electronic flipbook. To receive a hard copy, please e-mail communityrelations@mail.ucf.edu.
For additional information, please visit http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~divcomre/index.html and
select “News” from the menu. |
Accolades
Technology Hall of Fame Inductees
UCF Chemistry and Engineering Professors Drs. Christian Clausen,
Cherie Geiger and Debra Reinhart are the newest inductees
in the Space Technology Hall of Fame. Working alongside
NASA scientists Dr. Jacqueline Quinn and Kathleen Brooks,
the team is recognized for their role in the development
of Emulsified Zero-Valent Iron, a technology that reduces
groundwater contamination.
Moffitt Cancer Center Granted $7.3 Million to Study Ovarian
Cancer
Scientists at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research
Institute in Tampa were awarded a $7.3 million grant from the
National Cancer Institute to research the genetic makeup of women
with ovarian cancer. Their research aims to discover genetic
targets that serve as potential risk factors for the disease.
Sirion Therapeutics Secures Financing
Sirion Therapeutics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company based in
Tampa, received $45 million in a private equity financing led
by Aisling Capital. The investment will help develop Sirion’s
product line which already includes treatments for viral eye
infections.
UCF Professor of Optics Honored
The Optical Society of America will present the Esther Hoffman
Beller Award to Dr. M.J. Soileau, University of Central Florida
(UCF) optics professor, for “distinguished and long-standing
service to the optics education and research community.” Dr.
Soileau is the vice president for the UCF Office of Research
and Commercialization and serves as a Florida High Tech Corridor
Council Core Team member.
AuthenTec Receives Governor’s Award for Technology
The Florida Governor’s New Product Award was presented
to AuthenTec Inc. for its AES1510, a slide fingerprint sensor
that uses a patented technology to read fingerprints below the
surface of the skin. Based in Melbourne, Fla., AuthenTec’s
fingerprint sensor security technologies have been designed into
1 million computer products and peripherals worldwide.
UCF Undergrads Win Business Plan Competition
Along with taking home a $5,000 first prize, University of Central
Florida (UCF) students David Brim and Scott Wall also secured
a spot in UCF’s Technology Incubator by winning The Joust
business plan competition. The business and finance majors
pitched their idea of a real estate magazine for central Floridians
looking to rent-to-own a home. |
Did You Know?
According to The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, there were
almost 593,000 hybrid electric, ethanol-capable E-85 and clean
diesel vehicles on Florida’s roads in 2006, up from almost
486,000 in 2005 – an increase of 22.1 percent. Florida
ranks third in the nation in terms of total number of Alternative
Fuel Autos on the state’s roads. |
Calendar of Events
The following events are taking place across the Corridor’s
23-county region or in the surrounding area:
Sixth Annual Strategy Planning Seminar
Presented by: Small Business Development Center at UCF
Wednesday, May 9, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Disney Entrepreneur Center,
315 E. Robinson St., Suite 100, Orlando
For event information, visit http://www.sbdcorlando.com.
The UCF Executive Briefing:
“Leadership in New Technology, Global Markets & Innovation & The
Next Generation from UCF”
Presented by: UCF ORBIT – Continuing Education
Friday, May 11, 7:30 a.m. to noon
The Westin Grand Bohemian Hotel,
325 S. Orange Ave., Orlando
For event information, visit http://www.orbit.ucf.edu/EBupcoming.asp.
Policy or Peril: Reconciling SOA & IT Governance
Presented by: Persystent Technologies
Thursday, May 17, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
University of Tampa, Vaughn Center, 9th Floor,
401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa
For event information, visit
http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?e=e567f603-0bea-4c36-83d1-a031de45a19b.
Fourth Annual Florida Tech Transfer Conference
Presented by: The Florida Research Consortium and the iCoast
Tuesday and Wednesday, May 29 and 30
The Doral Golf Resort & Spa,
4400 N.W. 87th Ave., Miami
For event information, visit http://www.flatechtransfer.org.
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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 (http://www.ucf.edu),
the University of South Florida (http://www.usf.edu)
and the University of Florida (http://www.ufl.edu).
For more information visit our Web site at (http://www.floridahightech.com),
or contact one of the region’s economic development partners
listed at http://www.floridahightech.com/linkslibrary/economic_dev_org.htm. |
Florida High Tech Corridor Link Library
For a comprehensive list of FHTCC University Partners; Community
Colleges; Economic Development Organizations; Technology Groups & Programs;
Workforce Boards & Organizations; Technology Incubators & Venture
Capital Organizations; and, Industry Organizations visit the
Florida High Tech Corridor link library at http://www.floridahightech.com/linkslibrary. |
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