Campus teams with Germany
The Utah State University Innovation Campus has teamed up with the German research company, Ecopark, in an effort to enhance the transfer of technology between the two companies.
Teresa McKnight, manager of the USU Innovation Campus Administration Office, announced the team-up Tuesday April 9.
“There are two major goals in partnering with Ecopark,” McKnight said, “First, we want to make companies in Germany and other areas of Europe aware of business and research opportunities we can provide for them here in Cache Valley, and secondly we want to encourage technology transfer between Utah State, USU Innovation Campus tenants and similar universities and industries in Europe.”
McKnight said Ecopark contacted the USU Innovation Campus to ask for this partnership. The managers of Ecopark came to USU Innovation Campus in March and observed the business model of the USU Innovation Campus. They observed the research technology, the facilities, the other companies housed there and many other aspects of the campus.
“The USU Innovation Campus is contacted frequently by national and international research firms,” McKnight said.
“The biggest factor enhancement for USU is on an international level,” she said.
This will give USU great opportunities for the transfer of technologies, McKnight said.
Located about 43 miles southwest of Bremen, Germany Ecopark is a 519-acre research park housing companies with expertise in food sciences, biotechnology, agriculture, genetics and mechanical engineering.
Mary-Ann Muffoletto, a public relations specialist at USU, said the partnership is great because it will “integrate industry with academics, open the door for possible investment opportunities and also provide employment opportunities for USU students.”
USU is already a part of an international consortium called it-parcs. It-parcs supports high-tech companies that develop extensive real state and service concepts which allows their companies to focus on their core competencies.
It-parcs’ second annual conference will be held June 14 through 17. The previous conference was held in Munich, Germany.