Purdue Research Foundation officials today (April 15) announced a program to provide its award-winning entrepreneurial programs and facilities at reduced costs for entrepreneurs commercializing patented technologies licensed from any Indiana or Illinois institution of higher education.
Dan Hasler, president and chief entrepreneurial officer of Purdue Research Foundation, said the program includes a 50 percent discount for up to two years of rental space in its 60,000-square-foot Purdue Technology Center of Northwest Indiana.
"As Indiana's land-grant university, one of Purdue's goals is to support technology transfer activities and encourage entrepreneurs across the state to move university innovations to the public in an expedient and cost-effective way," Hasler said. "Indiana has more than 30 universities that are already doing this with great success, and Purdue already has a strong asset in Merrillville that gives us the opportunity to offer expanded services and space to help grow our entrepreneurial ecosystem in Northwest Indiana.
"Because of the close ties Northwest Indiana has to the Chicagoland area and the requests we have received from startups coming from that area, we are offering the same opportunity to startups commercializing patented technologies from Illinois institutions of higher education."
The Purdue Technology Center, established in 2005, is an Indiana Certified Tech Park and based in the Purdue Research Park of Northwest Indiana. With four locations stretching from Northwest to Southeast Indiana, the park network has won numerous state and national economic development awards for its success in fostering entrepreneurialism and startups. The park network is home to nearly 260 companies where more than 4,500 people earn an average annual wage of $63,000.
"We are working together to strengthen Northwest Indiana's economy and to support initiatives that create jobs," said U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky. "Our region's higher education network is one of our strongest resources to develop high-tech innovations, and I applaud Purdue University for taking this outstanding initiative to support entrepreneurs."
Amenities for entrepreneurs offered through the Purdue Research Park include:
* Class A, secure office space.
* Conference room availability.
* 20-Gb redundant Ethernet connected to redundant Tier 1.
* VoIP telecommunications system.
* Managed business center with mail services.
* Shared office services including receptionist services.
* Basic utilities and waste management services.
For information on the program, contact David Hodde, Purdue Research Foundation assistant vice president of real estate, at 765-588-3364 or dlhodde@prf.org