The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the Center for Business & Information Technologies (CBIT) at the University of Louisiana at 青涩直播 a $600,000 grant to create Louisiana TIES, a Technology Incubator for Entrepreneurial Success.
Louisiana TIES will leverage the state鈥檚 approximately $60 million investments in the Louisiana Optical Network Initiative (LONI) and the Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise (LITE) to incubate new technology businesses and accelerate existing technology businesses into the frontiers of high-performance computing and 3D visualization. Louisiana TIES provides Louisiana businesses the unprecedented opportunity to access the high performance computing, visualization and networking resources of LONI and LITE.
NSF grant funds will be used to provide residential and virtual incubation services for Louisiana technology entrepreneurs, summer mentorship programs for high school students and teachers, statewide workforce development and training, and entrepreneurship mini-grants. NSF will distribute the $600,000 in funding over a two-year period.
鈥 Louisiana TIES has the elements we look for in a proposal,鈥 said Dr. Sara Nerlove, program director for NSF Partnerships for Innovation. 鈥淚t鈥檚 optimistic, realistic, and designed to serve a population that鈥檚 underserved in technology. We expect this project to become a model for other communities. Through this project, NSF is pleased to part of Louisiana鈥檚 long-term economic revitalization.鈥
Louisiana technology entrepreneurs with a viable business plan are encouraged to contact CBIT Director Dr. Ramesh Kolluru (337.482.0611) to apply now for either a virtual or a limited number of residential incubation slots. Residential clients will receive fee-based office space along with technical, research, and administrative support in the new LITE building. Virtual clients will be able to access the incubator鈥檚 supercomputing resources from anywhere in the state.
Louisiana TIES鈥 state-of-the-art technical resources are designed to support data-intensive industries, including oil and gas, engineering, medical, health, manufacturing, and other emerging areas for visualization applications.
鈥 This incubator reinforces the University鈥檚 commitment to economic development,鈥 said Dr. Robert E. Stewart, UL 青涩直播 Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies. 鈥淚ts name reflects the University鈥檚 ties to our business, government, and academic partners in this effort. We believe that collaboration is key to advancing Louisiana鈥檚 technology economy.鈥
Louisiana TIES鈥 technology partners and service providers include 青涩直播 Economic Development Authority, Silicon Graphics (SGI), 青涩直播 Chamber of Commerce, Louisiana Economic Development, along with the 青涩直播 Consolidated Government. UL domain experts from computer science, petroleum engineering, geology, manufacturing, communications, business, and, arts and architecture will provide technical assistance to incubator clients.
Louisiana TIES was established to offset declines in the state鈥檚 resource-dependent economy. Louisiana ranks 45th in the nation in the States New Economy Index and 49th in the creation of high-tech knowledge econony jobs.
鈥 Louisiana has lost too many people and firms in search of technology jobs to other states,鈥 Kolluru said. 鈥淥ur goals with Louisiana TIES are to establish Louisiana as a source of innovative businesses, ideas, and workers. We want to show the world and Louisiana鈥檚 own citizens that when it comes to technology innovations, we can discover, invent, and invest in them right here. 鈥業nvented in Louisiana, Invested in Louisiana鈥 should become the cornerstone of our economic development strategy. It鈥檚 time for us to grow our own technology companies.鈥