| Office of Marketing Communications
Truly great minds don't think alike, they think with synergism. Such is the case when Mark Heckler, vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at the downtown Denver campus, and Brian Vogt from the Governor's Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), are in the same room. “Yes,” Vogt admits, “It’s scary.”
Their brainchild, the Advance Colorado Center, was birthed in a little more than three short months and hailed by Gov. Bill Owens in his Jan. 13 State of the State Address as a one-of-a-kind concept to fuel the economy.
Owens said that with advancements such as the ACC, the future of the state is promising. "I'm very proud that we have created an innovative economic development partnership. The Advance Colorado Center is a joint endeavor between my administration and the University of Colorado."
The ACC provides a common headquarters for business development and industry associations and will focus on nonprofit, emerging industries such as biotechnology, nanotechnology, alternative energy and photonics.
"The center will be a catalyst for Colorado entrepreneurs and a model for the nation," Owens stressed.
The goal of this economic development incubator, located downtown in the World Trade Center, is to nurture fledgling nonprofit associations and business support programs that will meet the needs of industries within Colorado. The university is charged with leasing the office space, providing office furniture and shared office equipment and mapping the logistics. Without the burden of rent and amenities, the tenants can focus on the mission at hand: promoting the state’s emerging industries. With the exception of a staff member or two, the center is well underway.
“We had the idea in August,” explained Vogt, “and it opened Dec. 1. In government circles, it went at lightning speed.”
Tenant applications were taken in October and, based on the strict criteria, six occupants were chosen from 12 applicants. Vogt said tenants were chosen on the highest potential to make an impact and promote emerging industries statewide; long term viability (“Some were more established and some were fairly new”); and an eagerness to work in tandem with the state.
“The center provides opportunities to leverage the considerable resources we have in research and work force development in the service of all Coloradans,” Heckler said. “We look forward to continuing to enhance our role as the largest research university in the state of Colorado and to fulfilling our mission of service to the state.”
Dorothy Yates, interim assistant vice chancellor for research administration, said what sets this center apart from other incubators is that it serves nonprofit industry associations. “This is a different kind of model,” she explained. “It’s a new concept; we don’t know of any other one anywhere in the country.”
Vogt agreed, “The potential of this center is something beyond current expectations and it’s exciting to see it happening already. When I go down there – daily – I can’t believe the energy.
“You should be very proud of this partnership, you all are the perfect partner for us,” Vogt said.
The ACC is a partnership between the Colorado Economic Development Commission (EDC), OEDIT, and UCD. Training in areas such as association organizing, grant writing, marketing and fund-raising will be facilitated by UCD faculty and staff. Three-year federal funding of $216,000 a year ($648,000 total) is channeled through the governor's office and provided by the 2004 "Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act." |