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USTAR Update Archive

 

 

USTAR Update

USU Praises Passage of USTAR Initiative

Utah State University administrators are confident that the Utah Science, Technology and Research (USTAR) initiative, which was passed by the Utah legislature on Wednesday, March 1, will translate into long-term economic benefits for the state.

“The state’s investment in university research will result in new discoveries, high-tech companies and high-paying jobs,” said Stan Albrecht, president of Utah State University. “We are extremely pleased by the passage of USTAR.”

Senate Bill 75, the USTAR bill sponsored by Senator Al Mansell and Rep. David Clark, is designed to help Utah keep pace in scientific research and technological advancement — directly translating to a stronger economy, high-paying jobs, increased tax revenue and better quality of life.

“More than 30 states and many nations around the world have implemented aggressive investment strategies in high technology,” said Brent Miller, vice president for research at Utah State. “Through USTAR, the state is increasing our competitiveness so that Utah will not be left behind and so that we can lead out in targeted areas.”

The bill allocates funding for research teams and facilities at the University of Utah and Utah State University, as well as technology innovation centers located at strategic locations throughout the state. University researchers will make discoveries and inventions that can be commercialized in new businesses and industries.

Conservative projections developed by the Bureau of Economic and Business Research suggest that in 30 years the USTAR investment will create 123,400 new jobs in the state of Utah and generate $5 billion in new tax revenues.

At USU, the USTAR initiative will greatly enhance efforts already being taken to help commercialize faculty research, such as the expansion of USU’s research park, Innovation Campus, from 36 to more than150 acres.

“In the past three years, we’ve increased incentives for researchers to bring their technologies to market,” said Steven Kubisen, director of technology commercialization at Utah State. “USTAR represents the next big step in our ability to provide more economic benefits for the state.”

In 2005, the state legislature allocated $1.6 million to USU for initial USTAR investments. USU is using that money to recruit its first new research teams.

“USU has identified several areas of research strength, including microbe biotechnology, nutrition research and intelligent systems, in which research teams are being recruited to specifically enhance and augment technology development,” said Ann Aust, associate vice president for research at Utah State. “These are areas of competitive advantage for USU with the greatest potential for economic development.”

“As these investments are made, we are expanding our research capacity and creating more opportunities for scientific discoveries that will lead to new technologies and businesses,” said Miller. “At the same time, we are bringing world-class researchers and equipment to the state’s university students.”

“The successful creation of USTAR can largely be credited to Utah’s business and community leaders,” said Albrecht. “We appreciate their vision and effort in promoting the state’s long-term economic development.”

USTAR has been championed by the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, the Utah Information Technology Association, the Utah Life Science Association, the Economic Development Corporation of Utah and local chambers of commerce throughout the state.

“We especially appreciate Scott Anderson, CEO of Zions Bank; Dinesh Patel, partner at vSpring Capital; Lane Beattie, president of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce; and Richard Nelson, CEO of the Utah Information Technology Association,” said Miller. “They have been tireless in promoting USTAR.”

“USTAR is a key element in Gov. Huntsman’s economic development plan, and we are proud to be a part of it,” said Albrecht.

See also Logan Herald Journal story.

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USTAR Update

U. Recruits Neuroscience Team

In case you missed it, the Morning News published a very interesting story Monday validating the potential of USTAR.  Using USTAR funds from last year, the University of Utah is recruiting a large research team from Harvard University.

The team brings with it research grant money and enormous expertise in the study of neuroscience, particularly relating to the causes of depression. This team, along with others on campus and being recruited, have the potential to spin off new businesses in multi-billion dollar markets.

USTAR, which is supported by numerous Utah business leaders and associations, in addition to Gov. Jon Huntsman, still awaits funding by the Legislature. We encourage anyone who supports USTAR to contact their legislators today and urge them to fund the initiative.

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USTAR Update

Act Today to Support USTAR

Over the last several weeks, Utah Policy Daily has highlighted the great importance and clear benefits of the USTAR economic development initiative. The time has now come for final action on funding.

We strongly encourage UPD readers who support this initiative to contact with their legislators TODAY and encourage them to appropriate $15 million in on-going funding for USTAR, plus bonding and one-time money for the buildings, which are crucial to USTAR’s success.

Please call or e-mail your legislators. Tell them to be visionary. Do something for the future; keep our economy strong for our children and grandchildren, position Utah for economic success in the Knowledge Age.

TO FIND YOUR LEGISLATORS AND GET THEIR E-MAIL ADDRESSES GO TO:

www.le.state.ut.us 

TO LEAVE A MESSAGE FOR YOUR REPRESENTATIVE:

Utah House of Representatives: (801) 538-1029

TO LEAVE A MESSAGE FOR YOUR SENATOR:

Utah State Senate: (801) 538-1035

 

LET THEM KNOW:

USTAR will help Utah become a world leader in scientific research and technological advancement—directly translating to a strong economy, high-paying jobs, increased tax revenue and better quality of life.

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USTAR Update

USTAR Complements White House Tech Initiative

The global economy is entering a new phase – one emphasizing knowledge, technology and the implementation of technology, according to a top Bush Administration official.

Utah’s USTAR economic development initiative precisely accomplishes what is necessary to keep the state’s economy strong in the Knowledge Economy. That’s why it is crucial that the Legislature provide full funding for the initiative.

 

President Bush announced the American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI) in his recent State of the Union address. This week, Deputy U.S. Secretary of Labor Steve Law visited Utah business leaders to discuss the initiative in person. He met with Utah tech and science leaders in a CEO Roundtable discussion hosted by the Utah Information Technology Association and Utah Life Sciences Association.

 

As reported by the Morning News, Law said, “We are entering into a dynamic new kind of economy called the Knowledge Economy. It’s an economy not just based on the old industrial norms. It’s based on new kinds of knowledge, new kinds of technology and the application of those kinds of technologies. And they way to stay on the cutting edge in that kind of economy is to continuously and aggressively invest in knowledge.”

Law said it is critical that the U.S. take seriously the White House call for preparing a new generation of “knowledge workers” who are adequately prepared to compete in the future.

 

“In many ways, times are fairly good right now,” Law acknowledged. “However, we can’t afford to rest on our laurels. We need to move forward. We need to make sure America stays at the forefront of innovation of technology and science and education and in the talent development of our work force.”

 

Jack Sunderlage, president and CEO of ContentWatch and UITA chair, noted that the USTAR initiative meshes extremely well with President Bush’s new plan.

 

“Through USTAR, Utah is actively engaged in investing in research and education and in partnering with Utah businesses in the creation of new high-paying jobs in the future high-tech market,” he said.

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USTAR Update

New Buildings are Crucial to USTAR Success

The USTAR economic development initiative includes funding for state-of-the-art research buildings at Utah State and the University of Utah.  These buildings are critical in attracting the best researchers in the world in specialized, targeted disciplines with high potential for business spinoffs.

Utah must have world-class research facilities for the scientists to work in. Otherwise, they are less likely to come to Utah. To do groundbreaking research, they need the latest laboratory equipment and facilities.  The top scientists with the best commercialization records are a little like professional sports stars.  They are in high demand and it takes a complete package to recruit them.  Some of these teams include as many as 70 scientists, researchers, lab assistants and graduate assistants.  With as many teams as will be recruited, new facilities are absolutely needed.

The new facilities will also take at least three years to complete. Research teams recruited will be housed in temporary quarters until then, so it’s important to get started on the facilities as soon as possible.

In addition to these buildings, five Innovation Centers with close ties to the research teams will be located at other higher education facilities to foster research and business creation all over the state.  Through these five centers, all parts of the state will be able to participate in and take advantage of the USTAR initiative.

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USTAR Update

Put Utah in the Game

With one week to go in the Legislative session, it’s crunch time for lawmakers to make the hard decisions on tax cuts and the budget. With USTAR, the Legislature has the opportunity to do something big and bold, to make a true investment in the future, and to put Utah on the map, in the game, as a high-tech center with good jobs and a secure future in the Knowledge Economy.

Recognizing that competition for funding is fierce, even with the largest surplus ever, it would be a real shame if lawmakers didn’t take advantage of this historic opportunity and fully fund USTAR. Utah’s economy is strong today, but it is built upon a foundation of jobs that pay only 80% of the national average wage level. Too many jobs in Utah won’t adequately support a family.

It would be a major failure of legislative foresight and vision to allow Utah to be eclipsed by our economic competitors who are pouring billions of dollars into scientific research and development to create the businesses and industries of the future. In a global economy driven by technological and scientific discovery, the choice is stark and obvious: Will Utah be a strong competitor in the Knowledge Economy, or an also-ran? Utah lawmakers have a clear choice.

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USTAR Update

Rural Areas Support USTAR

The USTAR economic development initiative isn’t just for the Wasatch Front. The entire state will benefit.

Bill Johnson, executive director for Uintah County and Vernal City Economic Development announced on Friday, Feb. 17, his Advisory Board unanimously voted to fully support the USTAR Initiative and SB75.

“I am so pleased that Economic Development Board agreed with my recommendation of support for this very important economic development tool,” Johnson stated. “If we are going to keep pace in today’s rapidly changing world economy, it is imperative that we, the great State of Utah, join together and aggressively pursue research and development of new technology with all the resources we have. Each community and region of the State has something to offer and something to gain with USTAR.”

With Uintah County’s importance to our national energy programs, Johnson hopes that the State will see the importance of locating one of the regional Innovative Research Centers in Vernal and making energy research a priority. “Everyone hears the stories that we have double the potential oil and fuel reserves here in Utah than the Middle East, if we can only develop the technology for oil shale, tar sands, coal to liquids and other alternative fuels,” Johnson continued. Section 369 of the 2005 Energy Policy Act set mandates to pursue these resources as part of our national energy program.

“If the Legislature is kind enough to fund our request for a higher education building, to be used jointly by Utah State University and the Uintah Basin Applied Technology Center, as well as passing SB75, we have the perfect fit to be the energy research center for the western United States. We have tremendous interest from the private sector, the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense. I envision that USTAR can complete the partnership bringing the State of Utah and its Higher Education component to the mix,” Johnson concluded. 

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USTAR Update

USTAR Will Help Southern Utah

(Guest editorial published Feb. 16 in The Spectrum)

By Rep. David Clark

Southern Utah is growing quickly, but we need more high-paying jobs that support a family. The high-tech sector of our economy provides these kinds of jobs. That's why I am pleased to be the House sponsor of Senate Bill 75, the Utah Science, Technology and Research (USTAR) economic development initiative.

I believe USTAR will be an enormous benefit to the entire state, including St. George and the broader Southern Utah area. It will provide support for our existing high-tech businesses and help our region become an attractive location for new technology startups.

I appreciate The Spectrum editorial board's concerns about USTAR, as expressed in your editorial opinion on Feb. 6. You mentioned that the USTAR concept is sound, but you worried that the risk is high, and you questioned the benefit to Southern Utah.

USTAR is actually a low-risk initiative because the concept has been proven over and over again. Hundreds of high-tech companies, some of Utah's largest and most successful, have spun out of university research. Under the stringent safeguards built into the legislation, USTAR funds will not be disbursed either for research laboratories or to recruit research teams until it is clear the investments will pay off.

Through the five innovation centers, all parts of the state will be able to participate in and take advantage of the USTAR initiative, ensuring partnerships with all the state's colleges and universities. I expect Southern Utah companies, along with Dixie State College and Southern Utah University, will take direct advantage of the two-way exchange of ideas, resources, research projects, business opportunities, services, discoveries and technologies that will be part of this vibrant high-tech network.

I encourage Southern Utah leaders and citizens to catch the vision of USTAR and support this important legislation.

Rep. David Clark, R-Santa Clara, represents Utah House District 74.

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USTAR Update

USTAR Fulfills Innovate America’s Call to Action

An organization called Innovate America makes the case for USTAR as eloquently as anything that has been written. Gov. Jon Huntsman, along with dozens of other governors, top corporate leaders and presidents of prestigious universities, are supporting Innovate America (see Web site), an organization dedicated to increasing investments in basic research.

Innovate America recently published an ad covering a full page-and-a-half in the Wall Street Journal, listing the supporters and making this statement:

“Where in the World Will the Next Big Idea Come From?

“The United States has long been the acknowledged world leader in innovation, a strength that is the foundation of America’s national security and future job growth. But today, other countries are building world class research and educational institutions and are graduating increasingly qualified science and engineering students at a faster pace than ever before.

“Make no mistake:  The search for scientific breakthroughs and new technologies will go forward whether we lead or follow. To remain at the forefront, America must increase investments in basic research, improve math and science education, provide incentives for research and development and attract and retain the brightest minds from around the globe.

“We call on our leaders to help keep America the driving force in innovation.”

USTAR very directly fulfills Innovate America’s call to action.

Patel Cheers for USTAR in Indian Publication

Avid USTAR supporter Dinesh Patel is featured in a story in Rediff India Abroad. Patel describes why he supports USTAR: "It's an innovative effort to promote Utah's economy with high-paying jobs and to keep the state abreast of all of the technologies that are developing so fast in this Knowledge Age," he said. "What we, as members of the USTAR Support Coalition and the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, are doing is aggressively trying to attract both public and private sector investment to have some of the best research facilities in the world, and some of the leading world-class researchers to man the various fields of cutting-edge study in areas such as genomics and other medical fields, which in turn can lead to the development of produces and services that can be marketed commercially by some of our leading businesses and industries. … We in the business and research community want to do all we can to accelerate R&D so that this can envisage the development of many more cutting-edge products and services that can be brought into the market as soon as possible," he said.

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USTAR Update

Recruiting Top Researchers

On Monday we highlighted the Brain Institute at the University of Utah.  New technologies supported by USTAR, such as brain imaging, help in recruiting some of the brightest minds from around the world.  Today we want to highlight two of the world-class researchers who have been recruited to Utah, why they chose to come and what resources they brought with them.

Norman L. Foster, M.D. Ultimately, it was an easy choice for Dr. Norman Foster to move to Utah after living in Michigan for more than 20 years. In Utah, he saw backing at the highest levels for the work he wants to do.  “With the support of the Utah Legislature, the University of Utah has established the Brain Institute, whose initial focus is on brain imaging—precisely my area of research,” he says.

“Utah now has the right environment for scientific advancement,” he concludes “…I am pleased to be part of this exciting period of technological and scientific advances in Utah.”

Dr. Foster also brought two research grants, totaling $1.24 million, to the University of Utah.

John M. Hoffman, M.D. Dr. Hoffman weighed several options when he decided to return to academia after his tenure at the National Institutes of Health. For many reasons, he chose the University of Utah, “The scientific and clinical environments at the University of Utah and the Brain Institute are ideal for tackling many of the most pressing problems that we will confront in medicine in the decades to come, “he says.

The ability to work with outstanding groups of scientists in many departments, centers, and schools also attracted Dr. Hoffman, “The size of the University is such that one can truly interact with very accomplished and talented individuals and be part of a team tackling these very complex problems,” he says.

“USTAR support will prove invaluable in providing resources and expertise to build a world-class team of investigators who use imaging to better understand and treat disorders of the brain,” Dr. Hoffman says. “This investment, leveraged with already strong expertise in genetics, will eventually have great economic impact in Utah, making the University a leader in attracting businesses that apply these unique resources in drug development and personalized medicines. I am excited to be part of this opportunity.”

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USTAR Update

St. George Area Chamber Endorses USTAR

It’s not just Wasatch Front leaders who support the Utah Science, Technology and Research economic development initiative. Political, education and business leaders all over the state are stepping up to support USTAR and encourage full legislative funding.

The latest support comes from the St. George Area Chamber, which recently passed a resolution that reads, in part:

WHEREAS: the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes the innovative, aggressive and far reaching effort to bolster Utah’s economy with high-paying jobs and keep the state vibrant and competitive in the Knowledge Age; and

WHEREAS:  all areas of the state will benefit as five Innovation Centers, located strategically throughout the state, support the needs of local businesses and connect them to research and development projects and other resources; and

WHEREAS: the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes the potential benefits the USTAR initiative offer to the State of Utah and the Southern Utah area, in particular, Washington County; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce encourages the State of Utah to proceed with expediency to bring USTAR to fruition; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: that the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce is prepared to assist in the actualization of the USTAR initiative, be it in cooperation on the State level or local level.

Many other chambers, business associations, economic development groups, elected officials, and individual business leaders are supporting full funding for USTAR, particularly with new, higher revenue projections for the coming year.

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USTAR Update

Scientists Focus on Brain Research

Brain Institute scientists at the University of Utah are working with the Utah Center for Advanced Imaging Research (UCAIR) to address questions about how the brain works and how to better diagnose and treat brain disorders.  Thanks to USTAR, they have new, state-of the art equipment dedicated to their research.

For the past three years, UCAIR scientists have honed their techniques with a high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, obtained through a generous gift to the University from the Cumming Foundation. The first of its kind in the state of Utah, this scanner helps physicians diagnose disorders such as multiple sclerosis at much earlier stages.

The high-field MRI scanner has tremendous potential to aid in all types of brain research, but current demands on scanner time leave little availability for carrying out the Brain Institute’s initiatives. With a $3 million price tag, however, a new scanner is no small investment.

Enter USTAR. In 2005, the State of Utah provided funding for a second high-field (3 Tesla) MRI scanner through the USTAR initiative, to be used exclusively for research. “Having a research-dedicated MRI scanner is a rarity in public research institutions nationwide,” explains Dr. Thomas Parks, the Brain Institute’s executive director. “TI is a true competitive advantage for the Brain Institute and for the State of Utah.”

Dr. Erik Jorgensen, the Brain Institute’s scientific director, explains, “If we use brain imaging to study families in the Utah Population Database, we will be able to identify genes underlying neurological disease. Such studies lie at the cutting edge of neuroscience today. Because of the unique resources in Utah, these studies cannot be performed anywhere else in the world. If we don’t do it, no one else will.”

In the coming days we will highlight the team of doctors these technologies have helped recruit into the state along with the resources these individuals have brought with them.

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USTAR Update

Time magazine’s latest cover story makes the case for the USTAR economic development initiative about as well as anything USTAR’s supporters have said or written.

Entitled “Are We Losing Our Edge?” the lengthy article describes how basic research and development have driven our country’s economic success and documents the loss of focus on science and technology over the last several years. The nation’s leaders now recognize the seriousness of the situation and major attempts are being made to reverse the decline.

Without a major science and technology initiative like USTAR, Utah would be in danger of being mostly left out of the new focus on R&D. Here are some excerpts and paraphrasing from the article:

“After more than a half-century of unchallenged superiority in virtually every field of science and technology, from basic research to product development, America is starting to lose ground to other nations.”

“Unless things change, they (countries like China, South Korea, and India) will overtake us, and the breathtaking burst of discovery that has been driving our economy for the past half-century will be over.”  Six countries, Israel, Sweden, Finland, Japan, Iceland and South Korea, devote a larger share of their economy to science than does the United States. The U.S. is only 25th in the world in the percentage of 24-year-olds with science degrees.

But the country is waking up. President Bush is proposing the American Competitiveness Initiative, which would double federal funding of research in basic areas like nanotechnology, supercomputing and alternative energy. (With USTAR, Utah’s research universities will have a better chance of obtaining some of that research money.)

Most of the world-changing technologies and medical breakthroughs of the last half-century have come out of basic research and development. If the next round of breakthroughs occur in other countries, the U.S. will lag behind. The article notes that one reason the U.S. has been so successful economically was that Hitler’s aggression drove many scientists out of Europe and into the United States, and the desperate need to defeat Hitler galvanized the United States into pouring money into defense research, which resulted in numerous powerful new technologies. The space race added to the pace of research in the late 1950s, and many large corporations, like AT&T, IBM, and Xerox gave scientists free rein to work on a wide variety of technologies.

It all paid off in an “avalanche of astonishing and profitable technologies . . . from computer chips to fiber-optic cables, to lasers, to gene splicing and more.” A 2003 National Academies report said that no fewer than 19 mutibillion-dollar industries resulted from fundamental research in information technology alone.

Despite the amazing results of basic R&D, some people still have the idea that academic research is “fuzzy, ivory-tower stuff that probably doesn’t pay off.”  They couldn’t be more wrong.

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USTAR Update

Unanimous Senate Approval

SB75, the USTAR legislation, passed the Senate on a final unanimous vote, and is now in the House, assigned to the Business and Labor Committee. The House sponsor is Rep. David Clark, R-Santa Clara. The bill will likely come up for discussion next week.

The Salt Lake Tribune on Wednesday published an editorial supportive of USTAR, but said other important state needs also deserve funding and USTAR is no more deserving than other priorities. 

 

The Spectrum in Southern Utah took a rather parochial view of the USTAR legislation, suggesting that the initiative won’t do enough for Southern Utah and that its “benefits would be concentrated on the Wasatch Front.”

The reality is that USTAR will benefit every area of the state through its Innovation Centers. That’s why the St. George Chamber of Commerce has endorsed USTAR, along with many other rural Chambers and legislators. The St. George and Cedar City areas have a number of high tech businesses that can benefit by having a conduit through local colleges and universities directly to Utah’s research universities.

The Innovation Centers ensure partnerships with all the state’s colleges and universities, providing local businesses with an enhanced mechanism for access to the advisory and research capabilities of the research universities. The Innovation Centers will act as resources to:

-- Broker ideas, new technologies, and services to entrepreneurs and businesses throughout defined service regions covering the entire state.

-- Engage local entrepreneurs and professors at applied technology centers, colleges, and universities by connecting them to Utah's research universities.

-- Screen business ideas and new technologies to ensure that the ones with the highest growth potential receive the most targeted services and attention;

-- Connect market ideas and technologies in new or existing businesses or industries or in regional colleges and universities with the expertise of Utah's research universities.

-- Assist businesses, applied technology centers, colleges, and universities in developing commercial applications for their research.

-- Disseminate and share discoveries and technologies emanating from Utah's research universities to local entrepreneurs, businesses, applied technology centers, colleges, and universities.

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USTAR Update

USTAR is Utah’s Moonshot

By LaVarr Webb

The value of USTAR isn’t just in the direct research teams it will attract and the direct jobs and businesses it will create. USTAR is much bigger than that. Part of its enormous value is what it says about Utah, its leaders, and Utah’s visionary approach to the Knowledge Age.

Creating and funding USTAR sends a powerful message to the scientific and technology world that Utah is open for business, that Utah is on the map, that Utah has a nurturing environment for scientists who want to make great discoveries and spin off profitable businesses. It tells these pioneering scientists that Utah is the place to commercialize their discoveries and put them within reach of consumers, making the world a better place.

In the globally-competitive, innovation-driven business environment we are entering, that is a crucial message to deliver. The reality is that the scientific world is a relatively tight community and word travels fast. The way USTAR is set up, it sends a big signal to scientists, professors and researchers that Utah is a place great work can be done, and scientists can profit from the hard work of making discoveries and breakthroughs. USTAR communicates that Utah will be competitive with any state in the nation in moving to the Knowledge Age, the age of innovation, where entire new industries and businesses will be created with high-paying jobs.

USTAR will be the catalyst to create a critical mass of researchers and businesses in carefully targeted disciplines. Businesses and researchers in these fields will say, “I have to be in Utah, because that’s where the action is, that’s where the breakthrough research is occurring.”

Through USTAR and other initiatives of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, Utah has the opportunity to create an environment for innovation, discovery and business creation that includes the complete package: funding and capital, management, legal services, financial services, skilled workers and business start-up support.

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USTAR Update

Last week in USTAR Update we featured new startup companies formed recently out of University of Utah Research. Not to be outdone, Utah State University has identified about 60 companies with ties to the institution through faculty or alumni, including seven startup companies that have emerged from USU in the past two years. USU-related companies have had an enormous impact on Utah’s economy, employing more than 1,300 workers, paying $61.3 million in annual salaries, and generating more than $315 million in annual revenues.

 

USU leaders believe the USTAR initiative will greatly improve their ability to jumpstart new companies and create high-paying jobs for Utahns. The initiative is not a high-risk proposal because it will simply accelerate what is already happening. Examples of some of these spinoff companies are:

 

HyClone Laboratories. Rex Spendlove, a USU microbiology professor, founded HyClone to produce and market fetal bovine serum (FBS), a substance used in culturing organic material. Hyclone has become the world leader in FBS production, having established the standard in the industry.  Hyclone serves customers worldwide from its locations in the United Kingdom, Belgium, China, and New Zealand, but its headquarters and primary manufacturing sites are in Logan, Utah. Hyclone employs about 500 people at its five facilities in Cache Valley.

 

Campbell Scientific, Inc. Students Eric and Evan Campbell founded Campbell Scientific as an outgrowth of their research at USU in soil physics in 1974. The company has stayed in the Campbell family and grown to over 200 employees with affiliate companies in England, Canada, Brazil, South Africa and Australia. In 1996, Campbell Scientific, Ltd. moved into a new 17,000 sq. ft. facility in Logan, custom built for its manufacturing, service, and support activities. 

 

Wescor, Inc. In 1970, a group of USU faculty founded Wescor, a company that develops, manufactures and markets high-quality instrumentation and other products for medicine, science, and industry. Wescor recently acquired Omnidata International, which will allow greater diversification and expansion.

 

New Startup Companies, 2004-2005:

Andigen. Andigen, continues to rapidly land new customers and build anaerobic digester facilities. Three new facilities have been constructed in the last few months.

 

CastleRock Engineering, Inc. CastleRock, a new startup company in Logan, has licensed USU technology called aerodynamic vectoring particle separation, which has the ability to sort tiny particles by size without ever coming in contact with them. CastleRock has recently secured a STTR grant from the National Science Foundation to further develop this technology.

 

Gemini. Started by USU professor John Carman, Gemini has recently been awarded a $2 million federal grant to further develop its seed technology.

 

Kuchera. Kuchera Defense, a Pennsylvania corporation, signed a license agreement with USU for manufacturing and sale of USU-developed ODIS (Omni-Directional Inspection System) robots.  Deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and Washington D.C., the ODIS robots are credited with saving lives and are planned for expanded use in the war against terror. 

 

RappidMapper. USU researcher Robert Pack has created a Texel (text-element) camera using a tripod-based instrument to make 3-D photography possible. Utah State’s Center of Excellence (Center for Advanced Imaging Lidar) licensed its 3-D camera technology with a Salt Lake City-based company, RappidMapper, Inc.

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USTAR Update

Morning News: USTAR is a Winner

The Deseret Morning News is the latest news media entity to endorse the USTAR economic development initiative. In its Saturday edition, the newspaper said on its editorial page:

“Winner: The Utah Science, Technology and Research initiative has encouraging momentum. On Wednesday, the Utah Senate unanimously passed the USTAR bill, which would commit $15 million annually to recruit and attract research teams. Another $200 million would build new laboratories and purchase equipment, develop technology innovation centers elsewhere in the state and accelerate getting new products and technologies to their respective markets sooner. If there's any hesitation about the price tag, lawmakers need only to consider how much Utah's neighbors are poised to spend on the same pursuits. Colorado plans to spend $4.3 billion over 20 years. California has committed $5.3 billion, and Arizona's plan envisions spending $1.4 billion. By comparison, Utah's proposed investment in USTAR is downright conservative.” 

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USTAR Update

The Salt Lake Chamber’s Journal of Commerce, an advertising supplement inserted in the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret Morning News, contains two good articles supporting the USTAR economic development initiative.

In his introductory column, Chamber President Lane Beattie says USTAR is a high priority for the Chamber because it plants seeds for future prosperity. “USTAR is an innovative, aggressive and far-reaching effort to bolster Utah’s economy by attracting world-class research teams to our state. These teams will develop products and services that can be commercialized in new businesses and industries. We believe USTAR will generate hundreds of high-paying jobs in our state.”

In a second article focused entirely on USTAR, A. Scott Anderson, president and CEO of Zions Bank and chair of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, says Utah’s economy is growing, but average Utah salary levels have slipped from 96% of the national average in 1981 to only 81% today. “This is a serious problem, because low salaries make it difficult to support Utah’s large families and educate our children, Anderson wrote.” USTAR will create thousands of jobs in the high-paying technology sector, Anderson said. Many other states and nations are investing in science and technology, and Utah must also invest to keep pace.

In another development, the University of Utah student newspaper, The Daily Utah Chronicle, has s by Morgan Ratcliffe about Vestan Corp., a company with an important medical product created as a result of scientific research at the U. It is a good example of the kinds of firms that will be produced on a more accelerated basis under the USTAR initiative.

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USTAR Update - 2/2/06

The Utah Senate gave the USTAR initiative a big show of support Wednesday, approving the enabling legislation on a 28-0 preliminary vote (See links in News Highlights, below). After a final vote in the Senate the measure will go to the House.

USTAR is the centerpiece of Gov. Huntsman’s and the business community’s economic development platform. It is designed to foster research and development in targeted disciplines where multi-billion dollar markets exist for spinoff companies.

USTAR is designed to greatly accelerate what is already occurring at Utah’s research universities. For example, in the last six months, 14 companies have been launched out of the University of Utah, and the U.’s goal for this year is 20 new companies. “The USTAR Initiative has encouraged many scientists to get involved with the commercialization process, and I am very confident the rate of business development will increase as the USTAR Initiative gains momentum,” said Jack Brittain, VP of technology venture development. The new spinoff companies include:

1. Intan Tehnologies LLC - Dr. Reid Harrison - Develops new manufacturing methods for the semiconductor industry using low-power integrated circuits. The company has licensed copyrighted software and source codes developed out the Electrical and Computer Engineering Dept.

2. Medvis - Dr. Stefano Foresti - Uses custom visualization technology developed at the Center for Multi-Dimensional Information. The company is currently working with GE Medical to exploit the technology's potential in surgical procedures and anesthesiology applications in the operating room.

3. Carbalyn - Dr. Glenn Prestwich - Formed by the infusion of a $9 million Series A funding. It develops new products and applications utilizing a novel biopolymer developed at the U. The hydrogel has applications in drug delivery, surgical repair, and medical device coatings.

4. Vestan - Dr. Chuck Grissom - This technology was inspired by the fact that in breast cancer patients some portion of the tumors are left behind in over 40% of all cases. This company will use this novel diagnostic imaging devices and surgical tools, primarily for breast cancers surgery, but eventually will be used for other malignancies such as skin, uterus and intra-abdominal cancers. Vestan was recently awarded a VIP grant for the Technology Commercialization Office.

5. TechnoImaging LLC - Dr. Zhdanov - This new company was started out of the newly created Launch Pad program for New Business Development. It uses new electromagnetic imaging techniques for mineral and petroleum exploration.

6. Nephrogen - Dr. Christof Westenfelder – A a new biotechnology start-up located in Research Park. Scientists at Nephrogen are exploring the therapeutic potential of adult stem cells collected from blood to restore kidney function. The company has already attracted the attention of Gambro, an international health care company which has invested substantial funding.

7. Neuroadjuvants - Dr. Steve White - The result of collaborative efforts between the Departments in Pharmacology, Biology and the Brain Institute. The company develops new drugs for nerve related disorders.

8. MicroArray Inc. (Working Title) - Dr. Steve Blair - Uses novel microfluidics and hybridization techniques to reduce sample size and scale to large arrays in an effort to increase the efficiency of biosensor platforms.

9. Fuels Development Group - Focuses on the development of cost effective, more efficient jet fuels. The company is currently sponsoring University research toward a commercial prototype.

10. Intellivis - Dr. Stefano Foresti - Utilizes proprietary visualization software and hardware to create real-time decision making environments for network security, gaming, financial and other industries.

11. Vetrex - Dr. Glenn Prestwich - Uses the hydrogel technologies developed at the U. to assist in the repair and recovery of surgical procedures in animals. This is second company that has been started based on these novel biopolymers.

12. Zicthus - Dr. Dave Jones - Uses a proprietary diagnostic tool for the discovery of new therapeutics for the treatment of colo-rectal cancer.

13. PulmoGen. - Utah Population Database - This new company is the result of research resulting from Lineagen and will focus on new biomarkers and treatments for pulmonary disease.

14. Wasatch Microfluidics Inc.- Focuses on the development of innovative microfluidic devices for pharmaceutical research, with applications in drug discovery, genetics and clinical diagnostics. Microfluidics is the science of designing, manufacturing, and formulating devices and processes that deal with volumes of fluid on the order of nanoliters.

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USTAR Update - 2/1/06

The Utah Science, Technology and Research economic development initiative includes funding for two new research facilities, one at the University of Utah and the other at Utah State University. These facilities are quite expensive and the question naturally arises: Are these new facilities really needed?

The short answer is an emphatic YES, for a couple of reasons. The first is that some of the research teams being recruited to come to Utah include as many as 40 or 50 professors, investigators, lab assistants, graduate students, etc. There is simply no space on campus to house several of these teams and the associated laboratories and research facilities needed.

Second, these world-class research teams need world-class laboratories and high-tech equipment to carry out their research. These buildings are not simply office buildings. They are expensive because they are true research facilities, constructed and outfitted with the necessary wiring, computers, laboratory equipment, etc., to facilitate scientific research. That is part of the draw for top research teams to come to Utah.

Utah can maintain and improve its standing as a world leader in certain research disciplines like genomics, but proper physical facilities to conduct this research will be a crucial part of the success.

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USTAR Update - 1/31/06

  • USTAR, the initiative to bolster scientific research and development in Utah to spin off new businesses, isn’t necessarily a risky proposition because the concept has been proven many times. Numerous successful new businesses have been spun out of R&D the University of Utah and Utah State University. An article documenting those successes was published in Monday’s edition of Policy Perspectives, an e-mail newsletter by the Center for Public Policy and Administration.  The article by Scott Anderson, who is chair of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah and CEO/President of Zions Bank, describes the track records of the two research institutions and lists well-known spinoff companies.

  • Another article in Policy Perspectives documents the investments other states are making in university research for economic development purposes. The study looked at several states in-depth, and surveyed all states for their technology commercialization investments. It was determined that 31states are investing at least $29 billion in research and development projects with the intent to commercialize resulting technologies and discoveries. Utah’s investment in USTAR will be modest compared to what many states are doing, but Utah leaders believe the state investments can be smartly focused and targeted and greatly leveraged to keep Utah ahead of most states.

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USTAR Update - 1/30/06

  • The USTAR initiative now before the Legislature is gaining more and more rural support. The latest rural group to endorse USTAR is the Richfield Area Chamber of Commerce, which particularly liked the Innovation Centers that will be located across the state.
  • The USTAR legislation, sponsored by Sen. Al Mansell, was unanimously approved by a Senate committee on Friday and sent to the full Senate for floor action. (See Tribune story and Morning News story).
  • Mansell said the potential exists for the state and its universities to eventually make money from the USTAR legislation because a portion of royalties, fees and equity holdings from the new companies created through USTAR would be returned to the state.
  • Businessman Roger Boyer testified that USTAR has the potential to help create a number of new businesses like Myriad Genetics, which now has 720 employees with salaries much higher than the state average.
  • A number of senators, including Sen. Beverly Evans from the Uintah Basin, said USTAR is one of the most significant bills of the 2006 session.
  • KSL TV aired a story on Friday that illustrates the potential of USTAR. It was about a product developed by a University of Utah chemist and surgeon that makes cancer tumors glow red so surgeons can see precisely where a tumor begins, where it ends, and how much to remove. The U. professors have formed a spinoff company with a great deal of commercial potential. USTAR will dramatically accelerate the level of research and development at the U. and USU, coordinated with the Innovation Centers around the state, to generate many more business spinoffs.  

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USTAR Update: Herald Endorses - 1/27/06

The Provo Daily Herald has joined the Standard-Examiner and KSL TV/Radio in strongly supporting the USTAR Economic Development Initiative. A few excerpts from the Jan. 22 Herald endorsement:

“Once considered a leader in high technology, Utah is losing its edge. In the past four years, the state has lost 11,000 high-tech jobs, from 67,000 to 56,000. Utah wages have decreased in comparison to the national average, from 96 percent of the average in 1981 to 82 percent in 2005. It is a poor showing for the state associated with WordPerfect, Novell, Iomega and other high-tech firms.

“The problem lies in part with the fact that Utah is one of 17 states without high-tech research funding initiatives. Other states offer support to universities with research facilities that concentrate on producing products or processes that are commercially viable. That makes those states attractive to high tech firms, as well as breeding grounds for new companies.

“But Utah could, if the Legislature agreed, harness its academic power to become a stronger center for high tech. Sen. Al Mansell, R-Sandy, and Rep. David Clark, R-Santa Clara, are working on legislation to establish the Utah Science and Technology Research Economic Development Initiative, which would establish two research laboratories -- one at the University of Utah and the other at Utah State University. It would also appropriate money for the centers' staff and authorize a state authority to manage the program.

“Utah has a chance to invest in its future and become a leader in high technology. We hope the Legislature will grasp the spirit of the proposal and move forward.”

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USTAR Update - 1/26/06

The USTAR Support Coalition, comprised of several business groups and associations (among them the Salt Lake Chamber and other chambers, the Utah Information Technology Association, the Utah Life Science Association and the Economic Development Corporation of Utah), has started an advertising campaign. The newspaper campaign started last weekend and will feature ads with prominent Utahns making supportive comments about the importance of the USTAR initiative to Utah’s economic success. Watch for the ads in the weekend newspapers.

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USTAR Update - 1/25/06

SB75, the USTAR bill sponsored by Sen. Al Mansell, is now available for public review. This page  provides updates of the bill’s status and links to the complete text. The bill outlines USTAR governance and such things as royalty arrangements, etc.

The USTAR legislation will be heard Friday in the Senate Workforce Services and Community and Economic Development Committee, which begins at 2 pm in Room W015.

Also, the USTAR Web site, hosted by the Salt Lake Chamber, has been updated with a great deal of background information about USTAR. Many of the state’s chambers of commerce and other business organizations have endorsed USTAR, in addition to many news media editorial boards.

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Standard-Examiner Endorses USTAR - 1/24/06

Excerpts from: Priming the Pump

Monday, January 23, 2006

While the Legislature, currently in session, is debating how to spend -- or, as some want, to refund -- a record surplus of revenues approaching $1 billion, there are reasons to worry about the future of Utah's economic health. As we noted in Sunday's editorial, the state's average wages have steadily, relentlessly declined, as compared to the national average, from 96 percent in 1981 to 82 percent today. Furthermore, the state's number of technology jobs has slipped from 2000's high of 67,000 to 56,000 more recently.

Those are the kinds of factors leading to Utah's growing number of two-earner households -- parents forced to work, instead of by choice -- and the fact that Utah leads the nation in per capita bankruptcies.

Utah's business leaders wear grave expressions when they speak of these figures, and what they could mean for the state's future. They understand what it means for the strength and long-term health of Utah's economy if the numbers of high-paying jobs continue to lag behind as our population surge persists.

To help reverse these ominous trends, a coalition of business leaders is backing the Utah Science, Technology and Research Economic Development Initiative, or USTAR. The plan, also endorsed by Gov. Huntsman and many lawmakers, aims to construct $250 million worth of research facilities -- two each at the University of Utah and Utah State University.

Additionally, USTAR would allocate $125 million to lure teams of researchers, together with their federal grants, to USU or the U. to begin work that would result in products and companies that would grow businesses in the Beehive State and create high-paying jobs and tax revenue over time. The impact of 35 years, they estimate, could include 422 new businesses with 123,000 employees earning $81,000 a year.

Exactly how those future jobs and earnings were estimated remains a little vague, but it would stand to reason that a magnified version of the state's current efforts at the two universities' research parks -- 120 companies created since the 1970s -- would yield strong results.

The State Board of Regents is now hoping to funnel about $5 million to Weber State and the four other innovation center-less communities. If Weber gets its million dollars, it may try to lure aerospace faculty to help complement and, indeed, spur more economic research and development among the Top of Utah's existing aerospace industries.

That doesn't detract from USTAR's value. We support its creation, but with the following reservations:

  • What will be the state's equity position in the companies and products that emerge from taxpayers' investment in USTAR? The state, if it is to invest so substantially, must share in ownership and profits going forward.
  • And companies born here -- again, by way of taxpayer subsidy -- should be discouraged from fleeing the state. If Utah is to benefit from the companies and jobs created by way of USTAR, they'll need to continue doing business here.

The stakes of this game are plain to see: Utah is in an economic dogfight with our neighbors. Arizona has invested $650 million in a similar project. Colorado's total investment is $4 billion-plus. California is spending $4 billion on stem-cell research alone.

If Utah is to regain its innovative footing and produce high-paying jobs, USTAR is absolutely necessary -- as long as it's done in a way that protects our investment.

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KSL TV/Radio Endorses USTAR - 1/23/06

By Duane Cardall

“In his forward-looking State of the State address Tuesday, Governor Jon Huntsman enthusiastically endorsed USTAR, the visionary Utah Science, Technology and Research Economic Development Initiative.

“KSL shares the vision and likewise encourages lawmakers to approve a funding package that promises to pay unprecedented dividends in coming years.

“It sounds like a lot of money, and it is:  $25 million in ongoing annual funding to support research teams at Utah State and the University of Utah; $250 million for infrastructure support, which includes a couple of buildings at the universities; $3 million in ongoing funding to support business innovation outreach centers around the state. 

“In KSL’s view, it would be money well-spent.

“The idea is to place Utah at the cutting edge of the next generation of high tech innovations – to target high-potential research projects, and develop and nurture homegrown companies that will provide high-paying jobs in order to secure the state’s economic future.  For example, Utah, with its vast genealogical database, is especially well-positioned to capitalize on revolutionary advances in the emerging discipline of genomics.

“Brains, not brawn, as one economist has said, will likely determine Utah’s future.  In KSL’s view, USTAR can become the primary catalyst for capitalizing on the state’s greatest resource, her people.   We hope lawmakers catch the vision.”

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2006 State-of-the-State

Gov. Huntsman Endorses USTAR - 1/18/06

“Securing our long-term prosperity will require both a strong commitment to education and a focus on innovation to make certain the next generation can achieve their dreams here in Utah.

“In the early 1970s Governor Calvin Rampton and Utah Legislators, including Senator Mike Dmitrich, established Research Park near the University of Utah. This revolutionary concept coupled the great ideas from researchers and academics with the keen commercial sense of entrepreneurs and skilled workers from our State.

“The result of this coupling was groundbreaking. This “research-plus-business" combination led to the establishment of world-class businesses like Evans & Sutherland, NPS Pharmaceuticals, and Myriad Genetics. It also led to critically important research in cancer treatment, diabetes, genetics, as well as the robotic arm just to name a few. It was a risk that has paid great dividends for Utahns, and for humankind.

“Today it is time to invest in the next generation of world-renown Utah innovation and ideas. As Winston Churchill said, "the empires of the future are the empires of the mind." We now have the opportunity once again to be bold and visionary as we move toward the next generation of knowledge-based, high-paying jobs. Utah can lead the nation in areas where we have comparative research advantages.

“USTAR--the Utah Science, Technology, and Research Initiative--will capitalize on the unique resources of our State, such as the Utah Population Database, Genomics, Informatics, Personalized Medicine, and the talented faculty and students at the University of Utah and Utah State University. We will be uniquely positioned to produce the next generation of both life-saving discoveries and award-winning researchers if we will take this crucial step forward.

“This session, I ask you to pass the legislation sponsored by Senator Al Mansell and Representative David Clark to make USTAR a brilliant reality!”

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