Purdue News

December 6, 2000 Maxim I/T gift propels Purdue's Digital Enterprise Center progress WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The partnership between high technology and higher education at Purdue University has grown closer with the installation of advanced search engine software for the new Digital Enterprise Center in the School of Technology. Maxim I/T, a start-up company in the Purdue Research Park, recently made the first installation of its search technology software, FindView, in the applied research center. FindView software allows users to index, search, find and view electronic files on any computer platform within an organization. The initial gift of software and support is worth an estimated $130,000. Don K. Gentry, dean of the School of Technology and Purdue's special assistant to the president for economic development, praised Maxim I/T's software donation. He called the gift and what it represents a step forward in the development of the integrated digital enterprise concept. "This joint venture represents a prototype of private-public partnerships that will serve industry, the state's economic development and the university through applied research," Gentry said. Curt Overpeck, Digital Enterprise Center director, agreed. "This partnership better enables us to perform our primary mission of producing a better product – educating and preparing students to perform in the workplace," he said. "By establishing this center, Purdue and the School of Technology demonstrated they are responsively attuned to changing technology, industry needs and the opportunity to improve student education. Maxim I/T's software transforms information into knowledge for sharing throughout an entire enterprise." The software complements the Digital Enterprise Center's mission as a working model of a complete e-business environment, from product conception to design, and production to customer delivery and support. The integrated systems approach makes it possible for a company to create, manage, simulate and communicate digitally an array of information related to its products, processes and resources. Nainesh Rathod, president and chief executive officer of Maxim I/T Inc., stressed the first installation was only the beginning of the relationship between his company and the center. "The Digital Enterprise Center is a showcase for project-based learning," Rathod said. "It provides a testing environment where we can share what we've learned, collaborate with industry leaders and at the same time aid in educating students in real-life production situations." Rathod added that the center further helps industry by providing graduates who are already familiar with production environments they encounter in the private sector. Housed in the Knoy Hall of Technology, the Digital Enterprise Center was launched last summer as a $6 million project sponsored by Purdue, IBM and Dassault Systemes. The center is designed as an interdisciplinary hub for applied research projects in which students, faculty, and business and industry representatives can study a digital enterprise through project-based learning experiences and network problem solving. The goal is to network Purdue laboratories, high-tech start-up companies, digital experts from industry and faculty members from the university's schools of technology, engineering, science and management in a collaborative environment. Consistent with its mission and goals, the enterprise center can undertake development projects in collaboration with industry, a funding agency or on an independent basis. Depending on the scope and nature of projects, a partnering industry may pay for the project's cost. Rathod founded Maxim I/T in 1996. The company's headquarters is located in the Purdue Research Park's business incubation complex. Maxim I/T has offices in Portland, Ore., and a sales and marketing office in Indianapolis. Rathod said the company employs 16 people, most of whom are Purdue graduates from the Schools of Science and Technology. More than 36 new companies have been launched at the park since 1993, with a total of more than 221 employees. Sources: Curt Overpeck, (765) 496-2953, caoverpeck@tech.purdue.edu Nainesh Rathod, (765) 463-4710, nainesh.rathod@maxim-it.com Writer: Grant Flora (765) 494-2073, gflora@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page