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June 14, 2004 Purdue Research Foundation wins state-wide award for service to high-tech firmsWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Indiana's technology elite recognized Purdue Research Foundation May 21 as the state's premier provider of professional services to technology entrepreneurs through its economic development arm, the Purdue Research Park. During a black-tie gala held at the Indiana Roof Ballroom, the foundation received a 2004 MIRA Award from TechPoint, a state consortium of high-tech business leaders and professionals. The foundation was among six finalists vying in for the award in the professional service provider category that honors a company or organization that best supports the needs of technology-based enterprise. Awards also were given to companies in the categories of advanced manufacturing, health and life sciences, information technology, gazelle company, and education/program. "This is an exciting time for the Purdue Research Foundation," said Joseph Hornett, the foundation's senior vice president and treasurer. "Because we need more space to accommodate entrepreneurs who want to start companies in the Purdue Research Park, we recently broke ground to double the size of our technology incubator and to construct another privately-funded facility, the International Technology Center. "But this honor from TechPoint gives us another opportunity to tell Indiana's business leaders that the Purdue Research Park is more than buildings housing high-tech firms. It's about the valuable services we provide to them." The 2004 runners-up in the professional service provider category are Walker Information and Thomas P. Miller and Associates. Another Purdue Research Park company, Imaginestics LLC, was a runner-up in the gazelle company category, an award classification reserved for early-stage ventures selling products or services in the advanced manufacturing, health and life sciences or information technology industries. Purdue Research Foundation founded the park's first incubator to provide a place for Purdue University faculty who wish to commercialize their ideas, companies who want to develop businesses based on licensed Purdue technologies, and high-tech firms who wish to benefit from a close proximity to Purdue. The park's incubator concept is designed to provide growing high-tech ventures with a supportive environment of equipment, services and resources offered at a reasonable cost. The goal of these efforts is to attract knowledge-based businesses to the research park, to launch new startups powered by Purdue-generated innovation, and to cultivate high-tech collaborations with Purdue University. Purdue Research Park is Indiana's first Certified Technology Park. The park has more incubator space under roof than any university-affiliated incubator in the country. In the past two years, the park has launched 23 technology startup companies. The more than 100 companies in the park employ more than 2,500 people. Through programs, member services, advocacy and economic development efforts, TechPoint's is working to drive the growth, development and retention of the state's technology clusters. TechPoint 400 members represent the diversity of technology-based industries in Indiana - advanced manufacturers, distribution and logistics firms, health and life science organizations, information technology companies - and the businesses serving them. Writer: Jeanine Phipps, media relations, Purdue Research Park, (765) 494-0748; jeanine@purdue.edu Sources: Joseph B. Hornett, (765) 496-1658, jbhornett@purdueresearchfoundation.org |
