International organization presents Purdue Research Foundation with three commercialization awards
October 21, 2014
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) presented Purdue Research Foundation with one gold and two silver awards for Excellence in Economic Development during the 2014 IEDC Annual Conference that concludes Wednesday (October 22) in Fort Worth, Texas.
The gold award is the highest honor presented for Excellence in Economic Development at the event.
"Economic development efforts have long been a keystone in the quest to bolster the economy and improve quality of life in every locality across the country," said Bill Sproull, IEDC chair. "As the nation continues to tackle challenges in the midst of global uncertainty, these efforts have taken on an even greater significance. With these awards, we laud trendsetting organizations like Purdue Research Foundation for leading the charge."
The awards Purdue Research Foundation received in the population category of 25,000 to 200,000 are:
Gold Award in the Newsletter/e-Newsletter category: "Purdue TechTransfer Express: Bringing Innovations to Market," a monthly e-newsletter with nearly 100,000 subscribers that is designed to increase tech transfer activities by generating more leads to Purdue's available technologies portfolio and increase angel investments, commercialization deals, startup creation, corporate partnerships and Federal investments such as SBIR grants.
Silver Award in the Special Purpose Print/Online Brochure: "Helping Our Global Society: Purdue Startup Guide," a publication designed to help Purdue faculty, staff and student innovators move their inventions through the commercialization process.
Silver Award in the Special Purpose Website: "Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Information, Support & Connections for the Next Big Idea" (innovation-entrepreneurship-purdue.com), a landing page website that offers a how-to approach to help Purdue and community entrepreneurs, investors, collaborators and others find information on Purdue innovations and startup creation.
"There were hundreds of award submissions to the IEDC and Purdue was the only organization at the event to receive three awards. That alone is a testament to the commercialization and economic development being done at Purdue – the prolific innovators and the number of Purdue innovations moving to the public, the jobs being created and the many people being helped by new technologies," said Dan Hasler, president of the Purdue Research Foundation. "FY14 has been a record-breaking year for Purdue, and we expect to build on the momentum and do even more in FY15."
Purdue's record-breaking numbers in commercialization activities were highlighted by 24 startups based on Purdue intellectual property, tripling the previous year's number. These and other existing Purdue startups drew more than $20 million in publicly announced funding to Indiana last year. In addition, the Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization received 146 U.S. and global issued patents, representing a more than 30 percent increase over the previous year; and 120 licensing deals of Purdue intellectual property with startups and established companies, for an increase of more than 20 percent over the prior year.
"The increases we have experienced are the culmination of many people working together," Hasler said. "The Purdue Foundry, policy changes, assistance with prototype development in the Artisan Fabrication Lab, investment funds like the Foundry Investment Fund and the Elevate Purdue Investment Fund have all been created to help Purdue entrepreneurs."
The Purdue Foundry, which assists entrepreneurs with business plans, product ideation, market analysis, funding, grant writing and legal counsel, is a startup hub in the long-established Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship. For more information on this and other Purdue commercialization endeavors, visit Purdue announces record-breaking year in commercialization activities.
The International Economic Development Council is one of the largest professional associations of economic development practitioners in the world, with more than 4,500 members in the United States, Europe, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and other countries.
About Purdue Research Foundation
The Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. The foundation manages the Purdue Foundry, Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization, Purdue Research Park and Purdue Technology Centers. The foundation received the 2014 Incubator Network of the Year from the National Business Incubation Association for its work in entrepreneurship. For more information about funding and investment opportunities in startups based on Purdue innovations, contact the Purdue Foundry at foundry@prf.org
About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a nonprofit membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 4,400 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities, by creating, retaining and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban and local to international, IEDC’s members are engaged in the full range of economic development experience. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in a wide variety of settings including local, state, provincial and federal governments, public private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities and a variety of other institutions. When we succeed, our members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions. www.iedconline.org
Purdue Research Foundation contact: Cynthia Sequin, 765-588-3340, casequin@prf.org
Sources: Dan Hasler, 765-588-3475, djhasler@prf.org
Tim Lehn, IEDC, 202-223-7800 ext. 3343, tlehn@iedconline.org
