AURP IN MOTION
February 24-28
Tempe Mission Palms, Tempe, AZ

June 7-8
BIO 2020 Conference, San Diego, CA
November 3-6
University of Utah Research Park
Salt Lake City, UT

INSIGHTS INTO RESEARCH PARKS 2020
April - Capital City Innovation, Austin, TX
September - University of Delaware, Newark, DE
It's Spring Training Time!

AURP Spring Training 2020 returns to Tempe to tackle the challenges and initiatives of human development, future industries, place making and communities!

Suit up with the pros for the knowledge exchange of new techniques and best practice strategies for your community, programs and team.
Meet face-to-face with senior-level executives to drive home these major league topics:

  • Futurist-in-Residence: Learning for the Future
  • Driving Connectivity: Experiencing the ASU Innovation Network
  • Impacts of AI, Machine Learning & Big Data on Research Parks & Innovation Communities
  • The Evolving Workforce: Real Estate, Construction, Services & Programming
  • The Future of Your Research Community: Strategic Planning for Diversity & Inclusion

Space is limited . REGISTER TODAY !
Overflow Rooms at
The Graduate Tempe
225 E Apache Blvd
Phone: (480) 967-9431
Room Rates: $189 plus tax

Member News: UT Cherokee Park Partners with Volkswagen and Oak Ridge NL
UT Research Park at Cherokee Farm announced this week that it will collaborate with Volkswagen Group of America and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) "to create Volkswagen’s first innovation hub in North America."

With this collaboration, UT Research Park says initial work will involve doctoral students using space in the Innovation North building at the UT Research Park to focus on developing "lighter vehicle components made from composite materials and the electrification of vehicles."

In addition, UT Research Park notes this collaboration is special because it "leverages the expertise of ORNL scientists and faculty members within the UT Knoxville’s Tickle College of Engineering." ORNL Director Thomas Zacharia says this collaborative effort illustrates "the power of aligning industry, academia and a national laboratory." Read more.
Member News: Rosalind Franklin University
of Medicine and Science Gains
Corporate Support for Incubator
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science announced last week that Horizon Therapeutics is committing support to RFU's new Helix 51 incubator and its soon-to-launch first phase of RFU's Innovation and Research Park, a 100,000 square-foot building designed to promote collaboration among academic and industry scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs. The Research Park's mission is to accelerate the development of RFU's nationally recognized research into prevention and treatment of disease.

The Helix 51 incubator features meeting, office and wet lab space for four companies working to develop treatments for disease and innovations in healthcare delivery. The incubator will expand into the Innovation and Research Park in Q2 2020 to house 15 early-stage bioscience companies. Read more.
Member News: bwtech@UMBC
Research Park Profiled
At bwtech@UMBC Research Park, roughly 95 percent of companies residing in the park "have some kind of link to the school through a faculty member or an intern," according to a profile last week in The Baltimore Sun. 

Since its launch in 1989, bwtech@UMBC started with "8,000 square feet of trailers" and now boasts "525,000 square feet of space — including a North and South part of the park — that is home to approximately 130-plus tenants, as of 2018." 

In addition, the Sun profiles notes bwtech@UMBC has delivered significant economic development to Baltimore County and the region, leading to company formation and job creation in a range of industries, including cybersecurity, life sciences, clean energy, information technology and health IT. Read more. 
OZ Update: EDA and Indiana University
Launch Opportunity Zones Tool
The U.S. Economic Development Administration and Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business announced the launch of the USA Opportunity Zones tool. 

This web-based tool is designed to help more than 390 EDA-designated Economic Development Districts (EDDs) across the US, plus local economic and community developers and investors, target private investment to economically-distressed areas where private investment may be eligible for capital gain tax incentives under the Opportunity Zones initiative.  Read more.
Member News: HR&A to Lead Development
of Houston's First Innovation District
Rice University has engaged AURP Sustaining Corporate Member HR&A to develop Houston’s first innovation district to help grow the city's technology economy, attract new investment, and foster entrepreneurial talent.

The project, expected to open in early 2021, encompasses 14-acres in Midtown Houston anchored by a historic Sears department store with the intent to "transform the underutilized assets into a vibrant innovation hub and district." HR&A is serving as project manager for both the Sears building and broader district, overseeing both the real estate and programmatic development of the project. Read more.
WELCOME
New AURP Members
THANK YOU
New AURP Annual Corporate Sponsors
Platinum Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
The CEO's Corner: Brian Darmody
Opportunity Zones

The federal government has released new rules on investments in Opportunity Zones (OZs). OZs are zones where taxpayers can invest deferred capital gains into areas in need of revitalization by bringing new businesses into the area or new real estate investments. The taxpayer in return can eliminate capital gain taxes in many cases.

Many OZs have anchor institutions in them, including research parks, incubator facilities, hospitals and community colleges. 

According to the Economic Innovation Group, 379 four- and two-year institutions, 47 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and 16 tribal colleges are in OZs in urban, rural and suburban areas. Hospitals are in one-third of all OZs or within one-half mile of OZs. 

AURP is working with its member institutions in OZs on strategies to engage with local stakeholders to leverage this tool through its National Opportunity Zone Accelerator to help build new facilities and find financing for tech start ups.

AURP won funding from the SBA to help support entrepreneurs in OZs through the federal SBIR/STTR programs. The OZ program will be on the agenda at AURP conferences in 2020, including the BIO Health Caucus meeting, June 7-8 in San Diego held in conjunction with BIO Conference and our AURP 2020 International Conference in Salt Lake City, hosted by the University of Utah Research Park.

Brian to Present in Webinar on OZs, Jan 30
AURP's Brian Darmody is set to co-present in a webinar on "Qualified Opportunity Zones: A Powerful Program for University Research and Economic Development" hosted by Tech Transfer Central, Thursday, Jan. 30, 1:00pm EST.

Brian will join with John G. Balboni, Partner, Sullivan and Worcester, in presenting their practical, real-world experience to universities help institutions assess the benefits and challenges associated with Opportunity Zones. The webinar's agenda will include an overview of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; a year 2019 recap and 2020 federal legislative outlook; plus creative ways universities and anchor institutions can take advantage of the Opportunity Zone program.
Questions for Brian? Connect at [email protected]
CAREER CENTER

Check out the AURP Career Center to discover your next career opportunity:

  • Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, President
  • The Research Triangle Foundation, SVP for Real Estate Development
  • City of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Planning Director
  • The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Vice Chancellor for Research
  • University of Houston, Executive Director, Office of Technology Transfer & Innovation
  • Reagan-Udall Foundation for the Food and Drug Administration, CEO