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New AURP White Paper Calls on Research Parks, Related Entities to Prepare to Compete for Funds from the CHIPS and Science Act
Research parks, innovation districts, tech hubs and related entities across the United States should prepare and strategize now to compete for federal funding from the recently enacted CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, according to a new AURP white paper (The Geography of Technology, Science, and Innovation Under the CHIPS and Science Act) released last week.

The white paper, prepared by Brian Darmody, AURP Chief Strategy Officer, showcases a dynamic range of ways organizations and institutions – such as research parks, innovation districts, businesses, universities, federal labs, states, regions and local communities – engaged in science and technology-based economic development can leverage the unprecedented amount of federal grant funding authorized in the CHIPS and Science Act. Download the white paper here.
The National Science Foundation announced the launch of Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity (EPIIC), a new $20 million program encouraging minority-serving institutions, two-year institutions, primarily undergraduate institutions and other emerging research institutions to participate in regional innovation ecosystems. Existing R1 and R2 research universities are not eligible to participate. AURP's Brian Darmody, however, urged AURP's research university members to "reach out to non-research higher education institutions in their states or regions to consider applying for these grants." Read more.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration last week announced the achievement of fusion ignition at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) — a major scientific breakthrough decades in the making that will pave the way for advancements in national defense and the future of clean power. A team at LLNL’s National Ignition Facility conducted the first controlled fusion experiment in history to reach this milestone, also known as scientific energy breakeven, meaning it produced more energy from fusion than the laser energy used to drive it. Read more.
#AURP Member & Industry News
Winston-Salem's Innovation Quarter has announced a new way for small businesses and entrepreneurs to get plugged into the vast resources, connections and opportunities in the district — Sparq, a new venture and small business launchpad. Sparq will become the primary way new companies are introduced to the Innovation Quarter community — and will become a primary feeder for startups that qualify to participate in iQ Labs, which includes iQ Healthtech Lab and iQ Community Lab. Read more.
The Tulane University Innovation Institute - led by Kimberly Gramm, the David and Marion Mussafer Chief Innovation and Entrepreneurship Officer - is poised to launch a $10 million startup fund for women- and minority-led businesses. The fund will prioritize investment in Louisiana-based minority, underserved and/or very small businesses that are tech or tech-enabled companies. The fund will use equity and equity-like financial instruments to invest in these companies over five years. Read more.
The IDEA Center at the University of Notre Dame and High Alpha Innovation, an IN-based venture builder, will collaborate on a new program for eligible Notre Dame startup companies connected with a mission-driven venture studio that creates and accelerates startups emerging from the Notre Dame ecosystem. The investment element of the collaboration will make investment capital available to qualified startup companies originating through IDEA Center operations. The venture studio element will build, staff and launch new software startups within the university. Read more.
The Kauffman Foundation recently released a report detailing new data on the demographics of U.S. entrepreneurs from 1996-2021. Among the report's findings are that over the last 25 years, the share of new entrepreneurs who are foreign-born has more than doubled. In addition, the report, "Who is the Entrepreneur? New Entrepreneurs in the United States, 1996–2021," found about 40% of new entrepreneurs in 2021 were women (down from nearly 44% in 1996). Read more.
Dimensional Energy, which works on fully integrated carbon dioxide utilization, celebrated the grand opening this month of its first-of-a-kind facility that transforms carbon dioxide into the fuels and products that people use every day. The newly opened Dimensional Energy Tucson Technology Center at the UA Tech Park (part of the park's Solar Zone) is a strong signal to the market that Dimensional Energy’s innovations are ready to scale. Read more. 
Stephanie Garcia, who works in Business Development and Communications for Port San Antonio (a new AURP Member), recently launched the Texas chapter of Women in Robotics. “What this chapter is going to do is really elevate San Antonio’s profile within our country, throughout the world, as a place, as a center for advanced robotics. And we’re open for business. And hopefully that will attract more people to our region to do this type of work,” said Stephanie in an interview with KSAT.com. Read more.
The University of Maryland’s (UMD) College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences will establish the IonQ Professorship with a $1 million gift from IonQ, an industry leader in quantum computing and winner of AURP's 2021 Innovation Award. IonQ’s gift is being matched by $1 million through the Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative (MEI), a state program created to spur basic and applied research in scientific and technical fields at the state’s colleges and universities. IonQ is based at UMD's Discovery District. Read more. 
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Economic & Social
Impact Reports

Research parks, innovation districts and tech hubs are strong economic, job-creating engines and contribute to economic development in local communities, regions, states and nations.

Our AURP Website features current impact studies that illustrate the dynamic impact of university research parks, innovation districts and tech hubs.


We're ready to include your impact report on our website! Learn more.

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

  • Regional Economic Competitiveness Officer, Southwestern Pennsylvania New Economy Collaborative
  • Vice President for Research and Biotechnology, Western University of Health Sciences
  • Executive Director, STAR Park, Texas State University
  • Associate Vice President of Innovation, San Diego State University
  • Director of New Ventures, University City Science Center
  • Executive Director of the Nebraska Innovation Campus (NIC) and Associate Vice Chancellor for Strategic Industry Partnerships, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  • Vice President for Research, University of Tennessee System
  • Chief Financial Officer, Oklahoma City Innovation District
  • Program Director, SSTI
Wishing You Happy Holidays!
Season's Greetings from all of us with AURP and our very best wishes to you for health and happiness in the new year!
SUBMIT YOUR STORY FOR A FUTURE PARK POST!

Would you like to showcase your Community of Innovation, tenant or university activities (including newly released Impact Reports) in an upcoming AURP Park Post? We want to hear your stories and news to share with our greater AURP community. Email us today!
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