Contact: Maridith Geuder
A partnership among Mississippi State University, the Tennessee Valley Authority and area economic development agencies is establishing a new Starkville high-tech business incubator.
In ceremonies today [Dec. 16], MSU Interim President J. Charles Lee joined with Starkville Mayor Mack Rutledge and TVA officials in breaking ground for the Ralph E. Powe Center for Innovative Technology. The new 25,000-square-foot facility at the Mississippi Research and Technology Park will be built over the next year.
Primary funding for the $3.7 million effort is provided by Mississippi State through its Research and Technology Corp., TVA, and the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Additional funding will be provided by the Appalachian Regional Commission, the City of Starkville and Oktibbeha County.
"The new center that will take shape here will provide tangible evidence that Mississippi State's major responsibility to contribute to the economic development of our state is moving ahead," Lee said.
"The center will assist in the process of transforming new knowledge into new jobs and greater opportunities, and that is a top priority for our institution." He noted that the economic health of communities around the nation is closely tied to their ability to tap into the information-based, knowledge-driven economy of the 21st century.
"This center is part of our community's commitment to keep pace with the demands of economic development in a highly competitive high-tech world," Lee said.
The center is named for Powe, a mechanical engineering graduate of MSU, who served as vice president for research from 1986 until his death in 1996. During his tenure, MSU's non-agricultural research expenditures increased from $8.9 to $48 million.
"TVA is proud to partner with Mississippi State University, ARC, the U.S. Economic Development Administration, and the Golden Triangle Enterprise Center on the Ralph E. Powe Center for Innovative Technology," said Glenn L. McCullough, TVA chairman. "As part of our objective to demonstrate leadership in sustainable economic development, TVA continues to support regional, collaborative efforts that will have a significant impact on the valley's continued growth and prosperity."
The Powe Center will include a 5,000-square-foot Class 1000 microelectronics "clean room," in which the concentration and size of particles, as well as temperature and humidity, can be controlled according to federal standards.
The new facility will provide space for technology-related start-up businesses for up to three years. In addition to advantageous rates on leased space, tenants will have access to a shared secretarial staff, office equipment, and telephone and Internet connections and will be advised by a board of experienced businessmen, bankers, accountants, and other professionals.
Jonathan Pote, MSU interim vice president for research, said that the new partnership reflects a continuing link between the strengths of Mississippi State University and service to the state.
"Industries as diverse as Nissan Motor Co., American Eurocopter and Viking Range all have made it clear that they see a vital link between MSU's research and the state's industrial growth. This building is a clear signal of our commitment to that mission of continuing to serve and to help build Mississippi."