Nine R.I. ‘knowledge economy’ projects receive funding
By Andy Smith
Journal Staff Writer
3/25/10
Article
Nine local projects designed to expand the state’s “knowledge economy,” a cluster of high-tech, biotechnology and design enterprises, were awarded $150,000 in grants from the federal government and the city of Providence Wednesday.
Six of the projects will be funded with $100,000 from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration and three with $50,000 from the Providence Economic Development Partnership.
Many of the projects are designed to link researchers and entrepreneurs in the hopes of developing new business ventures. They were selected by the Innovation Providence Implementation Council (IPIC) set up by the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce.
“We’re pushing forward the reinvention of our economy,” said Laurie White, president of the chamber. Eleven similar grants were awarded in 2009. White said this year’s grants focused on design and life sciences, with an eye toward job creation. Providence Mayor David Cicilline pointed to promising developments in the Jewelry District, which the city hopes will become a center for the knowledge economy, such as the new location for Brown University’s medical school and proposals for a joint nursing school by URI and Rhode Island College.
The nine projects receiving grants are:
•Ambulatory Clinical Research Center, $20,000: A proposed research center in the Jewelry District will be a partnership between local hospitals, Brown’s medical school and the URI schools of pharmacy and nursing.
•Smart Vaccine Design for Entrepreneurs, $20,000: A six-week program run by URI to educate participants in business opportunities related to vaccine development.
•RI Business Plan Competition, $10,000: The competition provides support and advice for business planning on three tracks –– student, entrepreneur and a new green economy category.
•Toy Technology for Rehabilitation, $20,000: A collaboration among Brown University, RISD, Lifespan, Hasbro and Bay Computer Associates to create, test and manufacture toys that would help the rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy and other impairments.
•RI-CIE Entrepreneur Boot Camp, $10,000: The Rhode Island Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship will run a workshop for 10 new ventures within the knowledge economy.
•Change Accelerator (Social Venture Partners of Rhode Island), $20,000: A project to provide social entrepreneurs, who combine business and efforts to improve society, with expertise, mentors and access to investors.
•Design Focused Accelerator (Providence Foundation), $15,000: The Providence Foundation will study how to help young designers in the state create new business.
•Building the Green Economy (Apeiron Institute for Sustainable Living), $15,000: Money will be used to create an interactive green economy Web site to support economic development.
•Workforce Portal Tool (Tech Collective), $20,000: The Tech Collective plans a Web site that will link information-technology students with available internships.