{"id":203793,"date":"2016-03-24T14:42:08","date_gmt":"2016-03-24T14:42:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/d45h139.public.uconn.edu\/sites\/news\/?p=22028"},"modified":"2016-03-24T14:42:08","modified_gmt":"2016-03-24T14:42:08","slug":"boosting-business-in-the-quiet-corner-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2016\/03\/boosting-business-in-the-quiet-corner-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Boosting Business in the \u2018Quiet Corner\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"UConn
UConn is launching a new partnership to provide R&D support to companies in the eastern part of the state. Lawrence Silbart, UConn vice provost for strategic initiatives, spoke at an event on March 22. (Chris LaRosa\/UConn Photo).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Josh Garvey<\/p>\n

UConn launched a center to connect small and medium-sized technology and manufacturing businesses in Eastern Connecticut with the University\u2019s resources and outside partners, after the Economic Development Administration agreed to fund a portion of the $1.5 million startup costs.<\/p>\n

The grant funds the Quiet Corner Innovation Cluster (QCIC), which will help develop companies in New London, Tolland, and Windham counties. This largely rural area has been affected by the loss and stagnation of local manufacturers, many of whom don\u2019t have the R&D capabilities to cope with rapid advances in technology. Through the QCIC, UConn will work with local companies to develop new products and update business opportunities for manufacturers in the eastern part of the state.<\/p>\n

The QCIC is a partnership between UConn and Connecticut Innovations. Connecticut Innovations<\/a> was created by the state legislature to offer financing and support to new and expanding Connecticut companies. The UConn School of Engineering is leading the development of the center.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Quiet Corner Innovation Cluster is an exciting opportunity to provide support to employers in an area of the state hit hard by our changing economy,\u201d says Kazem Kazerounian, dean of the School of Engineering. \u201cSmaller manufacturers just don\u2019t have the budget for R&D. Between our first-class research and our strong ties to larger manufacturers \u2013 who are often their customers \u2013 UConn Engineering is in a great position to provide that aid.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Economic Development Administration<\/a> is an agency within the national Department of Commerce that provides support for economically distressed communities. The EDA grant was one of 25 awarded in a nationwide competition, to advance innovation and build the capacity of existing businesses. Connecticut Innovations, UConn, and the Economic Development Administration will each contribute $500,000 to the QCIC.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis initiative encourages the type of collaboration that is needed in our state,\u201d says Matt McCooe, CEO of Connecticut Innovations. \u201cIt allows small and medium-sized employers to access UConn\u2019s valuable resources to help businesses enhance their research and development capabilities. We have found that companies that receive this type of support early on have a much better chance of succeeding in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Manufacturers that participate in the QCIC will gain access to UConn faculty and facilities. UConn will also serve as a supply chain hub, connecting these small and mid-size<\/p>\n

\"A
A group of UConn representatives and state leaders met at a launch event for the QCIC. From left are: Peter Obuchowski, Educational Liaison North, Eastern Advanced Manufacturing Alliance; Kelli Vallieres, Eastern Advanced Manufacturing Alliance, President\/CEO; Matt McCooe, CT Innovations, CEO; Barbara Fernandez, Department of Economic and Community Development; Larry Silbart, QCIC Co-PI; Kathy Rocha, QCIC Program Manager; Hadi Bozorgmanesh QCIC PI; Mae Flexer, State Senator; Gregory Haddad, State Representative. (Chris LaRosa, UConn Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

companies with major regional equipment manufacturers who can make use of the products the smaller manufacturers will create.<\/p>\n

The headquarters of the QCIC will be located in UConn\u2019s new Tech Park<\/a> on the Storrs campus, with the fund matching coming from the Next Generation Connecticut Initiative. Next Generation Connecticut<\/a> is a statewide initiative to increase Connecticut\u2019s science, technology, engineering, and math education and employment infrastructure.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new Innovation Cluster is a great example of what Next Generation Connecticut and the Technology Park Project represent to the economic development of our state,\u201d says UConn Provost Mun Choi. \u201cThis project will help to support innovative R&D and training for an important manufacturing region of Connecticut.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is the first UConn program aimed at partnering with small and medium-sized technological manufacturers.<\/p>\n

\u201cSmaller manufacturers can be incredibly important to local and regional economies, but they\u2019ve traditionally been underserved by partnerships with higher education institutions,\u201d says Hadi Bozorgmanesh, co-executive director of the School of Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation Consortium<\/a>. \u201cThis will give them access to the first-class research, development, and commercialization UConn Engineering is known for making.\u201d<\/p>\n

The QCIC plans to launch a pilot program by August 2016.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

UConn is creating a center to connect small and medium-sized technology and manufacturing businesses in Eastern Connecticut with the University\u2019s resources and outside partners. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":122,"featured_media":22116,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1866],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-203793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-engr"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-22 16:55:46","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203793","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/122"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=203793"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203793\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/22116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=203793"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=203793"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=203793"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=203793"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=203793"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}