News Releases for April 2008
April 07, 2008
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R&D Showcase Spotlights North Dakota's Innovation
BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. John Hoeven today hailed the R&D Showcase scheduled April 16-17 at the FargoDome as a model of North Dakota’s significant advancements in research, development and commercialization capabilities, and will underscore the potential these investments have to grow and develop our state’s leading industries. This R&D Showcase, hosted by the NDSU Technology Park, will feature the state’s Centers of Excellence projects in addition to the work occurring at North Dakota State University and the University of North Dakota.
“Research and development is essential to helping North Dakota companies and our state’s economy innovate, diversify and grow over the long term,” Gov. John Hoeven said.
Hoeven and North Dakota higher education leaders today said the state’s commitment to R&D through efforts such as the Centers of Excellence program and the Red River Valley Research corridor are vital to the state’s future. North Dakota had the largest percentage increase in the nation of investment on research and development (R&D) from 2000 to 2004, according to a recent National Science Foundation report. Over that four-year period, the state funded R&D funding per dollar of gross state product by more than 200 percent.
“North Dakota State University continues to identify opportunity for partnerships with industry that stimulate economic growth in North Dakota,” North Dakota State University President Joseph A. Chapman said. “Research and development are vital in fostering knowledge-based technology development, which in turn continues to foster an environment for North Dakota’s industry to compete globally.”
“I’m happy that we are continuing to showcase the tremendous impact of the research, development, and commercialization work going on in North Dakota,” said University of North Dakota President Charles E. Kupchella. “This showcase, which has been held in Grand Forks and Fargo and once in Bismarck (annually at first and on a biennial basis for the last several years) has had the effect of making the general public much more aware of the importance of this work to the State’s economy and to its future.”
NDUS Chancellor William Goetz said: “The public-private partnership that serves research universities, business and state government is contributing greatly to expand research and development in the state of North Dakota. Policies creating flexibility, opportunities to respond and the ability to create partnerships will continue to lead us to advance economic growth, cutting-edge product and service development and improved quality of life both in North Dakota and globally.”
The leaders said a preliminary status report about the state’s Centers of Excellence program, released last month by the North Dakota Commerce Department, confirms the impact R&D investments are having in North Dakota.
The report indicates that the state’s $23 million investment in the Centers of Excellence program is being matched by $100 million in private sector investment and is already contributing to a direct annual payroll of $21 million.
Highlights of the report include:
Funding:
- $23 million in state funding has been leveraged with $100 million in private sector support for a total investment of $123 million.
Private Sector Partners:
- A total of 102 private sector companies are participating in the Centers of Excellence program.
New Businesses:
- Sixteen new or expanded businesses have been launched.
- Twelve new companies have been created to date as a result of the Centers of Excellence (five spin-offs and seven companies with a new location in North Dakota).
- Four companies have expanded as a result of the Centers of Excellence program.
Jobs:
- Total direct, supported and projected job creation is 3,500.
- 2,500 new direct jobs are projected.
- 500 new direct jobs have already been created, with annual payroll of $21 million (average salary: $42,000).
- The Centers currently support another 500 new jobs through partnerships.
Economic Impact:
- Preliminary economic impact data is provided by some of the Centers in their individual summaries. However, NDSU will use data assembled by the Department of Commerce from the Centers of Excellence to calculate the total economic impact of the program. The economic impact study will be completed by this fall and presented to the Legislature.
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