Michigan State University
Michigan State University
403 East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1047 • 517-355-3407
http://www.msu.edu
Campus Programs
msuENet
A network of people and resources committ ed to supporti ng entrepreneurship at MSU who aim to:
- Connect entrepreneurs with the resources and people they need, when they need them, to facilitate their success.
- Leverage those connecti ons through the power of the network, based on a broad community of business, civic, social, and educational partners.
- Educate enterprising and entrepreneurial students and members of the community.
- Foster a culture of entrepreneurship at MSU that supports and values entrepreneurship as a career or lifestyle.
- Facilitate the coordinati on and promoti on of entrepreneurship programs and people within MSU, and among MSU and its many community partners. Together we can do more.
For more information contact Dr. Bryan Ritchie, Director of msuENet, at ritchieb@msu.edu; 517-353-8614;
Student Groups
Spotlight Michigan
Spotlight Michigan seeks to promote a more innovative and entrepreneurial culture in Michigan by cultivating and spotlighting young, talented, and entrepreneurial communities for the new economy.
http://www.spotlightmichigan.com/about-us/
Technology Transfer
Office of MSU Technologies
The formation of the Office of MSU Technologies (MSUT) represents an important step in the evolution of intellectual property management and technology commercialization at Michigan State University and comes at a critical time, as MSU continues to play an increasing role in the effort to diversify and improve the Michigan economy. While we work to transfer a wide range of MSU intellectual property to the marketplace, we also hope to provide MSU researchers with feedback from the marketplace that will assist them in performing research of high quality and high impact.
MSUT encompasses and enlarges the role of the previous Office of Intellectual Property (OIP) and the Copyright Licensing Office. It facilitates the commercial development and public use of technologies and copyrightable materials developed by MSU faculty and staff. In addition, MSUT staff process and track confidential disclosure agreements, material transfer agreements, and other documents relating to collaborative arrangements with third parties, and assist in the negotiation of intellectual property clauses in research grants and contracts.
Incubators
Technology Innovation Center (TIC)
The City of East Lansing, in partnership with the Lansing Regional SmartZone, the East Lansing Downtown Development Authority and the Local Development Finance Authority, has created the Technology Innovation Center in Downtown East Lansing to facilitate the development of the technology-based economy of the mid-Michigan region and bolster the region's professional workforce.
The TIC features 7,000 square feet of newly renovated, loft-style office space overlooking downtown East Lansing’s Grand River Avenue and the beautiful Michigan State University campus.
The three main objectives of the Technology Innovation Center are:
- Identify and support high technology business opportunities
- Promote long-term and sustainable economic development in East Lansing and the region
- Support the business community by providing affordable office space and services, training, funding sources, mentoring and a network of professional advisors
http://www.cityofeastlansing.com/tic
The Hatch - student incubator
The Hatch - located adjacent to the Technology Innovation Center (TIC) in the heart of downtown East Lansing. The Hatch, a spin-off of the successful TIC, is designed to host, encourage, cultivate and enable student entrepreneurs to grow their ideas through a creative, co-working environment.
http://www.cityofeastlansing.com/hatch/
Downtown East Lansing Incubator
Tim Dempsey, City of East Lansing, tdempsey@cityofeastlansing.com, 517-319-6864
The Downtown East Lansing Incubator will offer high tech start-up companies and entrepreneurs a low cost business location. The facility will provide Class A office space in a vibrant downtown environment adjacent to Michigan State University. Business support services will be provided through the Lansing Regional SmartZone and its array of local partners - Michigan State University, the Lansing Area Economic Partnership (LEAP), and the Small Business and Technology Development Center, among others. The facility is planned to open in the Summer of 2008 and is currently accepting inquiries from interested parties.
Lansing Economic Area Partnership
The Lansing Economic Area Partnership (Leap, Inc.) is an innovative private/public partnership that was formed to guide the Greater Lansing region’s economic development efforts. Leap is a one-stop shop that offers companies direct access to mid-Michigan’s myriad resources – capital, site locations, people, university and industry partnerships, and world-class business acceleration services.
Leap’s SpringBoard program gives entrepreneurs easier access to everything they need to launch and build sustainable companies in our region – globally competitive companies that will improve the area’s economic health. The SpringBoard nurtures new and emerging companies by making it easier for them to find local and global capital providers and best-in-class business service suppliers who can provide them with relevant, personalized support and guide their growth.
Leap’s SpringBoard partners commit to working with Leap SpringBoard clients and being flexible with their rates as needed. In return, they get a chance to work with well-vetted young companies that have strong opportunities for success, see the Greater Lansing region’s newest businesses before their competitors, diversify their client base with companies in emerging industries, and gain the public-relations benefits of helping to grow and diversify the region’s economic base. They may also enjoy Community Reinvestment Act credits and tax advantages.
MBI International
MBI was founded as a 501(c)(3) company in 1981 by a State of Michigan economic task force, and funded initially by state, federal and private foundation investments. Over the last 25 years, MBI has built a successful track record of innovation in industrial biotechnology, and has commercialized various products and processes through joint-ventures and start-up companies. MBI has also developed a solid reputation among its extensive network of university, government, and industry collaborators. In mid-2005, MBI became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Michigan State University Foundation. MBI continues its mission under new leadership with a focus on developing and commercializing sustainable bio-based technologies.
Commercial Development Projects:
- For companies seeking bio-based commercialization opportunities, we have a portfolio of existing products and processes in various stages of development for which we are interested in collaborations.
- For companies seeking specific bio-based solutions, we orchestrate the disparate activities around technology development to deliver a customized solution. Specifically, we collaborate to identify relevant technology and determine its technical feasibility. If technical feasibility is promising, we will collaborate to develop, scale-up, and deliver a de-risked commercially-viable technology package suited to your needs.
- MBI provides active technology transition services to its collaborators, including late-stage troubleshooting, personnel training, knowledge transfer and technology integration. This reduces uncertainty in startup operations and time to market.
Inventor Collaborations: For inventors seeking to commercialize promising discoveries, we collaborate to de-risk, develop, and scale-up discoveries into commercially-viable technology packages. MBI also provides business development and marketing services to identify and establish the most favorable alliance for commercial deployment. We are experienced in various mechanisms, including licensing, joint-ventures and entrepreneurial start-ups. MBI offers flexibility in collaboration arrangements. In certain cases, MBI may be able to provide access to gap funding and financial investments based on its broad network of resources.
Rational Siting Push/Pull Accelerator 2 Program
http://www.msu.edu/~ljh/rsppa/rsppa.html
The Rational Siting Push/Pull Accelerator 2 (RSPPA2) program, funded by a $1M grant from the 21st Century Jobs Fund builds upon the original RSPPA program, launched in September, 2003, with the support of a Michigan Life Science Corridor/Michigan Technology Tri-Corridor grant. Its purpose:
- pursue a multi-site accelerator strategy
- create new companies in Lansing and in Midland
- assist those businesses in relocating strategically within Michigan--and particularly to the Midland area--if and when such relocation was a rational choice for the business.
RSPPA will also continue the practice of providing $50,000 unsecured loans through the MEDC to start-up firms, to alleviate regional shortages in angel and other seed capital.
As an economic development engine, RSPPA2 will complement the $15 M US Department of Labor’s “Workforce Innovation for Regional Economic Development” (WIRED) grant received by MSU on behalf of the Mid-Michigan Innovation Team.
RSPPA also cooperates with the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) and the Prima Civitas Foundation to promote regional economic development.
University-Industry Commercialization Programs
Office of Biobased Technologies
http://www.bioeconomy.msu.edu/
The Office of Biobased Technologies (OBT) aims to integrate innovations in the lab with advances in the marketplace to enhance the economy, the environment, and the quality of life in Michigan and around the globe. Simply put, the mission of the OBT is to identify, encourage and support research programs that will position MSU as a world leader in the development of the bioeconomy.
Created in March 2006 by MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon, the OBT is designed to marshal MSU research and resources to help foster connections with public and private sector initiatives designed to expand Michigan's bioeconomic sector. The OBT fits perfectly into Simon's "Boldness by Design" strategic plan, which calls for MSU to undertake outreach and engagement and economic development activities that are innovative and research-driven, and lead to a better quality of life for individuals and communities.
Product Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources
http://www.productcenter.msu.edu/index.htm
The Product Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources was established in Spring, 2003 with funds from the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station and Michigan State University Extension to improve economic opportunities in the Michigan agriculture, food and natural resource sectors. The Product Center helps individuals develop and commercialize high value, consumer-responsive products and businesses in the agriculture and natural resource sectors.
Entrepreneurship Education related to Economic Development
Center for Venture Capital, Private Equity, and Entrepreneurial Finance (CVCPEEF)
http://www.bus.msu.edu/ie/cvcpeef.cfm
The primary mission of the Center for Venture Capital, Private Equity and Entrepreneurial Finance (CVCPEEF) is:
- To advance and promote academic and applied research on entrepreneurship, venture capital and private equity investments by MSU faculty and students
- To disseminate academic and applied research and core knowledge on these topics to our constituent community of university students, alumni, venture capital and private equity professionals, and high-tech and biotech university entrepreneurs and to engage our students in hands-on entrepreneurial and venture capital projects
To reach out and build mutually beneficial relationships with MSU alumni entrepreneurs, venture capital and private equity professionals, with Michigan-based entrepreneurial
- firms, venture capital and private equity companies, with the Michigan Venture Capital Association and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, etc.
- To actively collaborate with similar entrepreneurship/venture capital centers at our peer institutions across the United States and around the world on research, teaching and outreach activities.
Economic Development/Outreach
Workforce Innovation for Regional Economic Development (WIRED)
The Workforce Innovation for Regional Economic Development (WIRED) grant was received in February, 2006 by MSU on behalf of the Mid-Michigan Innovation Team http://midmiinnovationteam.org/. It is one of 13 grants awarded nationally by the U.S. Department of Labor, and is for a period of three years. A key element of the mid-Michigan proposal is to refocus automotive supplier firms once tied to the automotive industry to emerging and growing manufacturing markets as well as the development of an alternative energy sector, including preparing workers for jobs in the bio-based, post-petroleum economy.
Prima Civitas Foundation
Established in 2006, the Prima Civitas Foundation (PCF) is a regional community and economic development collaborative committed to putting Mid-Michigan first. PCF activities are aimed at diversifying Mid-Michigan's economy and promoting job growth. PCF supports the expansion of industries such as next generation transportation, alternative energy, biomass, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and homeland security. In particular, we want to position Mid-Michigan as a world leader in the post-petroleum economy. PCF is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) organization.
PCF's purpose is to:
- Promote business and market the region as a center of entrepreneurship and innovation
- Develop regional strategies to recruit and retain skilled workers
- Improve educational outcomes to ensure workers have the skills and training for the emerging jobs of the new economy
- Work with researchers to facilitate the commercialization of their products
- Enhance cultural opportunities to keep young workers in the region
- Encourage municipal collaborations to ensure that cities, counties, and townships in Mid-Michigan compete successfully--not against one another, but with regions across the globe
- Bring together groups and individuals who do not usually interact--community and economic developers, business and philanthropic leaders, local elected officials, and neighborhood champions--and connect them with the right relationships and resources to spur their success.
Michigan State University is a founding participant and key supporter of PCF. President Lou Anna K. Simon is committed to regional economic development and revitalization and to accelerating the transfer of knowledge from MSU's cutting-edge research labs to new firms, industries, and enterprises. PCF acts as a broker between MSU researchers who have developed products that they would like to commercialize and financial institutions, venture capital organizations, and other resources needed to make their products market-ready.
Lansing Economic Area Partnership
See earlier description.
The Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) is committed to transforming the Greater Lansing region into a global economic powerhouse. To do this, we are focusing our efforts on six essential strategic initiatives, one of which is the MSU Integration Initiative - designed to integrate Michigan State University and its world-class resources and people into all aspects of the community. Leap, Inc., and our collaborator, Michigan State University, are committed to weaving the university into the fabric of everyday life in the Greater Lansing region. MSU offers a wealth of resources and expertise that the companies in our community can tap into – along with thousands of well-educated new graduates each year who can keep those companies running smoothly.
Center for Community Outreach and Economic Development
http://www.ced.msu.edu/index.html
The Center for Community and Economic Development creates, applies, and disseminates valued knowledge through responsive engagement, strategic partnerships, and collaborative leaning. We are dedicated to empowering communities to create sustainable prosperity and an equitable global knowledge economy.
Urban Planning Partnerships
Urban Planning Partnerships (UPP) is an outreach initiative within Michigan State University's Urban and Regional Planning Program and is sponsored in part by Urban Collaborators, an initiative based within MSU Extension.
The current target cities for UPP are Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Jackson, Lansing, Pontiac, and Saginaw; however, we work with other areas as resources allow.