Association of University Research Parks & BIO 2006 Tours UTP

A group of more than 70 members of the Association of University Research Parks toured University Technology Park at IIT (UTP). The group was in Chicago this past spring attending the BIO 2006 Convention at McCormick Place.

The group listened to presentations by David Baker, vice president for External Affairs, Dan Marselle, associate director for technology & business services at UTP, and Jim Berens, president of Wexford Equities, UTP’s private equity partner.

The group toured the completed Phase 1 portion of the Business Incubator and the Technology Business Center, which is scheduled to open Fall 2006.

UTP was also active during BIO 2006 as part of IIT’s exhibit space within the Illinois Pavilion. Tours of the UTP during and following BIO 2006 attracted over 20 participants.

Photo: Dan Marselle (at podium) explains plans for the Technology Business Center to visiting guests from the Association of University Research Parks

 

TBC Crowned with Atrium

Conversion of IIT’s former Chemistry Research Building (CRB) by Wexford Science & Technology, LLC into a state-of-the-art 126,000 sq. ft. Technology Business Center (TBC) is moving forward rapidly. The interior has been gutted, and on May 19, 2006, TBC was crowned with the metal framework for the atrium skylight. Wexford’s plans call for the core and shell to be competed by the summer of 2006 with the first tenants moving in as soon as the fall. Discussions are underway with 10 prospective tenants.

 

 

ILBIF meeting at UTP

On May 23, 2006, University Technology Park (UTP) At IIT was one of three hosts of the Illinois Business & Investor Forum (ILBIF) at IIT’s McCormick Tribune Campus Center. IIT, Bradley University in Peoria, and the Technology Research, Education, and Commercialization Center (TRECC) in West Chicago were linked via video conferencing technology. ILBIF meetings create an interactive investor meeting showcasing start-up companies, entrepreneurs, and intellectual property from universities and corporations from around the Illinois. Five start-up companies presented their business plans to an audience of investors and economic development personnel:

  • SanoGene Therapeutics, Inc. - UIC spin-out company
  • Network Black Box - UTP tenant and client of IIT’s Knapp Entrepreneurship Center
  • mVerify Corporation
  • 10x Technology, LLC
  • Advanced Diamond Technologies, Inc. - Argonne National Labs start-up company

For complete information, go to ILBIF’s website at http://www.ilbif.com/about.html.

 

UTP Incubator Phase I nearly Full

Since the launch of phase one of the UTP Incubator in January of 2006, the Incubator is approaching 80 percent occupancy. Four tenants are in the process of moving into the Incubator’s wet-lab spaces:

  • All Cell Technologies, LLC, is formed to commercialize alternative energy technology developed at IIT. The management team includes co-inventor Said Al-Hallaj, VP and chief technology officer, who is also associate research professor of Chemical & Environmental Engineering at IIT.
  • Sun Phocus Technologies, LLC, is co-located with All Cell. Sun Phocus plans to commercialize proprietary technology in the growing market of Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV). Sun Phocus is integrating holographic film and photovoltaic cells into standard curtain-wall and skylight designs to create a "planar solar collector" so sunlight that naturally falls on glass can be captured and transformed into electricity.
  • NanoFluence Health, Inc., is developing nutraceuticals and functional foods to enhance calcium absorption for reduction in blood serum cholesterol and increased bone mineral content, density, and strength. The management team includes Michael Gurin, chair and chief technology officer, who is a serial entrepreneur and prolific inventor.
  • Sigenics, Inc., founded in 2000, designs and tests application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) for both healthcare and industrial applications. The management team includes Philip Troyk, President, who is also associate professor of the Prtizker Institute of Biomedical Science & Engineering at IIT.

 

University Technology Park (UTP) at IIT is designed to provide a dynamic environment to further the development of promising companies. For more information, contact
Daniel F. Marselle
Associate Director for Technology & Business Services
University Technology Park at IIT
10 West 35th Street, Suite 10F3-1
Chicago, IL 60616
312.567.3900
312.343.6459 cell
312.567.3911 fax

University Technology Park at IIT (UTP) www.universitytechnologypark.com