University-Community Network Best Practices

Keystone Innovation Zones

From a November 17 news release.

On behalf of Governor Edward Rendell, Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Yablonsky recently announced the certification of five new Keystone Innovation Zones (KIZs) that will accelerate economic growth and promote collaboration among colleges, universities, local economic developers, local government, and businesses in their regions.

“Through innovative new programs like Keystone Innovation Zones, we are demonstrating our commitment to retain our students and to create an environment where companies with growth potential can start and stay in Pennsylvania,” said Secretary Yablonsky. “This revolutionary program is an opportunity for Pennsylvania to benefit from one of our most valuable resources — our world class college and university system.”

The Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority (BFTDA) approved operational funds for the Luzerne County, Lackawanna County, Greater Oakland, Harrisburg Market, and University City (Philadelphia) KIZs. The KIZ program offers graduates an incentive to stay in Pennsylvania by creating an environment where opportunities are abundant, help is accessible, and innovation is encouraged and rewarded.

The Commonwealth’s economic success depends on important economic drivers such as the KIZs. A prime source of that economic funding comes from the more than 200 institutions of higher learning located in communities throughout Pennsylvania. As a crucial part of Governor Rendell’s economic stimulus program, the KIZs will encourage the creation of new businesses, expand the research and development sector of Pennsylvania’s economy, and facilitate technology transfer to existing companies.

The BFTDA is a state-funded network dedicated to fostering technology innovation, strengthening the Commonwealth’s economy, and creating and retaining high-salary jobs that require advanced skill levels. The BFTDA provides funding for technology partners and support for its partners throughout Pennsylvania that identify the most promising technological ventures and provides them with technical assistance and capital.

The BFTDA supplies administrative funding for Zones, allowing the KIZ institutions of higher education and companies to be eligible for priority review of various DCED grant/loan programs and business tax credits.

Project: Luzerne County and Lackawanna County Keystone Innovation Zones

KIZ Coordinator: Greater Valley Technology Institute
Amount Awarded: $250,000 to each KIZ
Details: The Luzerne and Lackawanna County KIZs will be a unique partnership of two separate, but closely aligned KIZs. This partnership will include 12 universities and colleges in the region including: College Misericordia, King’s College, the University of Scranton, Marywood University, Johnson College, Keystone College, Luzerne County Community College, Penn State University (Hazleton, Wilkes-Barre, Worthington/Scranton) and Wilkes University. The Zone will focus on the strengths of each school. Each of these institutions brings relevant expertise to the initiative. The life sciences at these institutions employ more than 260 scientists.

Both the Luzerne and Lackawanna County KIZs will target technology-driven business growth including health care/life sciences, nanotechnology/advanced manufacturing and plastics, information technology/new media, and back office/finance areas. A number of these areas will feed into the area of Homeland Security.

Project: Greater Oakland Keystone Innovation Zone

KIZ Coordinator: Mellon Pitt Carnegie Corp.
Amount Awarded: $250,000
Details: The Greater Oakland KIZ will support the Pittsburgh region and its universities’ efforts to enhance the volume and success of new technology based growth in southwestern Pennsylvania’s economy. The partnership will include two universities: the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University.

The partners of the Greater Oakland KIZ foresee leveraging the opportunities provided by the KIZ program to create a collaborative, technology-based economic development partnership that will focus on important zone program elements and provide a platform for a broader regional technology agenda. The Greater Oakland KIZ will target the information technology, life sciences, specialty chemicals, and horizon technologies industries.

Project: Harrisburg Market Keystone Innovation Zone

KIZ Coordinator: Capital Region Economic Development Corp.
Amount awarded: $250,000
Details: The Harrisburg Market KIZ will focus on four key areas of growth: Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Penn State Harrisburg (Middletown campus), Harrisburg City Market Street Corridor, and selected sites in the Borough of Carlisle.

The industry clusters focused on by the Harrisburg Market KIZ will target advanced manufacturing, life-sciences and business-technology solutions. The advanced manufacturing cluster will have a particular focus on the electrical components, fabricated materials, industrial machinery, and advanced small manufacturing. The life sciences cluster will be supported by research and development underway at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. The Life Sciences Greenhouse located in the capital region will provide critical mentoring, investment, and other support.

This KIZ will include the following educational institutions: Hershey Medical Center, Penn State Harrisburg, Messiah College, Central Pennsylvania College, Harrisburg University, Harrisburg Area Community College, Dickinson College, and Shippensburg University.

Project: University City Keystone Innovation Zone

KIZ Coordinator: University City Science Center
Amount awarded: $250,000
Details: The University City KIZ will further unlock the potential for job creation in the Philadelphia area. The Zone’s activities will focus on life sciences, technology, innovation, and workforce development. The life-sciences focus has been integrated across a span of industries, such as information technology and nanotechnology, and is designed to enhance the commercialization of the technology output of the partnership. This will, in turn, provide a focus for the continued growth of a new, mid-Atlantic, high technology-based venture community.

The zone will include the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University. The University City KIZ will target many life-sciences innovation industries including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, information technology, nanotechnology, nanomedicine, and bioinformatics.