Technology Research Park/Incubator Assessment

Project: Strategic Assessment for the Development of a Friendship Technology Incubator

Client: Allegheny Ventures/Friendship Technology Park Incubator

Battelle assisted Allegheny Ventures, Inc. in developing a concept design and implementation plan for the Friendship Technology Park Incubator in Hagerstown, Maryland. The project involved a benchmarking and best practice analysis of successful incubators around the country, as well as a conceptual analysis that identified the resources available in the region that would allow the incubator to capitalize on the issues important to the success of likely tenants. Ultimately, a financial feasibility study and action plan was developed to position the facility for success.

Project: Greater Baltimore’s Bioscience

Client: East Baltimore Development, Inc.

East Baltimore Development, a non-profit economic development organization for the City of Baltimore, engaged Battelle to assess the opportunities for building upon Baltimore’s base of bioscience research activities. This assessment provided the foundational analysis for understanding Baltimore’s position in the biosciences. The project helped to identify unique niches and opportunities for Greater Baltimore to advance its bioscience cluster. As part of the overall strategy, Battelle identified markets and linkages to industry to make the proposed East Baltimore research park a reality.

Project: Industry Targeting Assessment for Colorado Bioscience Park Aurora

Client: Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority and University of Colorado System

Battelle assisted the Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority in its efforts to establish a biotechnology research park. As part of this effort, Battelle helped the University of Colorado identify possible sites for the re-location of its Health Sciences Center to an entirely new campus. The project surveyed industry and higher education leaders and assessed areas of technology convergence between information and biotechnology firms that could lead to centers, projects, networks, and consortia linking higher education capabilities and industry needs. Battelle identified nine areas of new partnerships for university and industry and helped establish partnerships in two of these areas. Battelle benchmarked university-related research parks throughout the U.S. and determined ways in which research parks typically link with institutional research efforts. Battelle used this knowledge and its analytical work to develop an affiliation plan for the Authority and University.

Project: A Development Path for Georgia State University’s Science Park

Client: Georgia State University Research Foundation Inc.

Battelle is developing a prospectus for Georgia State University’s future science park. This comprehensive assessment and positioning strategy will assist Georgia State University in building upon its base of bioscience research activities and development of the Georgia State University Science Park.

Project: DuPage County Research Park

Client: The Illinois Coalition

The Illinois Coalition engaged Battelle, with funding provided by the State of Illinois, to assess the feasibility of creating a research park on land owned by the DuPage Airport Authority. Battelle identified and profiled “best practice” research parks with similar characteristics to the DuPage site, analyzed DuPage County’s technology assets and R&D base, and recommended a research park concept and development approach. The proposed concept was predicated on the development of research anchors for the park, including technology commercialization centers, an applied research and development center, a multi-institutional educational facility, and an incubator and an accelerator building. Two technology commercialization centers, the NASA Illinois Commercialization Center and the Technology, Research, Education, and Commercialization Center have been established in the Park. Battelle manages these commercialization centers.

Project: Strategic Assessment for the Development of a Research Park in Southern New Jersey

Client: New Jersey Economic Development Authority

Battelle partnered with Hammer, Siler, George, Associates Inc.. on a study conducted for the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to assess possible locations and development strategies for a research park in southern New Jersey. This park was ultimately branded as the South Jersey Technology Park and is being developed on land controlled by Rowan University in Glassboro.

Project: Building Bioscience in Portland: An Assessment of Oregon Health and Science University’s Research Prospects and Portland’s Bioscience Economic Potential

Client: Portland, Oregon Bureau of Planning

Battelle was engaged by the City of Portland to investigate specific aspects of the Oregon Health and Science University’s (OHSU) expansion plan and to develop a preliminary evaluation of its bioscience economic development potential. The project included an evaluation of the influence of travel time between the two locations of the Central Campus on the ability to create and maintain OHSU’s internal synergy; and an assessment of the influence of proximity and travel time between OHSU’s facilities and a bioscience park or incubator facilities on the success of an effort to create a bioscience industry in Portland.

Project: University Research Park Best Practices

Client: University of California, Davis Campus

Battelle was engaged by the University of California, Davis Campus to provide background information and materials and advise a Task Force on ways it may wish to develop its research parks. Specifically, Battelle examined the best practices at university research parks across the nation, and evaluated which practices best match the University’s vision and goals.

Project: Stimulating Commercialization: A Feasibility Study of Developing an Incubator at UMB

Client: University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB)

Battelle; the Jacob France Center; and Lipman, Frizzell and Mitchell, LLP, assisted the University of Maryland, Baltimore in developing a feasibility study concerning the development of an incubator facility at UMB. The study recommended a two-step action plan focused on maximizing the commercial value of the University’s research base, expanding the University’s relationships and partnerships with industry, and improving the infrastructure at UMB to stimulate the creation of new corporate spin-offs and the co-development of bioscience start-up companies.

Project: An Assessment of Research and Technology-Related Space Demands, Characteristics and Potential Site Locations: Advancing Pittsburgh's Economic Future

Client: Allegheny Conference on Community and Economic Development

Battelle is assisting key stakeholders in Pittsburgh to consider how best to support and leverage the development of its major world-class research drivers—the University of Pittsburgh and its associated Medical Center, and Carnegie Mellon University. These research drivers have been fueling major expansion of research facilities, primarily in the Oakland area. Looking to the future, the ability of the region to ensure quality sites to house continued strong research growth is a concern, since the Oakland area is substantially built. Moreover, the region needs a strategy on how to leverage its growing hub of research facilities to create a physical environment that can be supportive of, and a magnet for, technology-based economic development. Battelle is conducting a consolidated assessment of these issues, including addressing meeting space needs through a potential research park.