Delaware Selects Three Centers
The State of Delaware has selected its first three Advanced Technology Centers (ATCs), public/private partnerships designed to bolster the state's technology base and to create and retain quality high-tech jobs. The centers will receive $2.31 million from the state's 21st Century Fund for their first year of operation and are eligible for two more years of state funding given satisfactory performance.
The centers selected are:
Advanced Technology Center for Medical Devices will catalyze partnerships between companies and universities, resulting in the development and commercialization of medical diagnostic screening tools based on analytical instruments coupled with sophisticated software. The center will receive $560,000 in state funding.
Fraunhofer Resource Center-Delaware will create an advanced materials and near-net-shape manufacturing technology development and deployment capability, based on the Fraunhofer model from Germany. The center will assist manufacturing companies with the solution to technical challenges in the area of near-net-shape manufacturing by performing confidential, contractual work for industry. The center will receive $750,000 in state funding.
Delaware Agricultural Biotechnology Center will establish a genome science facility charged with sequencing and analyzing plant and poultry pathogen genomes. According to the state, the center will feature the second largest DNA sequencing effort in the world for agriculture. It will benefit the state's agricultural industries and offer opportunities for commercialization. It will receive $1 million in state funding.
The state funds awarded must be matched at least 1:1 by private sources.
The ATC program is intended to:
-encourage greater collaboration between private industry and Delaware colleges and universities to develop and apply technology.
-help make these technologies commercially viable.
-build and strengthen research capabilities enhance the supply of technically trained employees to meet the needs of Delaware companies.
-build business-to-business linkages.
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