Utah State hopes to open business incubator within year

Utah State University is hoping to open a business incubation program in Brigham City within the next year.

The community innovation center would provide space for classes, conferences and a business resource center according to Andy Shinkle, executive director of USUs Brigham City Extension.

Startup companies would also be able to rent space in the building at below-market value.

"This will be a meeting place for businesses," Shinkle said. "It will provide important mentoring for our students. My objective from day one was to do something helpful for our students."

The development will cost $10.7 million and will likely be completed in stages, depending on cash flow.

Shinkle hopes that the first phase a $600,000 business incubator will be complete within a year.

Brigham City Director of Economic Development Paul Larsen said he is excited about the facility.

"We have done a lot of strategic planning and visioning work in the last few years," Larsen said. "One of our main focus areas is economic development. ... We have a lot of interest in business creation, in supporting an environment where businesses can grow."

Planning for the center began in 2004 when Utah State received the Brigham City Kmart building as a gift from the owner, a private developer in New York City.

"We know that entrepreneurship education increases the probability of success when people start a business," said management and human resources department head Gaylen Chandler. "We saw an opportunity to provide education and spearhead economic development in Utah."

Within five years, USU hopes to have similar community innovation centers at extension sites in Tooele, Uintah Basin, Snow College and the College of Eastern Utah, Chandler said.

Information from: The Herald-Journal http://www.hjnews.com