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2013-2014 Annual Report
Annual Report
Growing High Tech Industry
This year, MGRP projects have furthered innovative technologies such as a
Through a unique partnership with dozens of
process for converting landfill gas to liquid hydrocarbon fuels and wireless
economic development, workforce, academic
sensors for diagnostics under harsh environments.
and industry partners, the Florida High Tech
Corridor Council has supported the growth of
During 2013/2014, the program generated 82 projects in partnership with 65
high tech industry throughout the 23-county
Corridor companies, including 20 companies participating in the MGRP for
region for nearly 20 years.
the first time. The Council invested nearly $5 million in the projects, while the
participating companies matched that investment with $11.4 million in cash,
A regional economic development initiative
in-kind services and equipment. The total value of research conducted
of three research universities – the University of
through the Matching Grants Research Program therefore neared $16.4
Central Florida, the University of South Florida
million this year.
and the University of Florida – The Corridor has
continued to receive national recognition for its
Since the inception of the program in 1996, the Council has partnered
efforts to build a region where technology and
with more than 360 companies on some 1,346 research projects in sectors
innovation thrive.
ranging from Agritechnology to Sustainable Energy. The more than
$62 million in funds that have been invested by the Council have been
The following overview provides details about
matched by corporate cash and in-kind investments of $177 million,
the initiatives and programs that helped the
generating an additional $938 million in quantifiable downstream impacts,
Council grow high tech industry in 2013/2014.
resulting in a total project value of nearly $1.18 billion.
Matching Grants Research Program
The Matching Grants Research Program counts among its successes
The key focus of the Corridor Council has
the opportunity to engage talented student researchers who learn from
been to foster applied research partnershi ps
faculty mentors as they solve real-world challenges. During 2013/2014,
between high tech industry leaders and
approximately 174 student researchers and 55 faculty members from our
our three Corridor universities. Every year,
research universities were engaged in conducting applied research on
technology companies bring their commercial
Corridor projects. That brings the total number of students (2,692) and
challenges to our expert faculty to take
faculty (304) who have conducted research on a matching grants project
advantage of the Council’s Matching Grants
since inception nearly 20 years ago to 2,996.
Research Program (MGRP), which helps
leverage the R&D budgets of industry partners.
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