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STORY HALLE SMITH | PHOTOS AMANDA ANTILLA
unity in the community IGEM Promotes Local Growth
CARMEN ACHABAL - IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
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What ’ s better than potatoes and blue turf in the State of Idaho ? Knowing your tax dollars are going towards funding projects that promote economic growth . After taking one look at the IGEM program , you ’ ll be confident to know they are doing just that .
IGEM is a unique program that funds commercialization research that advances private sector products and services by partnering business experts with Idaho university researchers . The program was approved during the 2012 legislative session and is currently in its fifth year . IGEM ’ s council is comprised of 12 members appointed by the governor . The University may have a technology that it would like to commercialize and seeks to partner with a business in the private sector that can take the technology to market . Alternatively , a member of Industry may need assistance with their research needs to advance a viable product and will partner with an Idaho university . The Department of Commerce also provides assistance in partnering business-to-university and university-to-business in an effort to further advance the technology . If needed , Commerce can help in the match making between the Idaho business and the Idaho university . By evaluating the project and its research needs , Commerce can provide the introduction to the partner that has the expertise necessary to assist with the development of the technology .
Idaho Code designates that only Idaho ’ s three public research universities can be recipients of this funding . This is by design as the program is funded by public tax dollars , these tax dollars are reinvested into Idaho ’ s public research universities . n most cases , students assit in the development of these products which gives them real-world experience in their fields . This not only helps the Idaho business needing research assistance , it enables the research team to work on cutting edge technology with real-world experience .
With more projects reaching out for funding each year , the IGEM Council carefully selects which projects they fund . While Idaho companies receive preferential consideration , many companies are not currently aware that this program is an option . “[ We need to be ] letting Idaho businesses know we have this program that can allow them to be competitive in a global market ,” Carmen Achabal said . She added that the program has reached six out of Idaho ’ s seven economic regions in the state of Idaho . This investment in businesses and in researchers to develop technology will not only benefit our future , but the future of Idaho .
Recently Boise State University was awarded with $ 454,438 this year . The announcement was made in November for two businesses , Kairosys and Fiberguide . Kairosys which were awarded $ 194,003 for
GREENBELT MAGAZINE | JAN - FEB 2017