Clemson, Innovate Anderson partner to attract high tech to research park
January 9, 2012
ANDERSON, SC – January 9, 2012 – Two of Upstate South Carolina’s leaders in research andtechnology incubation have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU)that will help drive economic growth in Anderson County.
Clemson University and Innovate Anderson,a public-private partnership with the mission of growing AndersonCounty’s economy, will foster economic development by working jointly toattract high-technology, knowledge-based research-and-developmentorganizations to the region.
Innovate Anderson and Clemson will coordinate economic developmentand marketing activities, and activities related to real estate andproperty management at the site.
Butch Hughes, chairman of the board of Innovate Anderson, said theagreement is a joint effort between Clemson University, Anderson Countyand Innovate Anderson to attract research companies and drive economicgrowth.
The Clemson research park is ideally located in Anderson County closeto Clemson University, enabling companies to partner with Clemson’sworld-renowned faculty, students and staff, Hughes said.
“When the opportunity arose for Innovate Anderson to acquire thiscampus it was envisioned as a linchpin for building a strongerrelationship between Anderson County and Clemson University,” Hughessaid. “The goal is to foster economic development in Anderson County andsurrounding areas while underscoring Clemson University’s status as atop research university.
“The MOU is another step toward solidifying that relationship and fulfilling those goals,” Hughes said.
Karl Kelly, director of commercialization and technology incubation at Clemson, said the university’s Advanced Materials Research Laboratory means the university has a sound foundation at the research park.
Existing research and development of biotechnology, sustainableenvironment and related engineering and sciences are a foundation forfruitful public-private partnerships, he said.
He pointed to Hitachi High Technologies America Inc.,which in October last year partnered with Clemson to house one of theworld’s most-advanced electron microscopes at the laboratory. Hitachichose Clemson for the first university installation of the HitachiNanoDuet NB5000 Focused Ion and Electron Beam System.
The agreement with Innovate Anderson will further partnershipopportunities at all existing entities at the park, Kelly said. Theyinclude:
- The Information Technology Center, which is the sixth-largestsupercomputing site for academic institutions in the U.S.;
- Clemson Computing and Information Technology (CCIT), whichprovides diversified computing services and resources available toprivate industry; and
- The L.G. Rich Environmental Laboratories (EnvironmentalEngineering and Earth Sciences), which provides research programsin environmental systems, toxicology and pollution prevention.
“Clemson University has a long history of hugely successfulcollaborations at its economic development centers across SouthCarolina,” Kelly said. “This agreement with Innovate Anderson will seethose success stories repeated in Anderson County.
“There are world-class facilities at the Anderson research park thatwill attract a wide array of innovative companies,” Kelly said.
Not every community can boast a top electron microscopy laboratoryfacility for secured or classified research located right around thecorner from a high-caliber research university, said Steve Kirven,Anderson City Council member.
“We have a unique proposition for entrepreneurs, startups andexisting companies looking to locate their businesses in this area,”Kirven said. “Marketing and developing this 265-acre campus as a jointeffort should prove an exciting and fruitful venture providingbeneficial results far into the future.”
About Clemson University Advanced Materials Center
TheClemson University Advanced Materials Center is a 265-acre innovationcampus and technology park on S.C. 187 in northwest Anderson Countywhere Clemson University’s world-class research, electron microscopy andcomputing facilities anchor a collaboration among academic, governmentand private-sector partners to grow South Carolina’s advanced materialsindustry.
About Innovate Anderson
Innovate Anderson is anon-profit organization formed by the contributions of both the publicand private sector. Innovate Anderson is an important catalyst forfuture-oriented community development strategies that will help AndersonCounty compete in a challenging global economy.
