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No Comments [ Add Comment ]Rising STAR
By Amy K. StewartWeber State USTAR program off and running
OGDEN -- Former Nike Inc. executive Curtis Roberts has Weber State University's new technology outreach center running at a fast pace from the starting line.
Weber State President Ann Millner said, "We have made great strides."
Roberts began Feb. 20 as the university's vice provost for Innovation and Economic Development. His role is to help Weber State meet the goals of the Utah Science, Technology and Research economic development initiative.
The result is intended to be more high-paying jobs as the university collaborates with area businesses.
"Essentially, we're a startup preparing to work with startups," Roberts said.
He recently gave a presentation to the Weber State Board of Trustees, updating them on how the technology center is progressing in meeting its goals.
The center has made progress with companies and inventors, developed a strategy, brought summer interns on board and helped launch a program to support entrepreneurial development in Weber, Davis and Morgan counties.
The center is prioritizing and making progress on 15 companies and initiatives.
For confidentiality reasons, Roberts isn't disclosing too many intricate details on these companies, some of which are still working on patents. One invention is a wireless underground network. Sensors can collect clear data to be used for tracking irrigation water in agricultural fields.
"It has the ability to place sensors in the ground and transmit a wireless signal underground," Roberts said.
For example, it could be used for irrigation management on farms. Moisture sensors could be connected to a wireless network and actually, in an intelligent way, control the sprinkler system that is irrigating a farm. It would result in using less water while getting the same amount of agricultural output.
Roberts said he did an opportunity analysis, scrutinizing how important this invention could be to Utah.
"What is it worth to the state to have farm water usage go down by a fair amount, in terms of the long-term water issues Utah is going to face?" he said. A local company in Ogden is in negotiations to acquire the rights to the patents, Roberts said. "This is already well on its way," he said.
Another business opportunity involves concrete treatment. The center has been working on a patent review conducted by Utah State University's technology commercialization office. The center is putting together a product testing plan, as well as a market opportunity analysis.
"This one isn't incredibly high-tech, but it meets the objectives of what we are trying do in USTAR," Roberts said.
Another company is based on advanced printing. There are seven patents behind it with a group of local entrepreneurs.
"It is quite different than any printing technology that works today," Roberts said.
He has revised their business plan and is helping them focus on completing a prototype.
Overall, the center's strategy has four major objectives:
* Serve as a unifier of various public and private resources to enable high-potential companies to succeed.
* Optimize the return from USTAR research investment.
* Offer individualized entrepreneurial support and help build entrepreneurial infrastructure throughout the state.
* Improve the connections between Utah's higher education institutions to achieve specific USTAR objectives.
The center has three summer interns.
Evgeniya Ezhova is in Weber State's MBA program. She has experience with international relations from working in her father's ship-building business in Russia.
Nate Alder is a Brigham Young University student and CEO of a startup company, as well as former leader of a wireless software company.
Christian Volmar is from Davis County and just graduated from Babson College's MBA program. He has experience i
n technology and consulting. The program, called "SeedWeber/Davis/Morgan," includes the center working with government officials and stakeholders of the three counties.
"We want to improve the conditions in the three-county area with which entrepreneurs can succeed in starting up companies," Roberts said. "We feel like there is some real opportunity here."
A number of factors are needed to help them succeed, including a good pool of talent, a great idea and available capital, he said.
"SeedWeber/Davis/Morgan is about assessing the conditions and jointly agreeing to actions we can take that can change conditions for the better," Roberts said.
In general, USTAR's overall goal is to break through barriers using partnerships with higher education. Businesses may not have the capability of doing the research, whereas the university does. Roberts dealt with similar projects when he was vice president of Nike.
He has a master's degree in business administration from Harvard. His salary at Weber State is $120,000.
USTAR is based at the state's two research institutions, Utah State University and the University of Utah.
However, USTAR officials decided the initiative needed to branch out. There are now five newly formed technology outreach center sites. Besides Ogden, other locations include Salt Lake City, Orem, the Cedar City/St. George area and the Vernal area.
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