Organizations in biotech, semiconductors and advanced materials are some of the areas that will receive millions in state funding to create Centers of Innovation Excellence.
Alan Schein Photography
Five Oregon groups are receiving funds from Business Oregon under the state’s Centers of Innovation Excellence program that focuses on commercializing high-tech research.
The CIE program is the evolution of what were in the past called Signature Research Centers. This new program has several key elements:
A public-private partnership that supports funding, facilities and talent in sectors where Oregon has a business advantage.
- Support for established or emerging traded sectors.
- Support for work statewide that also incorporates diversity, equity and inclusion efforts as well as coordination with Regional Innovation Hubs and the Commercialization Gap Fund.
- Leverage non-state funding.
All told the state had $9 million for this program and received 19 applications for funding, according to Business Oregon. Here’s who received funds:
- $2.5 million to the Oregon Translational Research and Development Institute. Known as OTRADI, this Portland-based group focuses on biotech startups and runs the Oregon Bioscience Incubator. It started as one of the three Signature Research Centers under the previous program.
- $2.25 million to the Pendleton UAS Range. The unmanned aerial systems test range in Eastern Oregon is a federally approved area for companies with aerial drones.
- $1.75 million to the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute. Corvallis-based ONAMI focuses on commercializing new materials. Like OTRADI, this group was started as one of the three Signature Research Centers.
- $1.5 million to the city of Hillsboro to support the city’s work creating a semiconductor center of excellence. Hillsboro is home to the Oregon Intel campuses and other semiconductor companies. As part of the federal push to beef up the domestic semiconductor industry, the city and other partners are pursuing federal support as well.
- $1 million to Scappoose-based Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center R&D. The group is a collaboration between the state’s manufacturing sector and Oregon Institute of Technology, Oregon State University and Portland State University to develop advanced metals manufacturing and workforce training.
The CIE program was developed as part of the state’s 10-year Innovation Plan.
