Kettering University to Build New Science & Technology Incubator Building

FLINT, Mich.--The economic re-development of Flint gains one more step of momentum this week when Kettering University breaks ground for a facility dedicated to developing new science and technology opportunities.

Kettering President Stan Liberty said the University is planning to construct an approximately 12,000-square-foot, multi-tenant facility called the Kettering University Science and Technology Incubator Building. “This new building will support scientific and technologically-based ‘start-up’ companies that need dedicated laboratory space during their first three or four years,” he said.

The $2.7 million facility is being made possible by support from the U.S. Department of Commerce, State of Michigan funds through the City of Flint, and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.

Prospective companies for this new incubator will come from:

“spinouts” from regional universities, their faculty members and student entrepreneurs;
regional scientific and technological entrepreneurial start-ups and
entrepreneurial start-up companies currently outside Michigan but wish to re-locate.

Two ceremonies are scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 25:

11-12:15 a.m.:		Open house for Kettering's Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center, fifth floor, Campus Center. The MI-SBTDC Region 6 office provides business support for Genesee and Lapeer counties.
12:30-1 p.m.:		Groundbreaking ceremony for Kettering's new Science and Technology Incubator Building on Bluff Street. President Liberty is master of ceremonies. Other speakers will include:
		Robin Bush, EDA Chicago Regional office, Chief of the Investment Analysis and Management Team,
		Roselyn Zator, Michigan Economic Development Corp., Manager of SmartZones and Business Accelerators,
		Neal Hegarty, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Program Officer, and
		Tim Herman, Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO.

The new building will feature 10 dedicated research laboratory suites (each approximately 500 square feet with the ability to be customized to the tenant needs) and 10 furnished executive offices. Construction will begin spring 2008, with a tentative completion date of spring 2009.

Located in Flint, Kettering University is the home of the country’s most modern co-op program. For more on Kettering, visit: www.kettering.edu.