UW-Stout Program Gives Companies the Tech Tools to Thrive
July 27 2009
Starting a business can be tough, especially when facing competitors with significant technological resources. Enter UW-Stout’s Technology and Business Incubator, a university-industry partnership that helps provide Wisconsin start-ups with the tools they need to succeed.
.
The incubator is a part of the Stout Technology Transfer Institute (STTI), established to promote cooperation and technology transfer between UW-Stout and industry in Wisconsin. The Institute provides assistance for businesses through use of its equipment, laboratories, and the technological expertise of its faculty, staff and students. With a focus on keeping Wisconsin businesses competitive in a global economy, the incubator has created 100 jobs and has helped generate $73 million in annual sales.
Recent Incubator clients include Bubbling Springs, a thermal collector manufacturer, and Max-Bilt LLC, a company that creates updated consoles for Jeeps. Sales for Bubbling Springs have tripled since joining STTI, and Max-Bilt recently expanded from a 1,000 square foot garage to a 6,000 square foot manufacturing facility.
A system of 24 Bubbling Springs Solar MainStream 4x10 collectors installed at Central Waters Brewery in Amherst, Wisconsin.
Wired Wisconsin recognizes that technology is vital to the economic well-being of the state. Even with the recent national economic downturn, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development predicted that by 2016, technology-related jobs will show an increase of 246,000 positions. We support efforts to provide Wisconsin businesses with the technological resources necessary to stay competitive and create jobs in Wisconsin.