Gainesville is becoming a technology hub that will soon be teeming with job opportunities.
The UF Tech Connect program, part of the UF Office of Technology Licensing, assists technology-oriented startup companies with getting their products on the market. It has helped create 2,000 new jobs in the 12 years that it has been open and is looking to do more.
“If you want to stay in the community, there will be jobs here that enable you to do that,” said Jane Muir, director of UF Tech Connect and associate director of UF’s Office of Technology Licensing.
Tech Connect helps entrepreneurs with their startups through workshops in areas such as contracts and business plans. It also helps entrepreneurs with networking and finding investors.
Muir said Tech Connect aims to teach local startup companies everything they need to be successful.
“It’s just another tool and resource that UF is fortunate to have to help accelerate the discoveries that happen in the research laboratories and get them into the marketplace, where they’re making an impact on people’s lives,” Muir said.
John King, CEO of Quantitative Medicine, one of Tech Connect’s startup companies, said the services consistently make a big difference in his company.
“The whole concept that the university has built here is well thought out,” King said.
Leandro Neves, one of the founders of RAPiD Genomics, another one of Tech Connect’s startup companies, said the money they received from the university and private investors was really useful.
“For a young company, it’s difficult to put money toward research when you have so many other expenses to cover,” Neves said. “The money allows us to remain competitive by doing research.”
Yatit Thakker, CEO of Omninox Publishing, said the program is great for new companies and founders that want to learn from experts in their field.
“The workshops really come in all types of flavors for all kinds of companies,” Thakker said.
The Florida Innovation Hub at UF isn’t only focused on helping the community in the future. When they aren’t working on new ideas, they enjoy a little friendly competition.
Muir said the Innovation Hub had an internal challenge between two floors to see which one could get more entrepreneurs to donate blood. LifeSouth Community Blood Center has a good day when they can get 20 people to donate, but after the competition, it had more than 30 blood donations that day.
“Not only are we smart and passionate about what we do, but these young entrepreneurs also believe in giving back to the community,” Muir said.
[A version of this story ran on page 9 on 7/29/2014 under the headline "UF Tech Connect service grows, brings local jobs"]
