USTAR's Tech Outreach Adds Fuel to Utah's Innovation Economy

The new SBIR/STTR Assistance Center is based at the Miller Innovation Campus of Salt Lake Community College.

About USTAR's Technology Outreach and Innovation Program

USTAR has experienced commercialization teams that work with companies and entrepreneurs across the State. The USTAR Technology Outreach Innovation Program (Tech Outreach for short) is led by regional directors, who oversee centers based at Weber State University, Utah State University-Uintah Basin, Salt Lake Community College, Utah Valley University, Dixie State College and a satellite office at Southern Utah University. Each center also works closely assigned USTAR research teams at the University of Utah and Utah State University.

2008 Highlights

$17 Million in Capital Secured

  • Coached numerous start-up clients for presentations to private investors helping to secure more than $17 million in early-stage capital.
  • Provided material support to more than 240 clients.
  • Assisted one USTAR professor to launch a new company in 2008 and began the start up process with four other professors.
  • Helped Weber State University launch a Technology Transfer Office and technology incubation program to assist faculty in commercializing intellectual property.
  • Spearheaded the creation of the SBIR/STTR Assistance Center to help small businesses statewide capture a larger share of federal research dollars.
  • Provided strategic and administrative support in the launch of two angel investment groups in Washington and Summit Counties.
2009 Goals

Building the Next Omniture or Myriad Genetics

  • Provide support to dozens of clients per region, securing millions in capital.
  • Launch four or more companies based on USTAR research.
  • Secure more than $4 million in new federal grants for Utah small business.
  • Assist the Granite School District in launching the BioInnovations Gateway, a life science technology incubator to train the workforce of tomorrow.
Tech Outreach centers are closely aligned with regional higher education institutions statewide.

What USTAR Clients Say

“Without USTAR, we’d still be in our garage trying to figure out how to find funding. USTAR assessed where we were, gave us some new tools, and pointed us to the right persons. I don’t know how we could have found, let alone afford the kind of business acumen that USTAR provides.”
- Toby Hazelbaker, Pressure Products

“USTAR was very supportive and I was surprised at the vast amounts and depth of talent and experience that they have at their disposal. They’re more than a government agency, they’re business professionals.”
– Bret Rasmussen, Kuru