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2014-2015 Annual Report
Annual Report
Growing High Tech Industry
MGRP projects continue to develop innovative technologies, including,
Through a unique partnership with dozens of
simulated skin for better medical training, a sustainable plastic made from
economic development, workforce, academic
sugar cane waste and a shoe that helps to rehabilitate stroke patients.
and industry partners, the Florida High Tech
Corridor Council has supported the growth of
During 2014/2015, the program generated 87 projects in partnership with
high tech industry throughout the 23-county
65 Corridor companies, including 28 companies participating in the MGRP
region for 20 years.
for the irst time. The Corridor invested $5.3 million in the projects, while the
participating companies matched that investment with $12.6 million in cash,
A regional economic development initiative
in-kind services and equipment. The total value of research conducted
of three research universities – the University of
through the Matching Grants Research Program therefore neared $17.9
Central Florida, the University of South Florida
million this year.
and the University of Florida – The Corridor has
continued to receive national recognition for its
Since the inception of the program in 1996, The Corridor has partnered
efforts to build a region where technology and
with more than 360 companies on more than 1,400 research projects in
innovation thrive.
sectors ranging from Agritechnology to Sustainable Energy. The more
than $65 million in funds that have been invested by The Corridor have
The following overview provides details about
been matched by corporate cash and in-kind investments of $181 million,
the initiatives and programs that helped The
generating an additional $900 million in quantiiable downstream impacts,
Corridor grow high tech industry and the
resulting in a total project value of more than $1 billion.
workforce to support it in 2014/2015.
MGRP counts among its successes the opportunity to engage talented
Matching Grants Research Program
student researchers who learn from faculty mentors as they solve real-
The key focus of The Corridor has been to foster
world challenges. During 2014/2015, approximately 124 student researchers
applied research partnerships between high tech
and 64 faculty members from our research universities were engaged in
industry leaders and our three Corridor universities.
conducting applied research on Corridor projects. That brings the total
Every year, technology companies bring their
number of students (2,816) and faculty (368) who have conducted research
commercial challenges to our expert faculty
on a matching grants project since in