UNI Supports Economic Vitality Across Iowa

Through hard work and innovation, Iowans have built a dynamic economy that will increasingly rely upon highly skilled workers to ensure our vitality for years and generations to come. Today, Iowa's broad variety of employers, producers, suppliers and service providers have put the state in a strong position for continued growth.

UNI's U.S. Economic Development Administration University Center is helping Iowa businesses in rural and urban settings alike remain innovative and competitive. The University Center, one of 10 awarded to universities in EDA'S Denver region, will work directly with local economic developers to design and incorporate new business discovery processes and protocols into traditional business retention and expansion efforts. In turn, the information gathered will serve as a catalyst for assisting businesses to utilize technology for internal product development, process enhancement and commercialization. Best practices and insight gained from the initiative will provide professional development to economic developers nationally.

UNI's University Center, a partnership between the Center for Business Growth and Innovation and the Institute for Decision Making, will focus on two economic development strategies over the next five years: 1) Business Retention and Expansion through Innovation designed to foster innovation and technology utilization, innovative practices, and research and development within targeted businesses and 2) forming an Intrapreneurship Resource Network (IRN) of university and community college service providers contributing R&D, prototyping and technical services within industry clusters.