University Research Corridor pushes past benchmarks with Wayne State's help

Michigan's University Research Corridor continues to grow in the high-tech areas grounded in the new economy, and Wayne State University is helping lead the way.

URC is made up of the state’s three major research universities, including Wayne State, Michigan State University and the University of Michigan. The idea is to create one of the premier research and development clusters in the U.S. that churn out patents, start-ups and higher-education graduates.

A study by the Anderson Economic Group shows that the URC has improved in a number of key areas since it was founded in 2007. Among those improvements is URC's impact on Michigan's economy, estimated at $14.5 billion. That's up almost 10 percent. The number of start-ups URC has helped cultivate has doubled to 28.

Wayne State is playing a significant role in creating those start-ups thanks to its efforts to develop TechTown. In six years it has created 12 start-ups and is in its fifth year of hosting the E2 Detroit conference.

"We are moving ahead as a fast pace to work with faculty so they can commercialize research," says Judy Johncox, senior director of commercialization services for Wayne State and director of business services for TechTown.

Source: Judy Johncox, senior director of commercialization services for Wayne State and director of business services for TechTown
Writer: Jon Zemke