USTAR
[1] The organization works to develop ideas and research into marketable products and successful companies through its competitive grant and entrepreneur support programs.
USTAR facilitates the diversification of the state’s tech economy, increases private follow-on investment, and supports the creation of technology-based start-up firms, higher-paying jobs and additional business activity leading to a statewide expansion of Utah’s tax base.
Through the principal researcher program, USTAR recruited more than 40 world-class faculty to higher education institutions located throughout Utah to invent and develop commercially viable technologies.
The USTAR legislation required both of the research universities to donate land and make significant contributions towards the cost of the building prior to construction.
The building is located between lower and upper campus and act as a central unifier between the work in the College of Engineering and the Health and Medical School.
The center provides training and workshops as well as assistance with writing and editing proposals, registering with federal agencies, application submission, and more.
The incubation space accelerates the development cycle for seed and early-stage science and technology companies in Utah, drastically reducing initial overhead costs for startups.
This high-tech incubator and prototype lab space is designed to meet the needs of the entrepreneurs and early-stage companies, as well as strategic partners, in the aerospace/ defense, advanced materials, composites, and outdoor product sectors.
Located within the Granite Technical Institute (GTI) in Salt Lake City, the BioInnovations Gateway (BiG) project combines business incubation with workforce development.
Up to seven companies will access biotech and engineering equipment used in the biomanufacturing and biotechnology programs of Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) and Granite School District.
USTAR’s several competitive grant programs are designed to provide critical funding for university researchers and early-stage technology companies.
The program gives companies a market advantage, provides researchers insight commercial applications and helps educate future technical workers.
On June 6, 2018, USTAR hosted the inaugural Utah Technology Innovation Summit at the Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek.
The sold-out summit focused on technology innovation policy with discussions led by government officials such as Utah lieutenant governor Spencer J. Cox and Salt Lake City Mayor Ben McAdams.
[2] The USTAR Governing Authority is a 9-member team with experience in invention, entrepreneurship, financial capital, university research, and running and growing companies.
USTAR's staff includes a mix of scientific and technical domain expertise, strong program management and community outreach skills, and prior academic, government lab, and industry work experience.
n a study of 10 peer technology-based economy organizations across the United States, USTAR ranks last for average compensation (salaries and benefit) per employee.
