NASA partners with Colorado on technology acceleration initiative

The Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade (a division of the Governor’s office) is coordinating a Space Act signing ceremony between NASA and the Colorado Association for Manufacturing and Technology (CAMT) on Monday, December 13, 2010 at 9:30 am in the West Foyer of the State Capitol.

The agreement between the Colorado Association for Manufacturing and Technology, or CAMT, and NASA promotes the commercialization of technology developed for the space program through creation of a Technology Acceleration Program and a Regional Innovation Cluster for Aerospace and Clean Energy. A manufacturing park focused on rapid new product development and production will be developed to assist growing Colorado businesses.

"Innovative new technology development is best anchored in high-tech communities like the one being created through the Colorado Technology Acceleration Program and Regional Innovation Cluster," said NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver. "The park will leverage Colorado's existing competitive strengths to boost economic growth while creating new jobs and products for aerospace and energy industries."

As a result of the agreement, small and mid-sized businesses will have direct access to a NASA Innovation Ambassador. The NASA expert will identify NASA and partner technologies ready for commercialization, conduct forums to drive partnerships between NASA and Colorado businesses, and help identify businesses that can benefit from commercialization technical assistance.

"This agreement with NASA will bring high-tech jobs to Colorado and help with our state's economic growth," said Governor Bill Ritter. "Colorado has a robust aerospace community to draw upon, and we also have the best small, high-tech companies in the nation. This is a natural fit."

The technology acceleration program will allow companies to work with NASA on expediting product development from an average of five years down to as little as 18 months, bringing new products to market more quickly and creating new high tech jobs.

"Aerospace and energy are the fastest growing industries in Colorado, sharing the same supply base and similar workforce needs," said Elaine Thorndike, Chief Executive Officer of CAMT. "Through regional innovation clusters, public and private sectors can work together to increase business opportunities, technical assistance programs and market penetration for aerospace and clean energy manufacturing strength."

The NASA-CAMT partnership will provide technical assistance to identify gaps in commercialization, opportunities for synergy in aerospace and energy technologies, and scouting services to help companies looking for space-developed technologies and services. It will help companies bridge the gap between prototype design, manufacturing and commercialization. An additional goal for both NASA and CAMT is to identify commercial application for NASA technologies.

Through the agreement, NASA will join the State of Colorado, the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and CAMT in a pathfinder collaboration to promote innovation and global competitiveness in the new energy economy.

Innovation is necessary to expand the U.S. economy and ensure American competitiveness in a global economy. Many new, innovative technologies are developed by small and mid-sized businesses that often face the challenge of not having a robust, in-house product development capability and lack commercialization resources.