USD Research Park, biomed facility to open in 2014

USD, SD Technology Business Center partner to advance park, establish biomed test space

BY KRIS BEVILL

Early-stage companies in South Dakota will soon have new spaces available to test their products and advance their companies. In November, the South Dakota Technology Business Center, a Sioux Falls business incubator, announced its staff will take on management responsibilities for the 80-acre University of South Dakota Research Park, which is to be located adjacent to the University Center, just two miles north of the SDTBC in Sioux Falls. The SDTBC also assists USD in managing the Graduate Education and Applied Research center, which anchors the park.

The research park also recently put in place a nine-member board of directors, which will hold its first meeting early this month. An architectural and engineering team is expected to be selected to complete the park’s master plan by the end of the year and the park should be ready to sign tenant leases in early summer.

Rich Naser, executive director of SDTBC, says the center’s partnership with the research park fits well with its purpose as an incubation center. “It’s a great opportunity for us because we take companies, grow them to a certain point and then kick them out into the community, and the research park provides some of those companies their next location and opportunity for assistance to continue to grow. We’re very excited that the University of South Dakota and the Board of Regents are interested in engaging us in this economic development activity in Sioux Falls,” he says, adding that the city and local