Cal Poly expanding Tech Park with $11 million for startup spaces, research and classrooms
Cal Poly announced on Wednesday that the university will build an $11 million expansion to its Technology Park, adding new spaces for tech companies, faculty startups and university research.
The expansion will add 30,000 square feet to the Mount Bishop Road facility that opened on campus in 2010 and was constructed through a private-public partnership.
“Building upon the success of the existing Technology Park, Cal Poly is planning the expansion of the park designed to encourage and facilitate innovation in an interdisciplinary environment that brings together students, faculty and businesses,” Renee A. Reijo Pera, Cal Poly’s vice president of research and economic development, said in a news release.
The park has leased spaces to more than 30 companies during its 10-year history, and nine businesses with more than 100 employees currently occupy the facility.
The expansion will add space for Cal Poly’s Extended Education program, established and startup companies, faculty startups and research activities, said Jim Dunning, associate vice president of Corporate Engagement and Innovation.
The new facility will largely be funded with a $6.7 million federal grant, to be matched with more than $4 million in local money, the release says. The expansion is estimated to cost about $11.2 million, Dunning said.
“It is really rewarding to connect the interests of industry and our faculty and students,” Dunning said in a news release. “Our practical, Learn by Doing approach to learning and problem solving is directly aligned with industry interests. Our students can put their academic training to practical use locally, and companies realize immediate value and get the opportunity to build early connections with the workforce of the future.”
