Brookings, SD (KELO AM) - Gov. Dennis Daugaard announced Tuesday that the Research Park at South Dakota State University has been approved by the Governor's Office of Economic Development as the first South Dakota Certified Technology Park.
"The South Dakota Certified Technology Park program was developed to drive the development of the technology-focused research and businesses that will be critically important to South Dakota's future growth," said Gov. Daugaard.
"The approval of the Research Park at SDSU is a unique opportunity for us. The science and technology being developed in the Research Park is top-notch, and we look forward to many more brilliant business leaders and researchers in the future."The Research Park at SDSU is made up of 125 acres of shovel-ready sites which includes utility, telecommunications, streets and complete infrastructure amenities. It is home to a 43,000 square-foot Innovation Center, which includes 9,000 square-feet of lab space and 18,000 square-feet of office space.
In addition, the Research Park also has a business incubator, which is currently home to 42 businesses."Our goal at the Research Park at SDSU has always been to 'Grow Your Dreams,' and that's not only possible, it's reality," said Dwaine Chapel, executive director. "Gaining Certified Ready status is huge for us. It will allow us to foster business growth in the science and technology sectors and continue to cultivate some of the world's finest professionals.
Thank you to Gov. Daugaard and the GOED for your leadership and continued support of this growing industry sector."The South Dakota Certified Technology Park program is an economic development tool available to incorporated municipalities, counties and improvement districts containing a technology park in its area. It is a collaboration effort between research parks, businesses, post-secondary education and local economic development corporations.
The program is operated under the supervision of the GOED for the purpose of providing consistent information on sites available throughout the state.