Florida High-Tech Corridor Expands

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 4 -- The University of Florida (UF) has joined the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, an economic development initiative founded in 1996 by the University of Central Florida and the University of South Florida to increase the state's ability to attract, retain and grow high-tech industry and the workforce to support it.

University of Florida President J. Bernard Machen said UF has pledged to invest $2 million annually in the council’s matching grant research program, which to date has generated more than $128 million in applied research in key industries targeted for growth: aviation and aerospace, information technology, medical technology, microelectronics, modeling, simulation and training and optics and photonics. More than 75 percent, or nearly $96 million, of these combined funds have been used on more than 500 projects that have engaged 1000 graduate and doctoral students and research assistants and 300 faculty members in research with scientists and engineers from the 215 companies.

This expansion will increase the list of corridor counties to 23. Joining the list are Alachua and Putnam counties. Existing counties include Brevard, Citrus, De Soto, Flagler, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia.

The council has partnerships with 12 local economic development organizations, 12 community colleges, public school systems and numerous high-tech companies.

For more information, visit: www.floridahightech.com