Revised Gateway Plan Decreases Retail, Adds 70% More Office Space and Improves Entrance to Quonset Business Park

The Quonset Development Corporation announced today that it has submitted a revised proposal to Statewide Planning for an improved mixed-use development on the 72.5 acre entryway to the Quonset Business Park. The revised plan marks a major step forward in the state's effort to create an entryway to the park that integrates office and R&D space, pedestrian walkways and outdoor space, with amenities including a hotel and restaurants. The revised plan will enhance the park's ability to serve as an engine for job creation and economic growth. [ more ]

RIEDC, Tech Collective and PBN Partner to Host 2007 Rhode Island Innovation Awards and Tech Laureates Night

The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC), the Providence Business News (PBN) and the Tech Collective are now accepting applications for the annual Rhode Island Innovation Awards program. Awards will be presented at the 2007 Innovation Awards and Tech Laureates Night, a gala celebration of the state's innovators and technology leaders. The event will be held on September 20, 2007 at Hasbro's world headquarters in Pawtucket, RI. [ more ]

RIEDC Surpasses Carcieri's Goal of 20,000 New Jobs

With the June numbers in from the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Governor Donald L. Carcieri has announced that the state has reached his goal of 20,000 new jobs by 2007. In fact, the state surpassed Carcieri's goal by 100 jobs thanks to a record-high job count in June of 499,100 non-farm jobs. [more]

STAC Launches Innovation Tax Credit

The Rhode Island Innovation Tax Credit, proposed by the Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council, will offer investors up to a 50 percent credit on eligible investments, with a maximum tax credit of $100,000. [more]

Register for BIF-3, October 10 and 11 at Trinity Rep

On October 10 and 11, BIF-3 will take center stage at Providence's Trinity Rep, with Wall Street Journalist Walt Mossberg and "Mavericks at Work" author Bill Taylor in the hosting hot seat.

BIF-3 storytellers include Dallas Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban, Studiocom chief creative officer Juan Fernando Santos, entrepreneur, investor and technologist Ellen Levy, BzzAgent founder Dave Balter, founder of the gethuman project Paul English, Zipcar founder Robin Chase, MIT Age Lab director Joseph Coughlin, 37signals founder Jason Fried, Harvard Biz School's Clay Christensen and former head of Knowledge Management for the BBC Euan Semple, among many others.

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Innovator Spotlight: Carousel Industries

Established in 1992 as a cabling and telephone systems company in South Kingstown, Carousel Industries has evolved into a 360 employee, 10 office, $100-million leading national communications technology solutions provider. [more]

TURF Director Accepts EDC Finance Position

J. Michael Saul, the executive director of the Urban Revitalization Fund, has been named the managing director of finance programs for the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation. [more]

Students Thrive at NUWC Internship Program

High school students are seeing that math and science learned in the classroom apply to real-life scenarios at the Undersea Technology Apprentice Program, held at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center this summer. Financed by NUWC and administered under a contract with the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, the program is in its second year with three times the amount of interns this year. [more]

R.I.'s IT/Digital Media Sector Booming

Recognizing the importance of the IT/Digital Media sector to Rhode Island's economy, a new group has emerged — the geeks. Forget the negative connotations, these geeks don't live in their mother's basement or wear taped glasses; this group of entrepreneurs is bringing energy, innovation and talent to Rhode Island. [more]

Matchmaker Event Spurs Success Story

The Department of Defense's Spring 2007 Matchmaking Event, held in June, brought together 63 government agencies and contractors with 577 New England small businesses and resulted in several Rhode Island small businesses securing contracts with New York-based Lockheed Martin. [more]

"We Mean Business" Connects Small Business Owners with Tools for Growth

On November 5, don't miss "We Mean Business," a unique opportunity for Rhode Island business owners to connect with local, state and federal regulators as well as non-profit resources that impact their business. For one day in one place, businesses can interact with every agency needed to start or grow a business. [more]

Innovative Hearing Aid Start-up Receives $250,000 Investment from Slater

Bionica Corporation, a local start-up focusing on the development of an advanced hearing aid, has received a $250,000 seed investment from the Slater Technology Fund. The new hearing aid would work equally in all environments. Current hearing aids do not work well in multiple hearing environments. [more]

EpiVax Receives Grant from National Institute of Health

Biotechnology pharmaceutical firm EpiVax was awarded a $528,313 grant to begin developing a treatment for hemophilia, a potentially life-threatening bleeding disorder. [more]

Fidelity Builds Largest Office Building in Rhode Island

Tucked away in bucolic Smithfield, lies a new $200 million office building with 577,000 square feet on four levels — Fidelity Investment's new and third office building on its campus. When completed, Fidelity will have more than 1 million square feet of real estate in Smithfield. [more]

Massachusetts Firm Enters R.I. Market

Private equity firm Brookwood Financial Partners has broke into the Rhode Island market by purchasing three office buildings in Aquidneck Corporate Park for $17.4 million. Brookwood will make improvements to the park by upgrading the common areas and landscaping. [more]

URI Creates New Program in Pharmaceutical Engineering

This fall semester, chemical engineering students will be able to follow a new course of study — pharmaceutical engineering — that could lead to positions at biotech companies such as Amgen. [more]

PTAC Training Session

• When: August 16, 8:30–11 a.m.
• Where: Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, 315 Iron Horse Way, Suite 101, Providence.
• Contact: Louis Francis, 401-278-9151, lfrancis@riedc.com, http://riptac.ecenterdirect.com

This month's training session focuses on Department of Defense RFID/WAWF requirements. One-on-one counseling is available by appointment.