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Business Oregon Awards Grants to Centers of Innovation Excellence
The program fosters the commercialization and deployment of new products in Oregon’s existing industrial base and emerging markets in sectors where Oregon has a competitive advantage.
To continue to build on and support the success of its Centers of Innovation Excellence (CIEs), Business Oregon has awarded funding to five Oregon-based CIEs that received awards in 2023. CIEs are public-private partnerships focused on growing innovation-based companies by supporting technology commercialization and applied research and development within targeted industries. This round of funding builds upon the successful establishment of five CIEs in key sectors: additive manufacturing, bioscience, materials science and chemistry, semiconductors, and unmanned aerial systems. The design and operation of each CIE is unique to the needs of the industry it targets.
CIEs are a foundational component of Oregon’s innovation strategy and Oregon’s 10-Year Innovation Plan, which aims to orient the economy around companies with higher paying jobs and greater growth potential, help the state weather future economic challenges, and encourage participation among populations presently underserved in the innovation economy.
During the 2023–2025 biennium, the program made significant progress in launching operations, forming cross-sector partnerships, and attracting investment. For the 2025–2027 biennium, Business Oregon issued a renewal Request for Grant Applications to support continued development, refinement and implementation of each center’s model, and received applications from each of the current CIEs. The size of each grant awarded varies, and CIEs are expected to leverage state funds over time with multi-fold increases in non-state (federal, county, city, private sector, philanthropic, etc.) support.
The five applicants below received awards to continue and expand their CIE operations.
- OMIC R&D (Additive Manufacturing): Drives innovation in manufacturing by connecting startups and industry to shared R&D assets, prototyping resources, and applied research capabilities.
- OTRADI (Bioscience): Supports growth-stage bioscience companies through business incubation, access to shared lab facilities, and expanded mentoring and technical assistance.
- ONAMI (Materials Science and Chemistry): Accelerates commercialization of science-based technologies in materials science, nanotechnology, and clean energy, with a focus on supporting early-stage deep tech ventures.
- Silicon Forest Partnership (Semiconductors): Serves as a statewide convener for Oregon’s semiconductor sector, fostering collaboration across industry, academia, and government to shape a shared vision and advance strategic initiatives.
- Oregon UAS Accelerator (UAS): Advances Oregon’s position in unmanned aerial systems by supporting startups through accelerator programming, mentorship, and industry partnerships.
More information about this program can be found on biz.oregon.gov.
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