Innovation Center Attracting High-Tech Firms, Funding

In just the few short months since it was formally opened on July 13, the fledgling Center for the Future (CFF) has taken flight and is attracting international attention from major high-tech organizations.

In addition, it has received status as an official non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation from the IRS, which makes it available for tax-deductible contributions. “That also means we now have additional opportunities to work with governmental organizations and federal grant programs,” Jon C. Haass, CFF founder, president and director, told the Quad Cities Business News.

Haass, a professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, said CFF is working with the Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG) in alignment with its five-year strategic plan to create innovation centers in key sectors within the Quad Cities area. Organizations such as NACOG, the Arizona Technology Council, Northern Arizona Technology Alliance and the Arizona Commerce Authority support the concept of such centers throughout the region, where local graduates can find good jobs. “Companies want the kinds of students we educate locally – business students, engineers, security and intelligence graduates,” Haass said.

CFF already has received a $60,000 matching grant through its Prescott Regional Opportunity Foundation (PROF) and its fiscal sponsor, the Prescott Chamber of Commerce.

The USDA funding is being matched by in-kind donations and other sources during the next 11 months. During that time, workshops, presentations, consulting and mentoring will assist companies in hiring additional employees and help in relocating workers to this region, Haass said.

“As a business incubator and accelerator-attractor, the CFF project of PROF now has initial funding to provide services for its first partner companies that are considering this area to open new or locate branch offices,” Haass said. “We already have four organizations utilizing space within the office space the CFF occupies, and others are going to be moving in in just days.”

Those currently occupying offices are SimpleWAN, SEG (an Axient subsidiary), CyberCore and GSIS.US. Businesses operating through space administered by the CFF are located at 220 S. Marina St., in a multi-storied 3,500-square-foot building that used to be the Prescott City Hall Annex. Those facilities are now dedicated to the CFF.

Currently, an architect is working on plans for a proposed 35,000-square-foot technologically sophisticated building. It will become the Phase III home for CFF, Haass said. Land for that structure has been selected near the recently constructed CP Technologies manufacturing complex just north of the Prescott Regional Airport (PRC). Mike McCormack, CEO of CP Technologies, is now a member of the CFF board of directors.

“We’re pleased that the CFF is also a participant in a state program that funded the Arizona Commerce Agency (ACA) as well as another USDA program called RISE – Rural Innovation Stronger Economy. This involves three-year funding, which will allow us to interact with organizations across the state to bolster Northern Arizona business,” Haass said. RISE programs offer grant assistance to create and augment high-wage jobs and accelerate the formation of new businesses.

Ultimately, Haass says an objective of the CFF is to be the major hub in Central and Northern Arizona for innovation, incubation, attraction, growth and retention of solid companies and talent in cutting-edge technology industries. “This area has been praised by the Milken Institute as a ‘Top 5 Best Metro in the Country for Job Creation.’ We’re also recognized by bestplaces/.net as ‘Best Emerging Places to Live.’ All of us affiliated with the Center are enthusiastic about what we see as a bright and prosperous future.” QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN

For more information, visit CenterForTheFuturePrescott.com