Innovation Intermediary Co-locates at DRI to Deepen Collaboration with NSHE Institutions

For Immediate Release: March 21, 2012

Las Vegas and Reno, NV—The Nevada Institute for Renewable Energy Commercialization (NIREC) is pleased to announce that it has expanded its physical presence in Nevada by co-locating new offices at the northern and southern science centers of the Desert Research Institute (DRI) in Reno and Las Vegas respectively while maintaining an existing office at Sierra Nevada College in Incline Village.

Economic growth is increasingly dependent upon the transition of ideas from public and private sector research to the market, thereby creating new enterprises and jobs around clusters of demonstrated competencies. In Nevada, one of those strategic clusters is clean energy−and as an ‘innovation intermediary,’ NIREC is focused on building a more robust commercialization ecosystem in partnership with leading-edge researchers, experienced entrepreneurs and financial investors in the Silver State.

Acknowledging the similar cultures of DRI and NIREC, DRI President Dr. Steven Wells and NIREC President and CEO Walt Borland concluded that there were significant benefits for the two organizations, the Nevada System of Higher Education and the State of Nevada in co-locating NIREC at DRI.

“DRI developed an entrepreneurial culture in response to the exigency of its funding model,” said Dr. Wells. “And we have and will continue to play an important role in diversifying Nevada’s economy at multiple levels, especially through the accelerated commercialization of our intellectual property with the assistance of intermediaries like NIREC.”

Through the provision of early mentoring, commercialization funding and business planning expertise, for example, NIREC actively assisted DRI researchers Dr. Hampden Kuhns and Dr. Morien Roberts in starting their company, LoadIQ, which is now in the process of scaling its business.

“NIREC is designed to be a commercialization partner to all three of Nevada’s research institutions,” said Borland. “Deepening our collaboration with DRI, UNLV and UNR is an important step in accelerating the growth of Nevada’s clean energy economy through the promotion of innovation-based economic development.”

Co-locating its offices at DRI brings NIREC closer to all three research institutions in Nevada, and it facilitates the engagement of private sector individuals and organizations essential to building a more robust clean energy innovation ecosystem in Nevada. It is yet another step to accelerating the movement of ideas from the lab to the market to help build new companies and create jobs in the Silver State.

About NIREC
The Nevada Institute for Renewable Energy Commercialization (NIREC) is a 501(c)3 independent nonprofit organization actively involved in igniting innovation, driving commercialization and fueling acceleration as a clean energy innovation intermediary in Nevada. Its activities are designed to help diversify the Silver State’s economy by working closely with its primary research institutions, DRI, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the University of Nevada, Reno, to transform clean energy ideas into sustainable enterprises.

Contact:
Jackie Phillips
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775-881-7546

www.nirec.org