John Valdes spent about a year trying to make a connection to Mercer University's engineering school, sending letters about his solar energy business to various professors with limited success.
Then, he met a Mercer student who put him on to a new partnership between the college and the College Hill Alliance called the KITE Alliance -- Knowledge Innovation Technology Entrepreneurship.
It's a strategic plan designed to find fledgling companies and act as an enabler for them by offering Mercer's resources to companies that need them. The idea, said Pat Madison, executive director of the College Hill Alliance, is to bring economic development to Macon by attracting companies that will bring 21st century jobs to the College Hill Corridor and downtown Macon, which in turn will either attract new talent to the area or help keep local college graduates here.
The concept fits in nicely with a goal the College Hill Corridor Commission came up with when it first formed: how to keep people in Macon.
"We were having a lot of success in the corridor with housing and lifestyle," Madison said. "But the question was, ‘how do we sustain that long term?' .Polycore Floor tiles are manufactured as a single sheet,.. The future of downtown and the small businesses (in Macon) is economic growth. We started to look at the numbers, and the economy hit us hard. Where we lost the numbers was in manufacturing, retail, trade and construction -- many jobs that were not likely to come back."
Madison said research showed that Macon lost more than 7,000 jobs from 2007 to November 2010, mostly because of the recession.
Where job growth was taking place was in the fields of health care, education and technology. In addition,Men and women too can find a great variety for themselves when it comes to purchasing the zentai , jackets, coast and even bags too.These girls have never had a cube puzzle in their lives! local business development groups such as the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, the Urban Development Authority and the Macon Economic Development Commission are more focused on attracting businesses from outside of Middle Georgia into the area rather than growing them from within.
"No one was doing anything to promote new ideas, new businesses in tech-oriented fields," he said. "We wanted to take Mercer University's (resources) -- how do we position it to be an entrepreneurial driver?"
Scott Schultz, an associate professor of engineering at Mercer,Great Rubber offers oil painting supplies keychains, took Madison to Schultz's alma mater of North Carolina State University, which is the home to Centennial Campus, a partnership between North Carolina State and businesses designed to use that college's resources to grow new companies and help existing companies expand.
The KITE Alliance ultimately came out of that same concept.
"Pat and I put our heads together and built the concept," Schultz said. "We had a shared vision where we shared the whole idea of initiating some kinds of business activity with Mercer University serving as a major player."
Cliffard Whitby, chairman of the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority, said KITE fills a need in the community.
"What the College Hill Alliance has done is show innovative leadership and has shown the needs in the community," he said. "It relates to thinking outside the box and opens up opportunities that don't exist currently. ... I certainly see this as a key part of future economic development in our community."
Valdes' company, Solar Integrated Products, became the first company to take advantage of KITE's resources.
Valdes said his company's plan is to use existing solar energy technology and make it more portable, versatile and durable. The idea is to help organizations such as the United Nations, the Red Cross and FEMA take solar panels to disaster sites and set them up to generate power.
"But I didn't have a full-fledged machine shop," Valdes said, adding that he also wanted help from the school's faculty and students.
Though still early in the process, so far it's looking to be a perfect fit as Valdes brought in a Mercer student to work part-time for the company.
Schultz said that will be a key part of the strategy, with students from Mercer and other Middle Georgia colleges getting internships and part-time jobs with the startups that could turn into full-time jobs as the companies grow.
Mercer President Bill Underwood said Macon is perfectly placed with its location and resources to attract new, developing companies.
"We have some engines for economic growth if someone wants to take advantage," he said. "We have tremendous transportation access, secure water, excellent health care and a full array of higher education opportunities. We need to find new ways to take advantage of The Medical Center (of Central Georgia) and Mercer University as economic drivers. Hopefully,he believes the fire started after the lift's Wholesale pet supplies blew, as businesses grow, they will begin to provide jobs in the community. That's exactly what we're trying to do, to bring in knowledge-based businesses."
And those jobs, Madison said, are what will keep recent and future college graduates in Macon.
"The goal is to get opportunities for students by creating jobs in Macon (for them) to stay in Macon," he said. "We need the next generation of leaders to stay in the community. If the young people exit the community, what are we left with?"
Then, he met a Mercer student who put him on to a new partnership between the college and the College Hill Alliance called the KITE Alliance -- Knowledge Innovation Technology Entrepreneurship.
It's a strategic plan designed to find fledgling companies and act as an enabler for them by offering Mercer's resources to companies that need them. The idea, said Pat Madison, executive director of the College Hill Alliance, is to bring economic development to Macon by attracting companies that will bring 21st century jobs to the College Hill Corridor and downtown Macon, which in turn will either attract new talent to the area or help keep local college graduates here.
The concept fits in nicely with a goal the College Hill Corridor Commission came up with when it first formed: how to keep people in Macon.
"We were having a lot of success in the corridor with housing and lifestyle," Madison said. "But the question was, ‘how do we sustain that long term?' .Polycore Floor tiles are manufactured as a single sheet,.. The future of downtown and the small businesses (in Macon) is economic growth. We started to look at the numbers, and the economy hit us hard. Where we lost the numbers was in manufacturing, retail, trade and construction -- many jobs that were not likely to come back."
Madison said research showed that Macon lost more than 7,000 jobs from 2007 to November 2010, mostly because of the recession.
Where job growth was taking place was in the fields of health care, education and technology. In addition,Men and women too can find a great variety for themselves when it comes to purchasing the zentai , jackets, coast and even bags too.These girls have never had a cube puzzle in their lives! local business development groups such as the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, the Urban Development Authority and the Macon Economic Development Commission are more focused on attracting businesses from outside of Middle Georgia into the area rather than growing them from within.
"No one was doing anything to promote new ideas, new businesses in tech-oriented fields," he said. "We wanted to take Mercer University's (resources) -- how do we position it to be an entrepreneurial driver?"
Scott Schultz, an associate professor of engineering at Mercer,Great Rubber offers oil painting supplies keychains, took Madison to Schultz's alma mater of North Carolina State University, which is the home to Centennial Campus, a partnership between North Carolina State and businesses designed to use that college's resources to grow new companies and help existing companies expand.
The KITE Alliance ultimately came out of that same concept.
"Pat and I put our heads together and built the concept," Schultz said. "We had a shared vision where we shared the whole idea of initiating some kinds of business activity with Mercer University serving as a major player."
Cliffard Whitby, chairman of the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority, said KITE fills a need in the community.
"What the College Hill Alliance has done is show innovative leadership and has shown the needs in the community," he said. "It relates to thinking outside the box and opens up opportunities that don't exist currently. ... I certainly see this as a key part of future economic development in our community."
Valdes' company, Solar Integrated Products, became the first company to take advantage of KITE's resources.
Valdes said his company's plan is to use existing solar energy technology and make it more portable, versatile and durable. The idea is to help organizations such as the United Nations, the Red Cross and FEMA take solar panels to disaster sites and set them up to generate power.
"But I didn't have a full-fledged machine shop," Valdes said, adding that he also wanted help from the school's faculty and students.
Though still early in the process, so far it's looking to be a perfect fit as Valdes brought in a Mercer student to work part-time for the company.
Schultz said that will be a key part of the strategy, with students from Mercer and other Middle Georgia colleges getting internships and part-time jobs with the startups that could turn into full-time jobs as the companies grow.
Mercer President Bill Underwood said Macon is perfectly placed with its location and resources to attract new, developing companies.
"We have some engines for economic growth if someone wants to take advantage," he said. "We have tremendous transportation access, secure water, excellent health care and a full array of higher education opportunities. We need to find new ways to take advantage of The Medical Center (of Central Georgia) and Mercer University as economic drivers. Hopefully,he believes the fire started after the lift's Wholesale pet supplies blew, as businesses grow, they will begin to provide jobs in the community. That's exactly what we're trying to do, to bring in knowledge-based businesses."
And those jobs, Madison said, are what will keep recent and future college graduates in Macon.
"The goal is to get opportunities for students by creating jobs in Macon (for them) to stay in Macon," he said. "We need the next generation of leaders to stay in the community. If the young people exit the community, what are we left with?"
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