From nano, a big future

By thenewsstar.com
June 4, 2007

Imagine this:

Drive a curving road through the rolling piney woods. Blending into the beautiful surroundings are some streams and ponds edged with dogwoods and native Louisiana irises. Deer drink from the stream. An eagle's nest is perched high in the trees. Meadows are filled with wildflowers.  

Tucked within this beautifully natural setting are office buildings where technology we can only begin to grasp is unfolding, technology measured in microns and nanos. Lincoln Parish is booming, fueled by its nurturing environment for creation and invention. Businesses have found a friendly locale and qualified workers. Families have found a good place to raise children, a place to call home.

Ten years from now, is that what we'll see in Lincoln Parish? That vision is not far-fetched, given the relatively rapid growth fueled by research and patent development at Louisiana Tech University. Truly amazing ideas are moving from concept to business reality.

Considering the long-term impact of businesses bubbling to fruition in Louisiana Tech University's Enterprise Center's Humana Wing is an exciting proposition. And the possibilities are indeed limitless.

Available space in the business incubator that opened a month ago is booked with six companies, all with great potential to develop into larger companies that may someday expand into permanent homes here.

As the university's dream of developing a research park moves closer to reality, it's certain the long-term goal of using the brain power in Ruston to develop the regional economy also will be realized.

At the incubator, four of the six companies — Radiance Technologies, Avoyelles Energy, Beat Semiconductor and Nano Pulp and Paper — are new. Two others — Network Foundation Technologies and Sensacoil — are moving from the Enterprise Center's main office space to the biomedical building's space. Dave Norris, director of Tech's Enterprise Center, said the university's model for the setup is aimed at having companies incubate until ready to expand into a permanent home location.

"We get them to set up operation here because they want to grow that operation into a larger setup," Norris said. "Eventually, they will manufacture or develop something here that will employ people and have substantial presence."

Tech President Dan Reneau said the incubator filling up so quickly came as a surprise.

"This is a strong indicator for the need for a research park with business incubation," Reneau said. "We must take advantage of these opportunities for economic development."

We expect the next big announcement from Louisiana Tech will be the research park's location and development. And that will be good news for all of northeastern Louisiana.