Mark Olejniczak, Herald Bulletin
The Flagship Enterprise Center (FEC) recently reported successful milestones in its first 18 months of operation.
The accomplishments are disclosed in performance reports filed with the U.S. Economic Development Administration as part of the original grants compliance reporting, and recognize the creation of 400 new jobs at 40 new entities and facilitation of more than $80 million of new investment.
Presently there are approximately 50 businesses operating in the Flagship Certified Technology Park, which also includes the 14 FEC tenant or equity incubator clients, 10 virtual clients that are now based in the new FEC business incubation facility on Enterprise Drive in Anderson, according to Charles Staley, president and chief executive officer of the Flagship Enterprise Center.
There are an additional 12 FEC clients and recent graduates operating at facilities based elsewhere, but are regular users of the FEC.
A little more than 95 percent of the businesses offer high-tech products or services, serve high-tech applications and will use advanced technology in their day-to-day business operations.
"When we started this project several years ago, we had high hopes for success," Staley said. "The partnership we have established with the city of Anderson, Corporation for Economic Development, both Anderson and Purdue universities, government agencies, and many dedicated business and academic professionals have expanded our horizons and future opportunities far beyond our original vision."
Art Patterson, executive director of the FEC, explained that one of the goals of the center is to support entrepreneurs who come to FEC in their search to become independently viable.
"The Flagship is like intensive care for start-up companies," Patterson said. "We will bring them in, look for ways to leverage their strengths, and address the weaknesses, and when they become independently viable we will graduate them."