Innovation Park, a stretch of 250 acres on the University’s South Campus, is recruiting companies to establish themselves and build headquarters in the area where they can enjoy close proximity to the University and its resources.
Some current occupants include the EA Sports testing center, the Louisiana National Guard and the National Center for Biomedical Research and Training, said Charles D’Agostino, Innovation Park executive director.
A company building a USDA-approved lab to develop a vaccine for cattle will soon be added to the park’s ranks, he said.
D’Agostino said one of the companies being recruited is developing a new concept for electric car batteries with the College of Engineering. For confidentiality purposes, D’Agostino was unable to divulge the names of companies being recruited.
“We’re recruiting companies from all over the United States who want a connection with LSU, or who have identified some LSU researcher or program that’s important to their business, so they want to locate here next to those people,” D’Agostino said.
Innovation Park provides a symbiotic relationship, as businesses are able to form a relationship with the University and provide jobs to graduates, he said.
“The relationship with LSU is the anchor that brings companies here,” he said.
One of the new Innovation Park tenants will be the Baton Rouge Speech and Hearing Foundation. The clinic publicly announced its relocation plans Wednesday.
The organization will erect a building that will serve as a training center for children with autism. Currently, the center is unable to accommodate some children because of spatial limitations.
D’Agostino said he’s confident in this project because it will provide an opportunity for faculty and interns to work with children treated at the center.
He said he hopes to fill the entire area with businesses to create an economic hub.
D’Agostino said it’s unlikely the University’s main campus will build on the land because Innovation Park has been established as an economic development entity.
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Contact Emily Herrington at [email protected].