When Gulf South Research Institute hired Charlie D’Agostino, after earning his MBA from the University in 1972, he never thought he’d be working in the same building nearly 40 years later. Ironically, that building became the site for the Louisiana Business and Technology Center at LSU South Campus in 2005, of which D’Agostino is executive director. The research center has played a key role in the Flagship Agenda since its efforts began in 2002, culminating in the University’s break into top-tier status, announced in August.”A lot of statistics that were used in getting these rankings was data that we developed here in the Louisiana Business and Technology Center,” D’Agostino said.D’Agostino said the Flagship Agenda established a mission for LSU — to educate students, to conduct research and to be an economic development partner in Louisiana. “It’s the job of LSU under the Flagship Agenda to improve the quality of life of all citizens in Louisiana,” D’Agostino said. “As part of that, the incubator and research park fit within the Flagship Agenda’s mission to accomplish those goals.”The Louisiana Business Technology Center’s business incubator is on LSU South Campus, located on GSRI Drive. The incubator houses several small businesses and gives them the opportunity to use resources at the University and develop business, marketing and financing plans.”The whole purpose of it is to help them develop a business that can create jobs for Louisiana so that our Louisiana and LSU graduates get the opportunity to work at home,” D’Agostino said.One of the small businesses located in the LBTC incubator, Geoshield, manufactures and distributes window film that makes windows more environmentally efficient and protected. A large section of windows in Tiger Stadium uses Geoshield’s film, all of which survived Hurricane Gustav last week.”The LBTC has given us the opportunity to grow our idea into a reality,” said Burns Mulhearn, president of Geosield. He and his business partner, Beau Dingler, vice president of Geoshield, are University Alumni. “We are able to compete with much larger companies by utilizing LSU resources,” Mulhearn said.The LBTC also has an outreach program, in which companies like Walk-On’s Bistreaux and Bar and Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers have participated. Although never physically located in the incubator, each business received the same guidance and resources.D’Agostino said small businesses in the incubator are found through an interview process. Small businesses can also be recommended for the incubator by institutions like the Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce or the companies can go to the University and other economic development agencies for guidance.A company will then rent office space from the LBTC incubator, an affordable option considering they only have to pay for space they occupy. Break rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, conference rooms, a receptionist, consulting services and copy and fax machines are shared by the businesses. “It is a true bargain,” D’Agostino said. “It’s much less [expensive] than if they rented space somewhere else. The key is not how inexpensive it is — the key is that they have access to the technology and the experts at LSU.”Most businesses stay at the incubator for six months to three years. D’Agostino said most companies start out with one or two employees and by the end of their time at the LBTC, they have about 10 or 12. After businesses leave the incubator, establishing their company in the greater Louisiana community, they continue to grow. D’Agostino said in the 20-year history of the LBTC, which used to be located on South Stadium Drive near Patrick Taylor Hall, more than 130 companies have graduated from the incubator program.Employing six MBA students and several student workers, the LBTC allows small businesses to share ideas with other companies in the incubator, developing a family-style atmosphere where ideas can flow freely before the companies establish their companies statewide and internationally.LSU South Campus will be the site of Electronic Arts Inc.’s testing center, where University students can test games. They are expected to hire nearly 200 students part-time.”This is the starting point to getting a lot of gaming-type industry started here in Louisiana,” D’Agostino said.—-Contact Kyle Bove at [email protected]