Central Utah Team Energizes Digital Media Innovations

Technology Outreach is catalyzing the talents of higher eduction, industry and entrepreneurs to drive growth in Utah's digital media industry.

About the Central Utah Technology Outreach and Innovation Program

  • USTAR commercialization teams work with clients statewide. Regional directors oversee “Technology Outreach” Program centers, located at higher education institutions. While supporting high-growth clients, Technology Outreach helps move regional initiatives forward. In addition, each center works closely with USTAR research teams to drive commercialization. This report profiles the Central Utah team, based at Utah Valley University and directed by Steven Roy.
2008 Highlights

Lights, Camera, Click!

  • Assisted approximately 50 entrepreneurial clients, currently helping seven to negotiate $15 million in early-stage funding.
  • Launched the Utah Digital Media Alliance with 100+ stakeholders from industry, universities, and economic development organizations, aiming to make the state a hotbed for film, game development, training/simulation and related industries.
  • Connected 11 companies to researchers to improve product development.
  • Assisted UVU’s Small Business Development Center in writing a grant, resulting in $1.5 million for a new Business Resource Center.
  • Coordinated efforts of BYU’s TTO, Provo’s Business Development Corporation, and EDC Utah, to try and establish a regional Business/Research Park.
  • Supported Funding Universe and Utah Valley Entrepreneurial Forum efforts.

     
2009 Goals

The Big Picture is Growth

  • Collaborate with university digital media/imaging experts to identify innovations for commercialization. Connect academic experts to industry counterparts to bring new businesses and jobs to the region.
  • Host a digital media innovation contest to assist local entrepreneurs in turning concepts for digital media tools into growth opportunities.
  • Partner with UVU’s Entrepreneur Institute to support a conference strengthening UVU’s role in regional economic development.
USTAR's Imaging research can not only impact the entertainment industry, but also personalized healthcare, security, personnel training, and more.

Putting New Jobs in the Frame

From the invention of television to dazzling technology in use at PIXAR and other world-famous studios, Utah innovators have long made dramatic advances in digital media and imaging. Currently Utah has more than 180 digital media companies. USTAR’s spearheading of industry/university collaboration, in concert with its focus on technical breakthroughs, could create generations of high-tech jobs.