Partnership to fuel business collaboration

<p>A new partnership between the State of Arizona, the Ministry of the Economy of Mexico and ASU’s SkySong will help provide a broader platform for interaction through avenues such as building knowledge-based businesses.</p><separator></separator><p>SkySong will work in partnership with the United States-Mexico Foundation for Science and the Ministry of the Economy of Mexico to operate a new business accelerator called TechBA Arizona. The venture will bring representatives of knowledge-based Mexican businesses to Arizona, providing companies with office space and support.</p><separator></separator><p>ASU President Michael Crow knows the value of this relationship. “This agreement will allow companies to collaborate so that they can engage in technology transfer and commercialization activities, and benefit from the existing and future economic flow of activity between Arizona and Mexico,” Crow said.</p><separator></separator><p>“SkySong's TechBA Arizona will further promote the mission of the Arizona-Mexico Commission by increasing partnerships and promoting the attraction of R&amp;D into Arizona to increase innovative and knowledge-based economic development.  Programs, like TechBA, that offer win-win partnerships between Arizona and Mexico will enable our binational region to further attract business investment and create more high value jobs in our shared region rather than sending them offshore,”  said Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano.</p><separator></separator><p>Julia Rosen, ASU associate vice president for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, added that the deal will help SkySong expand Arizona’s economic development. “This will strengthen the infrastructure of innovation-related organizations as they support one another and are able to better compete in global markets,” Rosen said.</p><separator></separator><p>Marco A. López Jr., director of the Arizona Department of Commerce, said that as Arizona continues its efforts to increase foreign direct investment, “SkySong is an important global portal that provides a way for Mexican and other global entrepreneurs to access the U.S. market.”</p><separator></separator><p>Mexico’s commercial activity increased by 9 percent during 2007, representing 2.1% of overall commercial activity worldwide.  SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, is currently home to more than 40 enterprises from 11 countries, with clusters of companies in e-learning, information communications technologies and sustainability. ASU-SkySong (skysong.asu.edu) is an interactive business environment in which individual entrepreneurs, global and U.S. enterprises, ASU researchers and community members connect to bring new services and technologies to the marketplace.</p><separator></separator><p>SkySong will ultimately consist of 1.2 million square feet of research, office, residential and retail space. Higgins Development Partners and Plaza Companies are co-developers of the project in partnership with the Arizona State University Foundation and USAA Real Estate Company. Located at the intersection of Scottsdale and McDowell roads, two buildings totaling more than 300,000 square feet are now open. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.skysongcenter.com">www.skysongcenter.com</a>.</p&gt;