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USC-Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative Receives Excellence in Economic Development Award

Submitted by: Emily Brady on Sep 29, 2011 at 4:06 pm Tagged with: Economic Development, Innovation, Knowledge Economy, New Technology, tech-based economic development Source: USC Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative

The International Economic Development Council Honors the Region for Clean Tech Innovation

Columbia, S.C. – (September 20, 2011) The USC-Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative (USCFCC) celebrated another milestone with the announcement that the program had been selected by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the premier membership organization dedicated to helping economic development professionals create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities and improve the quality of life in their regions, to receive its Excellence in Economic Development Award for “Technology-led Economic Development, Population 25,000–200,000.”

Representatives from the collaborative were recognized at an awards ceremony during the IEDC Annual Conference on September 20, 2011, in Charlotte, N.C. The Excellence in Economic Development Awards Program annually recognizes the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships and the industry’s most influential leaders. The program honors organizations and individuals in 28 categories for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities. This is the first time that the USC-Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative has received this honor.

“We truly believe that continued investments in research, innovation and technology-based economic development will consistently produce real results for the region, the state and beyond,” said SCRA CEO Bill Mahoney, one of the four investing partners of the collaborative.

“We have been working for seven years to create the foundation for a fuel cell cluster in the Columbia region,” said Neil McLean, executive director for EngenuitySC, a public/private partnership formed to develop and grow the Columbia region’s knowledge-based economy and founding partner of the collaborative . “This is part of a 20 year vision for our community, and we’re proud that Columbia is being recognized as one of the most innovative cities in the U.S. for its tech-based economic development.”

This news dovetails with a recent announcement by leading fuel cell solutions firm, LOGANEnergy, that it will open a new mobile power systems facility at the Midlands Technical College Enterprise Campus in Columbia, S.C.

“Clean tech companies should really be taking another look at South Carolina as a compelling place to launch new ventures,” said Don Herriott, director of the University of South Carolina’s Innovista Research Campus. “With a supportive ecosystem and world class research in advanced materials, membranes, and catalysts at the University of South Carolina, Columbia is competing globally in the clean energy economy.”

About the USC-Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative
The USC–Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative was formed by the University of South Carolina, the City of Columbia, EngenuitySC and SCRA, to position Columbia, S.C., as a leader in hydrogen fuel cell innovation and technology. Its mission is to attract private sector partners, top fuel cell scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators to the Columbia region to help grow an innovation pipeline from discovery to development to deployment of fuel cell technology. For more information, visit www.fuelcellcollaborative.com.

About IEDC
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is the premier membership organization dedicated to helping economic development professionals create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities and improve the quality of life in their regions. Serving more than 4,500 members, IEDC represents the largest network of economic development professionals in the world. IEDC provides a diverse range of services, including conferences, certification, professional development, publications, research, advisory services and legislative tracking.

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