The Lansing-based Prima Civitas Foundation (PCF) received a $200,000 grant that will allow the nonprofit to help universities commercialize innovations.
The C.S. Mott Foundation awarded the grant to Prima Civitas. The grant is a renewal of a 2007 Mott Foundation 
grant that provided funding for the “Moving Ideas to Market” initiative. The first round of the initiative created five action groups that will support efforts to commercialize university research and intellectual property.
These action groups focus on post-secondary entrepreneurship; high school entrepreneurship; developing a network to accelerate the relationship between entrepreneurs and angel investors; university and industry partnerships; and the WeToo Web feature that will link entrepreneurs and their service providers with regional resources.
“We know that we can’t change the culture in one year or grant period, but I am confident that a consistent tactical approach toward reinventing our entrepreneurship and commercialization strategies will pay off for the region,” says David Hollister, CEO and President of the Prima Civitas Foundation.
“Mott’s commitment, and the commitment of our partners and regional universities, moves us significantly forward.”
Source: Steven Bennett, Prima Civitas
Ivy Hughes, development news editor, can be reached here.
All Photographs © Dave Trumpie
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.