Feb. 14, 2019—Innovation Stockyard will continue to operate the Christopher S. “Kit” Bond Science and Technology Incubator on behalf of Missouri Western State University for the next five years. Missouri Western’s Board of Governors approved the renewal in a board poll Feb. 14.
“Missouri Western remains committed to serving the economic vitality of the St. Joseph region, and the Bond Incubator is one of the most visible ways we can do that,” said Dr. Robert Vartabedian, Missouri Western’s president. “I’m glad we can move forward with Innovation Stockyard in a strategic way to support emerging businesses.”
“We are very excited to see the continuation of this public-private partnership,” said Ronan Molloy, president of Innovation Stockyard. “We are looking forward to providing more opportunities for the life sciences to grow in the region, and are very grateful to Dr. Vartabedian for his support of our mission.”
The incubator provides facilities and services for start-up companies. There are currently nine tenants in the building, an all-time high, Molloy said. About 6,000 square feet of working space is currently available.
The 25,000 square-foot incubator on Mitchell Avenue west of Interstate 29 opened in 2008 and was named an Innovation Center by the Missouri Technology Corporation. Its first occupant was the Institute for Industrial and Applied Life Science (IIALS), a public/private cooperative effort to enhance workforce and economic development in the Midwest region that later adopted the Innovation Stockyard name. IIALS assumed management of the facility in 2009, and the five-year agreement was first renewed in 2014.
The renewed agreement calls for a member of Missouri Western’s Board of Governors to serve on Innovation Stockyard’s Board of Directors and for the two boards to conduct a joint meeting once a year. Innovation Stockyard will also submit a long-range strategic plan to Missouri Western and its board. The agreement will expire Feb. 15, 2024.
Along with Missouri Western, Innovation Stockyard stakeholders include AG Processing Inc., AgriLabs, BioZyme Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc., Buchanan County, Clipper Distributing, Expedite Animal Health, Mosaic Life Care, Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, the City of St. Joseph and the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce.
About MWSU: Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.
About Innovation Stockyard: Innovation Stockyard is a one-stop business incubator for those who want to start or grow any business, but specializing in the animal sciences field. We offer business and scientific consulting—and facilities—to help bring your idea to market. For more information, visit innovationstockyard.com.