Building Resilience into America's Regional Economies
RIAN and the community of Venture Development Organizations (VDOs) are transforming regions across the United States through strategic investments in innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology - one company at a time, repeated hundreds of times over. Explore this site to learn more about VDOs, find examples of their client successes, join the discussion for improving regional economic development, and bring new thinking, new practices to your own economy.
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Mar 06 - Mar 08
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May 30 - Jun 01
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Louisville, KY
The nation's network of Venture Development
Organizations (VDOs) turning innovations into
companies with jobs to drive America's economy -
smarter, faster, forward




Venture Development Organizations (VDOs) sharing best practices
The Regional Innovation Acceleration Network supports the community of existing and emerging VDOs around the country by providing the means for peer-to-peer sharing of information and best/common practices and helping to identify funding opportunities for VDOs; and provide tools to help regions approach the creation of their own VDO.
A VDO is a business-driven, public or nonprofit organization that promotes regional growth by providing a flexible portfolio of services, including: assisting in the creation of high-growth companies; providing expert business assistance to those companies; facilitating or making direct financial investments; and, speeding the commercialization of technology.
Jobs Created
Since 2002, client companies have created more than 480 jobs.
Idea Foundry
Pittsburgh, PA
Jobs Created
Over 25 years, the 400+ startups begun through the center employ more than 4,000 individuals.
Center for Innovation
Grand Forks, ND
Investments Attracted
Client companies were able to secure an additional $40 million from investors in FY 10/11..
Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern Pennsylvania
University Park, PA
Wages Paid
Since start of operations in 1995, total wages of client businesses amount to more than $152 million.
Technology 2020
Oak Ridge, TN
Investments Attracted
Since 2007, companies have attracted $100m in private co-investment.
CincyTech
Cincinnati, OH
Investments Attracted
Since 1980, ATDC has graduated more than 120 companies, which have raised more than $1 billion in additional funding.
Advanced Technology Development Center
Atlanta, GA
Wages Paid
Wages and salaries for clients' employees totaled $21.6 million in 2010. For the past five years, total wages earned exceed $52.8 million.
Boulder Innovation Center
Boulder, CO
Jobs Created
In 2010, job growth at PCV financed and advised companies was 9%.
Pacific Community Ventures
San Francisco, CA
Jobs Created
29 companies receiving investments have created 550 jobs since 2006.
Automation Alley
Troy, MI
Revenues Earned
In 2010, center clients reported $51.7 million in total revenues. The five-year total is $111.1 million.
Boulder Innovation Center
Boulder, CO
Investments Attracted
Connecticut Innovations activities have resulted in more than $1 billion in private equity investments since 1995.
Connecticut Innovations
Rocky Hill, CT
Revenues Earned
In 2009, clients achieved revenues of $376.7 million.
Small Business and Technology Development Center of North Carolina
Raleigh, NC
Investments Attracted
Since 1999, more than100 companies have used $10.2 million from the Concept Fund to leverage more than $253 million in private capital—that’s $29 of private capital for every public dollar invested through the Fund.
i2E
Oklahoma City, OK
Wages Paid
During 2006-2010, staff involvement with businesses resulted in 10,338 jobs leading to $440 million in total payroll.
Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC)
Baton Rouge, LA
Jobs Created
In 2010, BIC activities created 93 new jobs. Over the past five years, activities have created 342 new jobs.
Boulder Innovation Center
Boulder, CO
Jobs Created
More than 2,000 jobs have been added by clients over 10 years of operation.
TechRanch
Bozeman, MT
Investments Attracted
Since 2003, client entrepreneurs have raised $160 million in financing with our assistance.
Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center
Chicago, IL
Jobs Created
Funded companies created 110 new jobs in 2010, and total of 1,566 jobs between July 2004 and June 2011.
JumpStart Inc.
Cleveland, OH
Wages Paid
Since 2002, clients have added more than 7,000 jobs with a payroll over $250 million as a direct result of our work.
Mississippi Technology Alliance
Ridgeland, MS
Investments Attracted
Between FY99-10, nearly $183 million had been leveraged for more than 600 businesses.
Maine Technology Institute
Gardiner, ME
Investments Attracted
Since 1999, between 40-50% of clients have raised equity capital. Through two programs, companies used $26,553,345 to attract $238,603,738 in private investment.
i2E
Oklahoma City, OK
Investments Attracted
Between its Technology Commercialization, National Center for Defense Robotics, and business startup and support, Tech Collaborative companies have generated almost $83 million in additional funding between 2000 and the middle of 2009.
The Technology Collaborative
Pittsburgh, PA
Investments Attracted
Between 2006-09, clients leveraged more than $33 million in additional funding.
Ann Arbor SPARK
Ann Arbor, MI
Investments Attracted
Over the last year, CIT-created companies have leveraged $4.6 million in private equity.
Center for Innovation Technology
Herndon, VA
Jobs Created
Existing and graduated clients employ more than 50 people, including full-time, part-time and contractors over the past seven years.
Northern Arizona Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology
Flagstaff, AZ
Jobs Created
More than 600 new net jobs have been created by companies in the Tech Collaborative incubation program since 2000.
The Technology Collaborative
Pittsburgh, PA
Wages Paid
Since investment activity began in May 2007, portfolio companies have created more than 200 jobs at an average annual wage of $58,000.
CincyTech
Cincinnati, OH
Investments Attracted
In 2010, seed fund companies captured $193 million in follow-on funding.
Innovation Works
Pittsburgh, PA
Jobs Created
Between 1995-2008, investments created an annual average of more than 1,600 jobs.
Connecticut Innovations
Rocky Hill, CT
Investments Attracted
OEN's Angel Oregon program companies have accumulated $75 million in investments since 2005.
Oregon Entrepreneurs Network
Portland, OR
Jobs Created
Since 2007, assisted companies have created 133 jobs.
Rocky Mountain Innosphere
Fort Collins, CO
Investments Attracted
Since 2002, client companies have raised more than $100 million in follow-on funding.
Idea Foundry
Pittsburgh, PA
Jobs Created
In FY10/11, nearly 500 jobs were created as a result of BFTP/CNP efforts, and an additional 68 jobs were retained.
Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern Pennsylvania
University Park, PA
Investments Attracted
Since operations began in 2006, the cumulative total of follow-on capital attracted by clients totals $167 million.
SC Launch
South Carolina
Revenues Earned
Since 1999, client companies have realized $77 million in sales revenues
Enterprise Center of Johnson County
Lenexa, KS
Investments Attracted
In FY2011 27 portofilio companies raised $35 million in investment capital.
i2E
Oklahoma City, OK
Revenues Earned
Our venture portfolio has reached annualized revenues of $30 million since 2004.
JumpStart Inc.
Cleveland, OH
Investments Attracted
Since 1985, client companies have raised more than $700 million in funding.
CONNECT
San Diego, CA
Investments Attracted
Since 2006, the 29 companies receiving investments have obtained $63 million in additional private capital.
Automation Alley
Troy, MI
Investments Attracted
Over 12 years, companies have obtained $1.25 billion in funding.
Center for Emerging Technologies
St Louis, MO
Investments Attracted
Seed capital investments have been leveraged into over $100 million from private investment since 1994.
Wichita Technology Corporation
Wichita, KS
Investments Attracted
Between 2003-2010, clients have raised $89 million in angel capital, $82 million in venture capital, and an overall total of $183 million in investment.
Lawrence Regional Technology Center
Lawrence, KS
Wages Paid
Since 2004, 30 resident companies employ more than 100 people with cumulative total wages exceeding $4.5 million.
The Tech Garden
Syracuse, NY
Revenues Earned
OEN's Angel Oregon program companies have earned $109 million in revenue since 2005.
Oregon Entrepreneurs Network
Portland, OR
Wages Paid
In 2010, PCV engaged with 200 companies, helping to support 3,000 jobs with total wages exceeding $50 million.
Pacific Community Ventures
San Francisco, CA
Jobs Created
From 2006-2010, an average of 301 net jobs were created annually, at a rate of 1.79 jobs created per client.
Center for Economic Growth
Albany, NY
Jobs Created
More than 600 people have been employed by the 42 companies of OEN's Angel Oregon program since 2005.
Oregon Entrepreneurs Network
Portland, OR
Jobs Created
Incubator tenants have created 2,278 jobs since 1989.
Louisiana Business and Technology Center
Baton Rouge, LA
Wages Paid
The average annual salary at Innovation Works-supported companies is $52,000.
Innovation Works
Pittsburgh, PA
Investments Attracted
Between 1998-2008, a total of $200,582,440 of downstream funding attracted for program's total investment of $6,278,344 in 108 companies.
TEDCO
Columbia, MD
Investments Attracted
More than $1 billion in funding have been attracted by 110 companies created, recruited, and accelerated since July 2002.
BioEnterprise
Cleveland, OH
Jobs Created
In-house clients employ more than 100 individuals with an average wage of over $60,000.
Tampa Bay Innovation Center
Largo, FL
Revenues Earned
Client companies have earned $135 million in revenue since 2002..
Idea Foundry
Pittsburgh, PA
Investments Attracted
Since 2004, portfolio companies have raised $402 million in risk capital.
JumpStart Inc.
Cleveland, OH
Revenues Earned
In 2010, revenues at Innovation Works-assisted companies totaled $775 million.
Innovation Works
Pittsburgh, PA
Jobs Created
Since start of operations in 1995, our programs have led to an increase in total employment of more than 2,400 positions.
Technology 2020
Oak Ridge, TN
Investments Attracted
Through 8 years of operation, center clients have raised $750 million in capital.
Houston Technology Center
Houston, TX
Wages Paid
Average wage of all clients in 2009: $64,669 (twice the average local private sector wage).
Lawrence Regional Technology Center
Lawrence, KS
Jobs Created
Since its inception in 2002, eBizITPA has created 775 jobs.
Center for eBusiness and Advanced IT
Erie, PA
Jobs Created
In 2010, 452 jobs created attributed to Innovation Works assistance.
Innovation Works
Pittsburgh, PA
Investments Attracted
The 400 early stage companies which have received investments by BFTP of Southeastern Pennsylvania have raised over $1 billion in follow-on investment.
Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Wages Paid
Tech Collaborative have recruited more than 125 full-time employees for member companies, with an average salary of $70,000.
The Technology Collaborative
Pittsburgh, PA
Jobs Created
621 new jobs created in 2010, and overall almost 15,000 jobs created since 1983.
Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania
Bethlehem, PA
Investments Attracted
In more than 10 years of service, clients captured more than $40 million in VC.
TechRanch
Bozeman, MT
Revenues Earned
Since 2003, client entrepreneurs have secured $268.5 million in revenue with our assistance.
Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center
Chicago, IL
Jobs Created
1,190 full-time employee positions were created by 93 client firms over the previous 10 years. An additional 262 part-time jobs were created, too.
SIRTI
Spokane, WA
Jobs Created
In 2010, 121 net new jobs were created.
Washington Technology Center
Seattle, WA
Revenues Earned
In 2010, clients produced $98 million in revenue.
Washington Technology Center
Seattle, WA
Investments Attracted
Since 2002, clients have captured more than $127 million in investment & equity.
OCTANe
Aliso Viejo, CA
Investments Attracted
In 2010, clients attracted $167 million in new investment.
Washington Technology Center
Seattle, WA
Jobs Created
Between 2003-2011, total cumulative net jobs created: 106
Lawrence Regional Technology Center
Lawrence, KS
Investments Attracted
Since 2000, portfolio companies have raised over $100 million in equity funding.
Hawaii Business and Entrepreneur Acceleration Mentors
Honolulu, HI
Jobs Created
In 2009, clients created 1,275 jobs.
Small Business and Technology Development Center of North Carolina
Raleigh, NC
Investments Attracted
Over 25 years, 400+ startups have attracted more than $110 million in investment.
Center for Innovation
Grand Forks, ND
Wages Paid
Since start of operations in 2006, average salary of the jobs created is $68,000
SC Launch
South Carolina
Jobs Created
Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania has helped create almost 15,000 jobs since 1983.
Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania
Bethlehem, PA

Know Your Region

Determining Regional Strengths

A Guidebook For Conducting Regional Innovation Assessments

EDA Regional Innovation Asset Toolkit

VDO Characteristics
Assessment Tool
Resource Guide For Technology-Based Economic Development

Is Your Organization Fit for Funding?

The Strategic Role of Accelerators in Regional Innovation

Financing Your Client Firms: The EB-5 Model

VDO Profile Tool

Upload Success Stories


