08 Nov University Research Park forms ties with German tech center
Frankfurt, Germany – A “sister park” agreement has been announced between the UW-Madison University Research Park and the Frankfurt Biotechnology Innovation Center in Frankfurt, one of Europe’s leading business hubs.
A memorandum of understanding between the two research parks was signed in Frankfurt by UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley, University Research Park Director Mark Bugher and Christian Garbe, managing director of the Frankfurt Biotechnology Innovation Center (FIZ).
The agreement signed Tuesday in Germany calls for:
• An exchange of information about development standards, real estate covenants, zoning requirements, signage policies and infrastructure requirements related to the parks.
• Reciprocal visits and continuing contacts between companies in the parks.
• Joint publication of a “profile directory” of companies in the parks, as well as internet and web site forums to facilitate international business relationships.
• Other exchanges of information on topics such as workforce development, technology transfer, venture capital and business incubator “best practices.”
Opened in July 2004, the Frankfurt Biotechnology Innovation Center is located near the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University and the Max Planck Institute for Biophysics in Frankfurt. It houses 13 companies and two other organizations; it will be fully occupied by Jan. 1, 2006.
University Research Park was established in 1984 and includes 34 buildings on 255 acres. It is located about three miles west of the UW-Madison campus.