Duquesne University and the
Hill House Economic Development Corp. received a $237,300 three-year grant as part of a larger $3.4 million state initiative recently announced by Governor Rendell. This is great news for present and future start-up companies that focus on life sciences, information technology, and advanced materials and settle within the designated five neighborhood commercially-zoned swath of Pittsburgh that includes sections of the Hill District, Uptown, Downtown, North Side, and South Side.
Sixteen partners are each adding $25,000 over four years. These matching funds in combination with the grant will provide a plethora of support services from marketing the zone to attracting start-ups to providing support when they are up and running. “We’ll help with anything they need," says Steve Schillo, vp for management and business at Duquesne University.
“The beauty of this plan,” continues Schillo, “is that it captures the resources and energy in the local universities. Each of our universities has faculty that are close to starting up companies of their own or are aware of fledging start ups.” Duquesne, Carlow, and Point Park universities, along with CCAC are all involved.
President and CEO of Hill House, Evan Frazier says, “I think the real opportunity is in building momentum. When I think about the Hill District, it will encourage business growth, and I think that happening will yield ancillary businesses and employment to communities that are right at the brink of moving forward in significant ways. We’re right at that place where the additional momentum will really make a difference.”
Writer: Sherrie Flick
Sources: Steve Schillo, Evan Frazier