CCI Forms The Chesapeake Crescent Innovation Alliance

CCIA is an unprecedented alliance between nine regional major research universities. The mission of CCIA is to drive regional innovation performance through strategic cooperation among universities and related stakeholders, to break down the barriers inhibiting inter-regional university communication and build upon existing collaborative programs. By doing so, the Alliance expects the Region to generate greater economic performance, jobs and start-ups; and that the universities, Federal laboratories and other stakeholders in regional innovation will improve their own mission results.

The Alliance will work to address a variety issues:

• Identify funding opportunities in Federal and industry-directed R&D. The Initiative will target the market sectors of energy, life sciences (including nano, biotechnology and personalized medicine), homeland and national defense applications, aerospace, computer networking and high-performance computing, and web based social networking.
• Increase technology commercialization. The Alliance will develop strategies to increase seed and early stage investing, angel network activities and develop prototype and translational funding centers; promote entrepreneurial visibility and deal flow; and support university technology-based spin out companies.
• Heighten awareness both within and outside the Region of the quality and quantity of innovation taking place within it. The Alliance will develop marketing plans for the diverse sectors and research based assets within the university communities.
• Enhance the innovation-oriented culture within the Region. The Alliance will promote formal and informal social and professional networks of individuals, organizations, and institutions committed to increasing the velocity and flow of information and knowledge across the innovation sector.
• Grow the population of seasoned entrepreneurial executives. The Alliance will collaborate with business schools to develop experiential-based executive training programs for mid-career entrepreneurs.
• Increase strategic cooperation across universities. The Alliance will increase communication and interaction among universities to form regional meetings, joint projects, joint academic recruitment, and foster increased technology commercialization.
• Develop funding incentives for innovation. The Alliance will present and support policies and programs to increase investment in research & development, and technology commercialization.

The list of Alliance members currently includes:

• Johns Hopkins University
• University System of Maryland
• Howard University
• Georgetown University
• George Washington University
• James Madison
• George Mason
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
• University of Virginia

To learn more and get involved, please contact Stephanie Carnes at scarnes@thechesapeakcrescent.org.