Philadelphia Innovation Groups Join Forces To Bring Russian Company to Science Center
PHILADELPHIA – (June 13, 2012) – When Optiflame opens its U.S. office in the University City Science Center’s Port business incubator later this month, it will become the first Russian company to take residency in the Port. The Science Center worked with Select Greater Philadelphia, the Mid-Atlantic - Russia Business Council, the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development to bring the Russian wind power generating company to Philadelphia. A formal announcement is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., Thursday, June 14 at the Mayor’s Reception Room at Philadelphia City Hall as part of the 16th Semi-Annual Russian-American Innovation Technology Weeks (RANIT-BIO).
Optiflame, which is based in St. Petersburg, Russia, has invented and developed a novel approach to urban wind power generation. According to the company, its environmentally safe wind power generator can be installed on any roof and generate power safely, effectively and silently. Optiflame (USA) will be located in the Bullpen, the Science Center’s co-working space at 3711 Market Street in Philadelphia.
“Last fall we began to search for suitable sites for the commercial launch of our laboratory development stage. We believe that Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with its serious intentions in the field of clean-tech is one of the best places to shift R&D in production and sales,” said Optiflame’s Vladimir Kanin. “Thanks to Mid-Atlantic – Russia Business Council, the Science Center and Select Greater Philadelphia, the process of meeting and beginning work got off to a quick start. Now begins the most complicated – and interesting – part.”
“We often talk about regional collaboration. Working together, the Science Center, Select Greater Philadelphia, the City of Philadelphia, DCED and the Mid-Atlantic – Russia Business Council were able to translate that talk into action and bring Optiflame to Philadelphia. That’s the kind of collaboration we need to transform the Greater Philadelphia region into a hub for entrepreneurs from across the globe,” said Science Center President & CEO Stephen S. Tang, Ph.D., MBA.
“We are working with our local partners every day to expand opportunities for new investment and job growth both nationally and internationally,” Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary C. Alan Walker said. “Thursday’s announcement is a testament to the strong partnership we have developed in Greater Philadelphia to attract new entrepreneurs to the region.”
"Philadelphia is fast becoming known as the clean tech hub of the United States and so we are a natural home for Optiflame and the new technologies that they are looking to bring to market," said Alan Greenberger, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development. "We are so excited that yet another vibrant and dynamic young company has moved to the Science Center and I thank all of the regional partners who worked together to make this happen."
“Optiflame’s decision to locate and grow in Greater Philadelphia provides further evidence of this region’s attractiveness as a global business destination,” said Tom Morr, President & CEO of Select Greater Philadelphia. “It also shows how well our city, state and local economic development partners work together seamlessly to make the best case for locating a company to this powerful region.”
“It is not a coincidence that we hosted Optiflame’s President in Philadelphia for the first time at the Russian-American Innovation Technology Week last November and that the company is opening its American office at the opening of this year’s RANIT. Our close collaboration and mutual work with city and state innovation organizations, along with half a year’s worth of meetings in Philadelphia and Moscow, helped to prove that Optiflame has great potential to succeed in Philadelphia. We hope that Optiflame’s future success will serve as model for prospective Russian entrepreneurs and will reinforce our region as a center for Russian-American innovation cooperation,” said the Mid-Atlantic - Russia Business Council President Val Kogan.
As a participant in the Port’s Global Soft Landing (GSL) Program, Optiflame joins companies from Belgium, China, France, India, Singapore and the United Kingdom. GSL is designed to help international companies establish a foothold in the region’s life sciences and technology markets. The Port is one of only 23 business incubation programs in the world that hold the Soft Landings International Incubator designation from the National Business Incubation Association.
About The Science Center
The University City Science Center accelerates technology commercialization, regional economic development, and the market availability of life-enhancing scientific breakthroughs by bringing together innovations, scientists, entrepreneurs, funding, laboratory facilities, and business services. Established in 1963 and headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, the Science Center was the first, and remains the largest, urban research park in the United States. Graduate organizations and current residents of the University City Science Center’s Port business incubator have created more than 15,000 jobs that remain in the Greater Philadelphia region today and contribute more than $9 billion to the regional economy annually. In addition to offering physical resources to start-up companies, the Port business incubator surrounds emerging ventures with the other ingredients required to grow and be successful. For more information: www.sciencecenter.org.
CONTACTS:
Jeanne Mell
University City Science Center
3711 Market Street, Suite 800
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-966-6029
jmell@sciencecenter.org
Kristen Fitch
University City Science Center
3711 Market Street, Suite 800
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-966-6156
kfitch@sciencecenter.org
Tags: