A partnership between Clemson University and the South Carolina Research Authority will virtually connect innovation centers across the state and help grow the state’s “knowledge economy,” officials said Wednesday afternoon.
The SCRA will become the first South Carolina Founding Innovation Partner for the university’s Watt Family Innovation Center, it was announced.
The collaboration will enable and expand ultra high-speed virtual connectivity capabilities of the Watt Center with business, academic, government and economic development entities across South Carolina and the nation.
Through deployment of high-tech studios, the SCRA will provide $3 million for new cross-discipline operations and sustainability for supporting extended network and operations, including equipment to establish virtual connectivity between the Watt Center, SCRA and research universities in the state.
“The immediate and comprehensive advancements to multi-party communications that these studios will provide will greatly contribute to and improve our state’s ‘knowledge economy,’” said SCRA CEO Bill Mahoney. “This collaboration will add value and users to the current health-care industry core that is using the SC LightRail high-speed research network.”
The Watt Center is under construction on the Clemson campus.
The four-story, 70,000-square-foot center wills student-centered space with a strong technology infrastructure that will connect students with industry partners. Haworth, Inc., an innovative international company in furniture and organic workspace design and products, is the Watt Center’s first Founding Innovation Partner.
