<body.content> <block> <p>LEXINGTON, Ky., Sept. 3 /PRNewswire/ — The Innovation Group of Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation (KSTC), announced today that it has invested$669,970 in Kentucky technology companies.</p> <p>The Innovation Group manages the Commercialization Investment Fund (CIF), a series of state sponsored investment funds focused on earlystage technologies in Kentucky. These funds are provided through the Council on Postsecondary Education as part of the 2000 Innovation Act.</p> <p>Investment amounts range from $7,500 to$200,000 and come from the Rural Innovation Fund, Kentucky Commercialization Fund, and R&D Voucher Fund.</p> <p>The funded projects range in diversity from the development of newpharmaceuticals derived from tobacco plants to medical devices.</p> <p>”We are investing seed capital in technologies which help start new companies throughout Kentucky. We have projectsfrom the Western area to the far Eastern part of the state, and areas in between,” said Angela Copple, Commercialization Manager.</p> <p>Since March 2002, The Commercialization InvestmentFund has invested over $2,425,000 in 65 projects.</p> <p>”These are wonderful programs to help Kentucky technology businesses get started,” said Rick Brannon, CEO of Pioneer Tool and Die.”In my case, I didn’t have the resources to pursue my business opportunity. The CIF and Kentucky Innovation and Commercialization (ICC) staffs worked together to provide a wide array of services fromsecuring intellectual property rights for my product to helping me develop a business and financial plan. These folks went well beyond the call of duty to help my business get started.”</p><p>All projects fall within the state’s five priority research focus areas as defined by the Office for the New Economy’s strategic plan: biosciences, environmental technology, human health,information technology, and materials science.</p> <p>Lists of portfolio companies and information about the Commercialization Investment Funds can be found at<a>http://www.startupkentucky.com/</a>.</p> <p>About The Innovation Group</p> <p>The Innovation Group (TIG) is an initiative of Kentucky Science and TechnologyCorporation (KSTC), a private non-profit organization. TIG is dedicated to the creation of technology businesses within Kentucky. TIG manages the Commercialization Investment Funds, $4.5M annually inseed capital funded through the Council on Postsecondary Education, focused on filling the gap between founder’s and angel/venture capital; and the Innovation and Commercialization Centers (ICC),under contract with the Office for the New Economy, the only statewide business accelerator (<a>http://www.kyicc.com/</a>). For more information, visit<a>http://www.startupkentucky.com/</a>.</p> <p style=”pre” id=”pre1″> Contact: Angela Copple
Commercialization Manager
The Innovation Group of Kentucky Science and Technology
Corporation
859-233-3502 ext 237 </p> <datasource>The Innovation Group of Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation</datasource> </block> <block class=”contact”> <p>CONTACT: Angela Copple, Commercialization Manager of The Innovation<br/> Group of Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation, +1-859-233-3502,<br/> ext. 237</p> </block> <block class=”website”> <p>Web site: <a>http://www.kyicc.com/</a> </p> <p>Web site: <a>http://www.startupkentucky.com/</a> </p> </block> </body.content>
