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30 Doing Business in Connecticut | 2015 SPONSORED REPORT UConn: Connecticut's Innovation Pipeline I nnovation has always been at the heart of the American economy and nowhere more so than in Connecticut. With the fifth-highest percentage of engineers and scientists in the na- tion, and a 33 percent greater con- centration of high-tech workers than the national average, Connecticut is ranked by Bloomberg News among the top five most innovative states in the nation. It is a distinction driven by the flagship public research institution that provides more than $3.4 billion in total annual economic benefit to the state. The University of Connecticut (UConn), one of the nation's top twenty public institutions, offers an unparalleled breadth of research and innovation opportunities. This year, the University broke ground for facilities to foster those opportuni- ties on the main campus in Storrs and opened the doors of new facilities on UConn Health's campus in Farm- ington. The institution's strength is derived from collaborative efforts that leverage expertise across schools and offices, enabling UConn to shepherd ideas from the moment of inspiration through development, deployment and distribution. Only a research university of UConn's caliber can offer the kind of synergies that drive innovation and stimulate growth for companies as diverse as multi-national firms and small business en- terprises. The part- nerships between academia and industry are a source of pride. Connecticut companies benefit from access to world-class facili- ties, renowned faculty and talented students. Industry partners are able to provide faculty and students with exposure to market needs and expectations. The partnerships also ensure that faculty research informs technological challenges identified by industry, resulting in unique and practical solutions. Through UConn's Additive Manu- facturing Innovation Center (AMIC), for example, engineering faculty and students conduct groundbreaking materials science research that ben- efits companies like American aero- space manufacturer Pratt & Whitney. AMIC, with more than $7.5 million invested, offers opportunities for research and teaching at the cutting edge of 3-D printing using metals, polymers and ceramics. "UConn has achieved dramatic success by recruiting outstanding re- search faculty, increasing the number and diversity of talented undergradu- ate and graduate students and driving technology transfer to meet industry needs," Provost Mun Choi recently noted about the planned Innovation Partnership Building (IPB). Located in Storrs, the IPB will provide a home for industry partners that demand and value access to the latest technology and expertise. Michael Raab of Agrivida co-founded a start-up company that is using biomolecular technology to develop an alternative fuel in the state-of-the-art greenhouses and labs of UConn's Technology Incubation Program. "Our innovative faculty and students are … translating ideas into transformative technologies."