The document summarizes a University Center Showcase presented by Jeff Tucker from Kansas State University's Technology Development Institute (TDI). The TDI focuses on accelerating innovation for small and medium enterprises through technology development assistance, supporting commercialization and business expansion. It has received funding from the Economic Development Administration to upgrade equipment for fabrication, machining and additive manufacturing. The TDI has also developed a microfactory program and provides internships in technology entrepreneurship to cultivate innovation ecosystems.

1. University Center 2023 Showcase
EDA Denver Regional Office
April 11, 2023
Jeff Tucker, Executive Director
EDA University Center Showcase Overview

2. K-State TDI’s University Center Focus
• Accelerate Innovation for SMMEs through
Technology/Product Development Assistance
• Support Regional Commercialization Efforts
• Encourage Business Expansion in Regional
Innovation Clusters
• Cultivate Innovation through Ecosystem
Building Platforms
• Support Applied Technology Development
Internal and External to University
• Technology Entrepreneurship Internships

3. Accelerate Innovation: Technology/Product Development
DEF Production
Equipment
Robotic Laser Welding
System Seed Metering System
Robot Palletizing System
Oral Surgery
Ventilator
Small Company
Fabrication
Production

4. Infrastructure: Microfactory Development Program
• Construction of a dedicated multi-tenant facility
with the utilities needed to operate several
individual manufacturing operations and a shared
set of resources such as loading dock, forklift,
packaging areas, and office space
• Supported by Technical Expertise Partners,
Workforce Development Partners and Capital
Partners

5. Capacity Building: TDI Digital Retooling Projects
• CARES Technology Reinvestment ($1.7M EDA, $425K KSU)
• Fabrication and machining equipment upgrades
• Emerging technologies expansion
• Increase quality and capability of prototyping services and custom
equipment/automation builds
• ARPA Digital Manufacturing Initiative ($2.0M EDA, $500K KSU)
• Digital Design and Manufacturing Technical Assistance
• Acquisition of New Digital Technologies – Metal/Polymer AM, Robotics, IIoT
• Digital Manufacturing Readiness Assessments
• Digital Manufacturing/IIoT Learning and Demonstration Lab
• Launch of an Informational Networking Hub
• Support of Statewide Strategy Planning

6. TDI Shop: Pre-Retooling Project

7. TDI New Digital Manufacturing Capabilities
Machining and Fabrication Shop Additive Manufacturing Studio

8. K-State EDA University Center Lessons Learned
• Build partnerships that “pull” from the university, rather than push from the university
• Collaborate with/engage your EDA regional EDDs and state EDRs often – key partners
• Need network weavers who are purposeful connectors and boundary spanners
equipped with both connections and data/information
• Need to be organic, responsive, agile, and continuously experimental – move at the
speed of business
• Whatever your scope of work is it will change. You have to go where the community
energy and passion are abundant
• Your community isn’t always ready for an “academic” and/or “best practice” approach,
use the practice not the words
• Requires new ways of thinking, behaving and doing – seek adaptive solutions

9. Thank You
Jeff Tucker, Executive Director
Technology Development Institute
510 McCall Road
Manhattan, Kansas 66502-5034
www.ksu.edu/tdi
Phone: 785-532-3421
jwtuck@ksu.edu