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Gulf Coast Regional Center of Innovation and Commercialization and Houston Technology Center Hosted Governor Rick Perry for Texas Technology Leadership Day

Posted on: Friday, 5 June 2009, 14:01 CDT

Governor announced the latest Recipients of $250,000 Pre-Seed Commercialization Awards from the Texas Emerging Technology Fund

HOUSTON, June 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The Gulf Coast Regional Center of Innovation and Commercialization (RCIC) and the Houston Technology Center (HTC), a business accelerator that assists Houston-based emerging technology companies, today hosted Texas Technology Leadership Day. As the home of the Gulf Coast RCIC, the HTC was pleased that Gov. Rick Perry joined the event to announce new $250,000 Pre-seed commercialization awards from the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (ETF) awarded to Castle Biosciences Inc., Noninvasix Inc., Pulmotect Inc., SEMMT Inc. and SeprOx Corporation. Each of the five companies awarded this money are eligible to receive up to $1 million in investment from the ETF.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090604/AQ28157LOGO)

"Too often, great ideas are shelved with no clear path to the marketplace when grants run out or new projects are started, when they could improve people's lives. The Emerging Technology Fund is our solution to that problem," Gov. Perry said. "The ETF is super-charging the research environment in our state, harnessing our people's amazing ideas, and encouraging even greater efforts to inquire, innovate and invest."

Established by Gov. Perry and the Texas Legislature in 2005, the ETF is bringing the best scientists and researchers to Texas, attracting high-paying jobs, and helping start-up companies get off the ground faster. The ETF program has been renewed to fund awards through August 2011.

"In spite of these uncertain economic times, it is exciting to see more companies from the Houston region commercializing breakthrough technology, solving real human problems, creating good jobs and building the region's and the state's reputation as a 21st century technology hub," said Walter Ulrich, president and CEO, Houston Technology Center. "The Governor's presence today underscores the critical role that the Gulf Coast Regional Center and the Gulf Coast region play in Texas' plans for global leadership."

HTC hosts the Gulf Coast RCIC for the Texas ETF, collaborating with the Greater Houston Partnership, universities, community volunteers and economic development organizations within its 30-county region. The Gulf Coast RCIC is responsible for processing all funding applications. For more information about the Gulf Coast RCIC, visit www.gulfcoastrcic.org.

About the Houston Technology Center

Houston Technology Center (HTC), a business accelerator and the largest technology business incubator in Texas, accelerates the commercialization of emerging technology companies in the Greater Houston area. A 501(C)(3)non-profit organization, HTC assists Houston-based entrepreneurs within several key sectors: Energy, Information Technology, Life Sciences, Nanotechnology and NASA/Aerospace technologies, by providing in-depth business guidance, access to capital and service providers, and entrepreneurial education. For more information, visit www.houstontech.org.

Media Contacts: Deena Carstens Sarah Miller Houston Technology Center Pierpont Communications, Inc. (832) 476-9235 (713) 627-2223, ext. 1155 dcarstens@houstontech.org smiller@piercom.com

SOURCE Houston Technology Center

Source: PR Newswire

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