UND Center for Innovation celebrates 40 years of fostering North Dakota’s commercialization activity and startup success
Click on the link to watch a 3 minute, 30 second video about the 40th anniversary of the UND Center for Innovation.
On Tuesday, Sept. 24, the UND Center for Innovation marked a major milestone: 40 years as North Dakota’s pioneering business incubator.
Since its establishment in 1984, the Center has been at the forefront of driving economic growth in the region. At the celebration, attendees had the chance to journey through the Center’s history and catch a glimpse of its vision for the next 40 years of innovation and impact across the Northern Plains.
Amy Whitney, the Center’s director, kicked off the event by welcoming everyone and recognizing distinguished guests before asking UND President Andy Armacost for opening remarks and to read a letter from North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
The welcome from Armacost was followed by video messages from North Dakota’s congressional delegation (U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong, Sen. Kevin Cramer and Sen. John Hoeven), highlighting the broad support for the Center’s continued impact.
U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., sent his congratulations via video message to the UND Center for Innovation on the occasion of the Center’s 40th anniversary. Photo courtesy of UND Center for Innovation.
Whitney then offered some thoughts on the impact and importance of the Center’s work.
“We know that 78% of the startups who began their journey with us are still operating,” she said. “This is a remarkable achievement, given that 90% of startups typically fail within their first five years. That enduring success fuels our vision for the future. …
“We aim to be a leading force of innovation in the Northern Plains,” Whitney continued. “Our commitment remains strong to ignite creativity, commercialize groundbreaking ideas, invest in entrepreneurs and foster applied learning as the University’s front door to the region’s innovation economy.”
Dave Tack, the evening’s emcee, took the stage to announce the premiere of a new video that describes the Center’s mission and offers testimonials from CFI clients & partners.
Tack then introduced Phil Gisi, chairman and CEO of Edgewood Healthcare and chair of the Center for Innovation Foundation Board. Gisi shared his experience as an entrepreneur and explained how resources such as the Center can be instrumental in launching a successful start-up.
Shawn Riley, co-founder of BisBlox, delivered the evening’s keynote presentation. Riley’s remarks challenged attendees to embrace rather than fear innovation, as the dynamic force is not only inevitable, but also needed to keep up with today’s rapidly evolving technological developments.
Thanks to technologies such as artificial intelligence, our society is doubling our knowledge every 12 hours, Riley suggested.
Following Riley’s presentation, attendees heard from students who have worked closely with the Center. For example, Mercedes Terry, CEO of MindMend BioTech, shared her journey as a researcher turned entrepreneur.
“What stands out most to me is not just the expertise or the resources they’ve shared. It’s the genuine investment the CFI team has made in our success,” she said.
“They don’t just do this because it’s part of their job. They do it because they are truly passionate about helping entrepreneurs succeed. And that is something incredibly special.”
Liam Meyer, an autonomous systems security Intern at Kirkwall, and Bella Peterson, a business development intern at RJ Energy Solutions, highlighted the experiences they gained through their time working with startups. Their stories brought to life the opportunities and impact of working for growing tech startups in North Dakota.
As the event concluded, DeAnna Carlson Zink, CEO of the UND Alumni Association and Foundation, called on participants to actively support the Center and its legacy. She asked participants to give of their time and talent through mentorship, or with their treasure through financial contributions to amplify the Center’s work to drive innovation and nurture the next generation of visionary leaders.
A creative highlight of the event were centerpieces throughout the rooms. The interactive, artistic creations were designed by Sarah Heitkamp, Hannah Bahlmann, Grant McMillan, Adrian Harrison, and Karin Reiterer from the UND Art Collections and the Chester Fritz Library.
The evening closed with celebration and connection, as attendees reflected on 40 years of innovation and looked forward to 40-plus more. As Whitney noted in her remarks, “Together, we will ignite creativity, advance bold ideas, build businesses, foster applied learning and drive innovation across the Northern Plains.
“The future is bright — and we’re just getting started.”
About the Author
Haylee Bjork is marketing outreach coordinator for the Center for Innovation at UND.
