Florida Incubators to Attend Conference

Melbourne, Fla. – April 20, 2004 – The Technological Research and Development Authority (TRDA) will send three representatives from their statewide incubation programs to Atlanta, Georgia for a professional conference. Heidi Brandow, incubation network director for the Florida/NASA Business Incubation Center (FNBIC), Bonnie O’Regan, site administrator for FNBIC and Hilda Hall, site administrator for the Carrie P. Meek Center for Business will attend the 18th International Conference on Business Incubation, April 25-28.

Sponsored by the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA), the event will provide industry insight from national incubation professionals on developing and managing an incubation program and serving incubator clients. In addition to informational sessions and roundtable discussions, attendees will be given the opportunity to tour Atlanta-area incubators including Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technology Development Center and the Intelligent Systems Incubator.

“At a time where our economy is relying on small businesses to grow and prosper, incubation programs have become a huge part of their success,” says Brandow. “This conference will allow us to further study the incubation model to effectively support entrepreneurial development.”

NBIA is the world's leading organization advancing business incubation and entrepreneurship. It provides thousands of professionals with the information, education, advocacy and networking resources to bring excellence to the process of assisting early-stage companies worldwide. For more information visit www.nbia.org.

The Technological Research and Development Authority (TRDA), established by the Florida Legislature in 1987, delivers the successful and cost-effective transfer of cutting edge technologies to schools and small businesses throughout the State of Florida. Through strategic alliances with NASA, the federal government, the aerospace industry and state partners – including the Department of Education, Department of Energy and the Department of Community Affairs – TRDA is giving Floridians the edge to successfully compete in the new millennium. TRDA sponsors programs that enhance education, space research and economic development within the state.