Breeding Grounds: University research and support jump-start Montana companies.

In the last decade, 30 startups have spun off from technology patented by Montana State University (MSU) http://www.montana.edu alone, which has a prestigious national reputation for tech transfer.

“The university wants to partner with businesses to help them succeed as well as provide outlets for our graduates. We really believe in this, and I think that is why there are probably as many as 200 high-tech companies in Bozeman,” said Rebecca Mahurin, director of the MSU Technology Transfer Office http://tto.montana.edu/ .

These firms also benefit from the business assistance resources available through the university as well as Tech Ranch http://www.techranch.org which is located in the adjacent Advanced Technology Park.

About 60 percent of the 163 licenses held by MSU are with Montana companies. The businesses range in size from LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals http://www.ligocyte.com , which licenses seven MSU technologies to niche companies like SensoPath Technologies http://www.sensopath.com , with one MSU license and three employees.

BY KRISTINE ELLIS

Full Story: http://www.matr.net/files/MTBusTech09summer.pdf