News
Business incubator makes move
The Montana Business Incubator has moved into newly remodeled offices on the first
floor of the Montana State University-Billings College of Business.
By MARY PICKETT
Of The Gazette staff
Work on the incubator offices and renovation of space on the second floor or the
College of Business is being done through a $1.2-million federal economic-development grant from the
Veterans Administration and Housing and Urban Development.
More than half of the first floor of the north wing of the building has been turned into incubator offices to
allow it to move from temporary quarters in Cisel Hall on campus.
The space had been offices when the structure was a commercial office building.
The incubator is funded by NASA and managed by the Big Sky Economic Development Authority and
MSU-Billings.
The incubator helps new technology businesses with legal, financial, marketing and accounting advice and
office support. The incubator also helps new businesses tap into the latest information from hundreds of
government research and development labs, such as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., said
Paul Green, MBI executive director.
In addition to administrative offices, the remodeled facility has large and small conference rooms equipped
with multi-media systems connected to computers and the Internet.
The site also has also five offices for incubator clients. One is occupied by the Osteo Northwest, a medical
prosthesis company started by Mike Rose.
If there is a demand for more offices, the university will provide them, Green said.
Four other clients also use the incubator services but not offices, including a business using biofeedback
to treat attention-deficit disorder, a desk top publisher that builds custom day planners for athletes and a
business organizing consignment children’s clothing sales.
For $150 a month, clients get incubator services such as advice on how to do books, legal advice at
reduced rates and access to fax, computers and other office equipment. They also pay $9 a square foot – the
going market rate – for rent on offices if they use one.
The companies have a contract with the incubator and a lease with the university for office space.
"The university has been incredible in its support, and Dr. Sexton has gone out of his way to get things
done for the incubator," Green said.
The incubator is looking for innovative companies in medicine, agriculture and energy, the three strengths
of the local economy.
"Small businesses are the only wealth-creating entities in the state," he said.
Since starting in November, the incubator has helped 70 businesses, Green said.
One of the best aspects of the program is that it is on a college campus.
Students learn can learn a practical application of what they learn in class by working with incubator clients.
Student work-study and internship programs are being developed.
"Hallways become a conduit for learning for students and clients," Green said.
Students in the future may even develop their own businesses and use incubator down stairs, said Scott
Harris, interim dean of the College of Business.
"It’s a real opportunity for expanded learning," Harris said. "I’m excited about having them over here."
Now that the incubator, the business school and the Center for Applied Economic Research are in the
same building, "we have an A-to-Z shop to educate students and serve community," Harris said.
Remodeling of the second floor of the north wing includes an annex to the College of Business bookstore
with computer work stations for students.
One large carpeted classroom has room for 30 to 40 more computer stations and state-of- art equipment
that can connect students and teachers to the Internet.
Two smaller classrooms, four faculty offices and a small conference room also are part of the renovation.
Mary Pickett can be reached at 657-1262 or at [email protected]
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Open house set
The Montana Business Incubator will have an open house in its newly remodeled facility on the first
floor of the Montana State University-Billings College of Business.
The site is across Poly Drive from the university’s parking garage.
The open house will be 10 a.m.-4 p.m. June 21.
A day-long conference on how to tap into grants to develop agriculture innovations will be July 2 in
the newly remodeled facility.
William Goldner, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Small Business Innovative
Research program, will speak.
The conference is free. For information, call the Montana Business Incubator at 657-2138.
Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises
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