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Embry-Riddle Invests $1 Million In Tech Startup Accelerator

The John Mica Engineering and Aerospace Innovation Complex, also known as 'MicaPlex.' Photo: Embry-Riddle
The John Mica Engineering and Aerospace Innovation Complex, also known as 'MicaPlex.' Photo: Embry-Riddle

The Daytona Beach aeronautical university Embry-Riddle is giving $1 million to FireSpring Fund, a non-profit tech-company accelerator, to help develop a research park on the campus.

FireSpring Fund helps young tech companies start, grow and stay in Central Florida. It will take applications from companies later this month, and offer initial investments of $25,000 with additional funding support up to $250,000.

Embry-Riddle’s Senior Vice President of Administration Rodney Cruise hopes the investment will help build the research park’s ecosystem.

"Two of the keys is talent is access to talent and capital," said Cruise. "This million dollars provides the access to capital, we already have the talent."

The research park near Embry Riddle hosts collaborative work spaces, tech labs and support services to help tech companies thrive in Volusia County.

The cornerstone building of the park, called the MicaPlex, will house business mentors for the FireSpring recipients.

Brendan Byrne is WMFE's Assistant News Director, managing the day-to-day operations of the WMFE newsroom, editing daily news stories, and managing WMFE's internship program.

Byrne also hosts WMFE's weekly radio show and podcast "Are We There Yet?" which explores human space exploration.