Oklahoma Venture Forum Newsletter

Developing a community’s economic base is no doubt a full-time job. In Norman, it’s a task left to the professionals that make up the Norman Economic Development Coalition (NEDC). Since 1996, this visionary group has created a landscape in Norman that is attracting new companies, growing established businesses, and is planting the seed for the city’s bright and promising financial future.

NEDC is unique because of the partnerships formed to create this organization. The group is combined effort of th ecity of Norman, the University of Oklahoma, and the Norman Business community, which each segment contributing one-third of the NEDC annual budget.

"The three groups have worked on this form of economic development for the last 10 years," says Ross Robinson, director of technology development for the NEDC. "It turns out to be quite, if not absolutely rare."

The coalition keeps everyone in Norman business loop involved and invested in the community’s happenings when it comes to growing and keeping business. And growing and keeping business is what NEDC is all about.

“Broadly speaking, we focus on two major aspects,” say Robinson. “One is the eternal quest for people and companies to move to Norman, and at the same time, we are spending lots of effort helping entrepreneurs start business here. Those two matters are very important to us. Of course, there’s always the third element- helping businesses that are already here stay and grow.”

Located just south of Oklahoma City and directly off the heavily trafficked I-35, the bustling community of nearly 110,000 folks has a population that has been steadily increasing since 1970 when the numbers topped out around 50,000 residents. Now, with over double the population, businesses are looking to Norman when it comes to moving or beginning their operations.

Of recent note is the relocation of Albon Engineering, an English company that is constructing a 200,000 square foot plant for building precision automobile parts; Immuno-Mycologics, formerly based in Washington, Oklahoma, will bring their bioscience operations to Norman; and the former Saxon Publishing Company headquarters will be the new home of Software Development Technologies (SDT), a software testing company that provides services for Fortune 500 companies across the country.

Norman faces a unique challenge when it comes to attracting new companies because the city does not provide tax incentives for location or relocation- something many other towns rely upon for recruitment. What the city does offer, however, is a place made for new ventures- the eTec Business Accelerator.

Perhaps the biggest boon to beginning businesses, the eTec Business Accelerator is 10,000 square foot, entrepreneurial incubator that houses up to a dozen fledgling companies looking to grow in the Norman arena, the business accelerator has proven to be an important aspect of economic development in Norman.

“Basically, it provides a place where you can start a business,” says Robinson.
Primarily an office building, the incubator focuses on technology-based businesses and offers advantages that many new companies would normally not have, including square footage, a fully-equipped conference room, as well as mail and copy services. More importantly, the space provides an environment that enables success for a start-up company.

“There’s always benefit from being in a place where other people are doing something similar,” says Robinson.

Examples of the current tenants include; Ekips Technologies, a medical laser technology company, Atmospheric Technology Services Company (ATSC), a weather data sites; and Online Medsource, a web-based record service for doctors and patients.
The weather-related companies illustrate a key factor when it comes to businesses in Norman-the impact of the nearby University of Oklahoma.

“The university is an important resource,” says Robinson “Many businesses derive directly from professors’ expertise and we find that a number of the people coming into the incubator are graduates who have gone out into the world, done things, and now realize that they want to start a business of their own.”

In addition, says Robinson, the University of Oklahoma offers stellar research facilities, seminars, and ready access to talented graduates that can bee in high demand-particularly those from the schools of engineering science, and business.

Overall, Norman offers everything new or existing businesses could want in a location. That point, says Robinson, is what NEDC is trying to convey, “It’s a good community to be in,” says Robinson. “We want companies to grow so that they become part of the economic development of Norman.”

For more information on the Norman Economic Development Coalition, call (405) 573-1900 or visit their website at www.nedcok.com.

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