The Commercialization Center for Innovative Technologies (CCIT) is a major incubation facility in the US catering to companies from the life science and biotechnology industries. The facility is located in New Brunswick on the campus of the Technology Center of New Jersey, a science park with nearly 400,000ft² of research and laboratory facilities housed in four independent buildings.
The facility operates through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s Strategic Partner Advantage Network (SPAN).
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In June 2010, the facility was designated as a Soft Landings Incubator by the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA). In 2008, CCIT became the first incubator in New Jersey to obtain this distinction. Soft Landing, launched in 2005, is a recognition awarded to incubators that have been successful in assisting international companies entering the US market. This recognition has been earned by only 15 out of 5,000 incubators worldwide.
The CCIT offers the maximum number of incubation wet labs in New Jersey. The project was launched in 2002 with 20,000ft² of space. An expansion in 2005 extended the facility by 26,000ft², and added 10 wet labs, customised conference facilities and space for administrative activities. Prominent tenants at CCIT include Chromocell Corp, 3D Biotek, Orthocon, Neurotez, Accelalox and CSPC Dophen Corporation.
Facility
The 46,000ft² facility is built on a 50-acre site and accommodates administration, production and laboratory areas. It includes plug-in ready wet and dry laboratories totaling 6,000ft². Each lab varies between 800ft² and 1,000ft² in size.
The labs have optimal interdependent designs and are installed with a fully adjustable modular lab casework system. The equipment area features 120V/208V electric receptacles. Multiple communication outlets are equipped to provide LAN service, T-1 lines and voice over IP system, interconnecting workstations, printers and servers.
All lab units are temperature controlled and use once through 100% outside air HVAC system. Each lab unit includes six inch flammable storage chemical fume hood base cabinets. One secured storage unit and one private office are also available.
The facility also houses shared facilities including conference rooms, office equipment, autoclaves, audio and visual presentation equipment and safety showers. There is a break room with dining facilities, and a shipping and receiving zone. An additional 20,000ft² of incubator space is rented out to multiple tenants.
CCIT Soft Landing services
The facility leases lab space to suitable start up companies and small businesses that are not more than five years old and have the potential to contribute towards the growth and diversification of New Jersey’s economic base.
The CCIT assists non-domestic companies with customised incubation services throughout the phases of their business cycle.
On a fee-for–use basis, the facility provides a host of services including onsite managerial and financial consulting, technology commercialization planning, links to small business development resources, and access to the network of service providers as well as to the facilities, services and research programs of universities.
Through collaboration with Rutgers University, CCIT facilitates resource sharing between the university researchers and the tenant companies.
Tenant companies are also assisted in the areas of government contracting, grants and finance. Companies secure funds for pre-proof to concept research as part of the Edison Innovation Commercialization programme.
As part of the Edison Innovation Growth Fund, companies can obtain up to $1m in funds for commercialisation projects reaching proof of concept stage.
Companies can also obtain up to $5m in loans and raise funds through a tax certificate transfer programme. The tax certificate transfer programme allows companies to sell their tax credits to other companies. Assistance is also available in areas of accounting, regulatory compliance, clinical development, human resources, insurance, law and marketing.
