Enkia is now an ATDC member company with offices at 10th Street in Atlanta. Additional economic benefits to Georgia can result from licensing the technology developed by FRCP projects. For example, Dr. Charles Yang's project to develop and commercialize a patented non-formaldehyde durable press process has contributed significant licensing revenue to the University of Georgia, where he continues his research and development career. In addition, Dr. Yang's industry partners are local companies, so their market success boosts the economy of Georgia. Thus, he is able to take advantage of rapid growth in the 3-D video capability of PCs in future commercialization efforts.
Commercialization is fundamentally about collaboration toward common goals.
Successful FRCP projects include a set of interrelated activities that move a project through a gateway between a research environment and a commercialization environment. In particular, FRCP recipients are encouraged to devote as much attention to understanding and approaching their markets and to creating strategic business plans as they do to the technical aspects of their projects. By viewing FRCP project leaders as entrepreneurs and providing many of the same consulting services and connections that early-stage ATDC member companies receive, ATDC's objective is to support the continued momentum of each project through its course and well beyond its year of FRCP support. Both the FRCP Candidate Self-Screening Checklist and the FRCP Request for Proposal drive applicants to concentrate on the business and market potential for the products that have emerged or will emerge from their applied research. The handful of applicants that obtain FRCP funding each fiscal year confer regularly with ATDC consultants, which helps maintain focus on commercialization strategies and the challenges of an emerging business organization.