Two start-up companies — MedAutomate Diagnostics, a biomedical company, and Solar Logic, an alternative energy company — have opened offices at UNT’s Discovery Park, creating public-private partnerships that will lead to groundbreaking new technologies and provide a boost to the region's economy and technology sector.

The companies are collaborating with UNT professors and students to bring about innovations in medicine and energy.

“We believe these two companies will be the first of many to provide opportunities for faculty and students, as well as jobs for our region,” says Harold Strong, director of Discovery Park and technology transfer. "Our vision is for Discovery Park to be a major economic player in North Texas."

Located four miles north of the main campus, Discovery Park promotes an entrepreneurial atmosphere and encourages the development and commercialization of new, cutting-edge ideas. Discovery Park also houses UNT's College of Engineering and College of Information. Bringing together academic laboratories, offices and classrooms distinguishes Discovery Park from others and maximizes the potential for creativity, collaboration and technology innovation.

UNT provides the infrastructure, services and networking possibilities for developing and existing companies to locate and grow. In turn, faculty will have opportunities to collaborate with companies to pursue federal grants and other funding, and students will have job and internship opportunities.

UNT generates about $1.5 billion annually in the north Texas region, and UNT officials are predicting that number will only grow as Discovery Park adds new tenants and companies prosper.