Grand Park Launches R&D Hub

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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe city of Westfield and the Grand Park Sports Campus have launched the Grand Park Research & Development HUB. The city says the HUB will serve as a center of innovation for entrepreneurs, businesses and universities that are developing new technologies, services and research projects related to the sports tourism industry.
“Grand Park is the largest sports complex of its kind in the country,” said Westfield Mayor Andy Cook. “There is no better place for ideas, technologies and research opportunities around sport to be originated, vetted and eventually launched into the marketplace.”
According to the city, the HUB will accept business and research partners focused on the areas of professional, youth and recreational sports clubs and teams, accredited universities and educators, national governing bodies and local hospitality and sports tourism partners.
“Our goal is for the HUB to use our 400 acres for advancing every aspect of sport,” said Grand Park Director William Knox. “With the proliferation of competitive and recreational sports, there is opportunity to innovate in the areas of safety, technology, marketing, nutrition and understanding. Youth sports, specifically, is now a $19 billion industry. We can play a part in making it safer and more accessible.”
The HUB has two key tracts, commercial innovation and development, and institutional research. In the area of commercial innovation and development, the city says its Phase 1 partners include Spotz, Sport Aware, RefReps and ZoneIn.
“Whether focus groups are needed to vet an initial concept, a product is in its beta testing phase, qualitative and quantitative data needs to be aggregated or if there is an opportunity to take a product or service to the next level, the HUB will accommodate all iterations of research and development,” said Jessi Stas, partner coordinator for the Grand Park Research and Development HUB.
The city says the HUB will also be a center for institutional research. The IUPUI Sports Innovation Institute is the first partner university working with the HUB. Along with research projects, the HUB will develop educational and internship opportunities at the high school, college and post-graduate levels.
You can connect to more information about the HUB and its partner organizations by clicking here.