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If technology incubators really are successful in producing healthy technology companies that can sustain themselves and grow, South Jersey could look like Silicon Valley in a few years.
The area has four technology incubators and the construction of a fifth appears likely. Meanwhile, Rowan University in Glassboro has received $6 million from the state to aid in the construction of a technology center on its campus, and that may include an incubator, too.
Much of this is the doing of the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology, which was allocated $10 million to spend last year and this year to increase the number of incubators in the state.
"Incubators, all around the world, are a proven model for economic development," said John Tessoriero, the commission's executive director.
"Depending on who you talk to, it's the lowest cost-perjob-created when you compare all other public investments in job-creation strategies," he said.
The two incubators up and running are in the Camden facility of L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. and on the Mount Laurel campus of Burlington County College.
The first is part of Drexel University's Project ACIN, an acronym for Applied Communications and Information Networking. Drexel has received $10.84 million from the Defense Department for the project.
Tom Fagan, the Drexel professor who is the general manager of the program, said it came about due to the effort of Rep. Rob Andrews (D.-N.J.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee.
"He saw...