Monday, July 28, 2014
Highlights plans for a Rhode Island Innovation Institute
PROVIDENCE – Joined by members of the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades, which recently endorsed her for governor, Gina laid out her vision for using the I-195 land to make Rhode Island a leader in manufacturing again. Explaining that manufacturing is coming back from China for the first time in decades, Gina is calling for a Rhode Island Innovation Institute so that our state becomes an innovation hub and attracts good advanced manufacturing jobs.
“In order to rebuild our economy, we have to start making things in Rhode Island again,” said Gina. “My strategy will be to take the good ideas coming out of our universities and colleges and turn them into products we manufacture here. We have a historic opportunity with this I-195 land and we have to get it right. Places like North Carolina, Ohio and New York are investing in innovation institutes, and we should as well.”
The Rhode Island Innovation Institute will be an applied research campus, focused on innovation in advanced manufacturing. The campuses will be created as a collaboration between universities and industry, designed to develop innovation in new manufacturing techniques and new products. The campus will put people to work in three phases:
- First, it will put people back to work right away in building the actual campuses.
- Second, it will employ people on the campuses themselves such as administrative staff, researchers and maintenance staff.
- Third, it will put people back to work in the businesses that get spun-off the institute and in the companies that use these innovations and advances to expand their business.
Click here to watch a quick animated video showing how it would work.
Click here to read Gina's plan.
