The eighth firm to graduate in the short history of the Florida/NASA Business Incubation Center (FNBIC), Command and Control Technologies (CCT) provides high technology computer products and system development services to the commercial and government aerospace market. The keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony was KSC's Associate Director for Advanced Development & Shuttle Upgrades JoAnn Morgan.

"I love seeing this [success] because anytime a person or group has an idea for a company, can take the idea, find customers and turn it into a success - this is what our country is about, having the freedom to do that," said Morgan.

"And the success of the FNBIC is good for NASA because it creates entrepreneurial spirit, another partner in the space community and growth in the community."

Established in 1996, FNBIC is managed through a joint partnership of Florida's Technological Research and Development Authority, NASA Kennedy Space Center and Brevard Community College (BCC).

The center nurtures and helps accelerate the success of technology-based, small businesses in Brevard County. Tenants must be technology product oriented or be commercializing a NASA technology.

Located on BCC's Titusville, FL campus, FNBIC provides affordable space and shared office equipment and services, thereby reducing many of the costs associated with establishing and operating a small business.

FNBIC also provides access to a business network of professionals, including bankers, lawyers and accountants, who provide free consultation on the issues surrounding the launch of a business.

In addition, they provide access to many NASA and other technologically based resources that help each tenant grow and prosper.

In the past three years, FNBIC has graduated seven firms, with products or technologies ranging from professional services, auto shop and repair software, to daycare software to monitor children at the daycare center from home or office.

CCT joined the Incubator as a visionary, three-man company in February 1997. The co-founders had worked together for 15 years at McDonnell Douglas and decided to launch their own high-tech, small business via the FNBIC.

Now three years later, CCT boasts 20 employees and a 350 percent increase in sales from the launch of the company. They currently have approximately 25 proposals out in the market, which could ultimately mean hiring 15-20 more employees by the end of the year.

Among its successes, CCT adapted a spacecraft ground-processing program known as the Control Monitor Unit for use in the commercial sector. CCT markets the technology under the name Command and Control ToolkitTM.

CCT has assisted in upgrading the Space Shuttle launch control system. NASA and CCT are using the technology for creating new Space Shuttle checkout and launching products and procedures.

And CCT looks to long-term commercial use of the Toolkit, such as its use to design a low-cost spaceport control system for the operational launch facility in Alaska. Other possible uses are the remote monitoring of mobile operations, such as offshore oil platforms, and remote land operations.

"Being an Incubator tenant opened many doors for us with local economic development organizations, various contractors and divisions within KSC, who truly wanted to see us succeed," said Kevin Brown, vice president of business development for CCT.

Brown has become a crusader for the program, telling anyone who is thinking of launching a high-tech business "to give these guys a try. With the resources that the FNBIC provides, it is absolutely worth it," he said.

Along with CCT, FNBIC currently has seven other tenants plus four off-site businesses that use some of the resources available at the center.

Florida/NASA Business Incubation Center

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
Space

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News

SPACEDAILY

Satellite Launch To Boost DTH In India
Calcutta, India (SPX) Dec 28, 2005
The successful launch Thursday of India's heaviest satellite from spaceport of Kourou in French Guyana may have boosted the country's space research efforts to yet another level, but it has also lifted the spirits of at least three Direct-To-Home televisions broadcasters, one of which has been waiting for years to launch its services in India.