Oklahoma Christian University

PROJECT PURPOSE

In attempting to help Oklahoma build back stronger from the economic downturn of the COVID-19 era, Oklahoma Christian University (OC) has purposed its student-run Entrepreneur Program at Oklahoma Christian to build and manage a technology-matching program from the public sector to the state?s aerospace industries. Named Tec Match, this program is unlike any other program in the state. Tec Match will simplify the process of transferring appropriate technology created by Tinker Air Force to the private business sector in the State of Oklahoma. Tec Match has an existing Educational Partnership Agreement with the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex (OKC-ALC). This relationship will enable Tec Match to have direct access to equipment, testing environments, and labor at the OKC-ALC. Tec Match will then use funds from this request create a recommendation engine to match to share information to guide private companies to a successful technology transfer process.

EVIDENCE

When aerospace companies are pursuing their R&D process, they confront several pain-points in their way, such as developing a sustainable supply chain, government regulations, and more. These customers often contact ORTAs (The Office of Research and Technology Applications) to develop collaborative interactions with industry, academia, and other government entities. The ORTAs are helpful but the technology transfer can be slow, often involving manual searches and unsupervised. Technology customers deserve a better way to make the technology transfer. By joining the Tec Match network, customers will have a consulting-guided process where the industry?s needs, problems, expectations are known and covered.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

Oklahoma County to date has had 197,000 cases and 2364 deaths due to COVID-19. Tulsa County to date has had 170,000 cases and 2120 deaths due to COVID-19. This makes these two states the hardest hit and deadliest counties in the State of Oklahoma which saw 1,030,000 cases to date. The rate of infection/1.0 million people was 246,306 in Oklahoma County compared to 241,865 nationally. The rate in Tulsa is even higher at 259,649/million.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

After the renovation and software build-out are each completed, the Tec Match lab will be fully functional. The process for measuring the project?s performance will include such metrics as clients enrolled, consulting hours billed, earnings and the value of the technology transferred. The data will be collected monthly during the term of the grant and also thereafter.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma