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Hawaii Technology Development Corporation

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Hawaii Technology Development Corporation
HTDC
Formation1983; 41 years ago (1983)
Websitehttp://www.htdc.org/
Formerly called
High Technology Development Corporation

The Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) is a state agency created in 1983 to foster the development of Hawaii's technology industry.[1]

Naming

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The HTDC was established as the High Technology Development Corporation in 1983,[2] but renamed in 2017 to more accurately describe its mission.[3]

Responsibilities

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The HTDC is in charge of Hawaii's Small Business Innovation and Research (SIBR) grants which provides funding to develop new technology that was started in 1988.[1][4]

History

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In May 2019, the HTDC partnered with BoxJelly to build the Entrepreneurs Sandbox, a co-working and entrepreneurship hub in Honolulu.[5]

In January 2019, Len Higashi was named acting director after Robbie Melton stepped down from her almost five-year tenure as director and CEO.[6]

In 2018, the HTDC lost ~$800,000 of income when the Manoa Innovation Center went back under control of University of Hawaii.[6]

The Cyber Security and First Responder Tech Park

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In 2017, the HTDC faced criticism for its plans to build a 150-acre industrial park focused on first-responders called the Cyber Security and First Responder Tech Park.[7] The plans for the park allocated the Hawaii Office of Enterprise Technology Services about 4 percent of the park's total built area and about 5 percent for the HTDC itself.[7] The park, which is to be built near an NSA office, is the brainchild of Hawaii Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Hawaii on leading edge of states which offer matching grant programs, says HTDC's Robbie Melton". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2020-08-14.
  2. ^ "Act 152, Session Laws of Hawaii 1983" (PDF). wwww.capitol.hawaii.gov. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  3. ^ "Act 69, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017" (PDF). wwww.capitol.hawaii.gov. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  4. ^ "Three questions with Len Higashi of Hawaii Technology Development Center". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2020-08-14.
  5. ^ "The Entrepreneurs Sandbox provides co-working hub". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2020-08-14.
  6. ^ a b "Robbie Melton leaves HTDC for Kauai County Office of Economic Development". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2020-08-14.
  7. ^ a b "Why Is A High-Tech Agency Building A Center For Cops And Rescue…". Honolulu Civil Beat. 2017-07-17. Retrieved 2020-08-14.
  8. ^ "Cyber Spies Are Quietly Boosting Hawaii's High Tech Economy". Honolulu Civil Beat. 2020-01-06. Retrieved 2020-08-14.