Approximately 80 university, industry and community partners gathered last week at EngineWorks on Montana State University’s Innovation Campus to celebrate the building’s opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Speakers at the Sept. 18 event included Mark Sharpe, executor director of the MSU Innovation Campus; Alison Harmon, MSU vice president of research and economic development; Bozeman Mayor Terry Cunningham; Brit Fontenot, director of economic development with the city of Bozeman; Julia Mortier, community manager of EngineWorks; and Adam Friedman, head of business development and leasing with Charter Realty.
“You will not find another building like this anywhere in the state of Montana,” Sharpe said. “As executor director of the MSU Innovation Campus, I am honored to be part of this great work.”
The 87,000-square-foot EngineWorks building was designed to offer dynamic community and office spaces where innovation, collaboration and growth can come together. It features 61,000 square feet of customizable workspaces for long-term tenants and 26,000 square feet of common spaces, such as conference and huddle rooms, kitchens, event space, outdoor gathering areas and more.
Fontenot praised those involved in the building.
“What makes a building special is the people who populate it and who brought it to fruition,” he said. “This project is proof of what the right partners can do together. I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished together.”
Tenants in the EngineWorks building on the MSU Innovation Campus include QCORE, an interdisciplinary MSU research facility dedicated to the study of quantum computing; Resilient Computing, an MSU spinout company that develops radiation-tolerant computer technology for use in space; Reveal, which builds defense technology products that accelerate human decisions through artificial intelligence; Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance, a nonprofit serving as a hub for Montana’s optics, photonics and quantum companies; and a Defense Innovation Unit OnRamp Hub, which works with companies and universities to rapidly field technologies for national defense.
Project partners include Charter Realty and Development, Martel Construction, A&E: Architecture and Design, SterlingCMG and MT Contracting.
Cunningham recognized that it has been “a long glide path for this Innovation Campus to take hold” and thanked everyone involved for their contributions.
“They’re the reason we’re now taking flight,” he said.
The MSU Innovation Campus aims to create opportunities for companies to collaborate with MSU research, faculty and students, while helping those companies grow and raising Montana’s profile as national leader in entrepreneurship and innovation.
Harmon said she was thrilled to be celebrating the opening.
“This is an exciting night,” she said. “I have been to many events already in this space, which to me says our vision for connecting research and industry and student opportunities is taking hold. … We’re hungry for spaces like this. And as we cut the ribbon tonight … I just want to say this is one of the most exciting things happening at MSU. This is just the beginning.”