The director of development services shall administer the following programs:

(A) The industrial technology and enterprise development grant program, to provide capital to acquire, construct, enlarge, improve, or equip and to sell, lease, exchange, and otherwise dispose of property, structures, equipment, and facilities within the state.

Such funding may be made to enterprises that propose to develop new products or technologies when the director finds all of the following factors to be present:

(1) The undertaking will benefit the people of the state by creating or preserving jobs and employment opportunities or improving the economic welfare of the people of the state, and promoting the development of new technology.

(2) There is reasonable assurance that the potential royalties to be derived from the sale of the product or process described in the proposal will be sufficient to repay the funding pursuant to sections 122.28 and 122.30 to 122.36 of the Revised Code and that, in making the agreement, as it relates to patents, copyrights, and other ownership rights, there is reasonable assurance that the resulting new technology will be utilized to the maximum extent possible in facilities located in Ohio.

(3) The technology and research to be undertaken will allow enterprises to compete more effectively in the marketplace. Grants of capital may be in such form and conditioned upon such terms as the director deems appropriate.

(B) The industrial technology and enterprise resources program to provide for the collection, dissemination, and exchange of information regarding equipment, facilities, and business planning consultation resources available in business, industry, and educational institutions and to establish methods by which small businesses may use available facilities and resources. The methods may include, but need not be limited to, leases reimbursing the educational institutions for their actual costs incurred in maintaining the facilities and agreements assigning royalties from development of successful products or processes through the use of the facilities and resources. The director shall operate this program in conjunction with the board of regents.

(C) The Thomas Alva Edison grant program to provide grants to foster research, development, or technology transfer efforts involving enterprises and educational institutions that will lead to the creation of jobs.

(1) Grants may be made to a nonprofit organization or a public or private educational institution, department, college, institute, faculty member, or other administrative subdivision or related entity of an educational institution when the director finds that the undertaking will benefit the people of the state by supporting research in advanced technology areas likely to improve the economic welfare of the people of the state through promoting the development of new commercial technology.

(2) Grants may be made in a form and conditioned upon terms as the director considers appropriate.

(3) Grants made under this program shall in all instances be in conjunction with a contribution to the project by a cooperating enterprise which maintains or proposes to maintain a relevant research, development, or manufacturing facility in the state, by a nonprofit organization, or by an educational institution or related entity; however, funding provided by an educational institution or related entity shall not be from general revenue funds appropriated by the Ohio general assembly. No grant made under this program shall exceed the contribution made by the cooperating enterprise, nonprofit organization, or educational institution or related entity. The director may consider cooperating contributions in the form of state of the art new equipment or in other forms provided the director determines that the contribution is essential to the successful implementation of the project. The director may adopt rules or guidelines for the valuation of contributions of equipment or other property.

(4) The director may determine fields of research from which grant applications will be accepted under this program.

Amended by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 49, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2017 (Vetoed).

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013 (Vetoed Provisions).

Effective Date: 09-26-1996 .