The Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) is a state agency created in 1983 to foster the development of Hawaii's technology industry.[1]
| HTDC | |
| Formation | 1983 |
|---|---|
| Website | http://www.htdc.org/ |
Formerly called | High Technology Development Corporation |
Naming
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
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
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
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]