Hoku receives $50 million from Tianwei loan to finance polysilicon plant
POSTED: Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 10:12 AM PTBY: IBR Staff
Tags: Hoku Scientific, manufacturing, Technology
Hoku Materials, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hoku Scientific, established to manufacture and sell polysilicon for the solar market, has received the second half of a $50 million loan for construction of its plant in Pocatello.
Dustin Shindo, chairman and chief executive officer of Hoku Scientific, stated in a release. “This is a big step in [...]
Seattle IT company plans Boise branch
POSTED: Monday, March 8, 2010 at 01:12 PM PTBY: IBR Staff
Tags: City of Boise, Northwest Computer Support, Technology
A Seattle-based IT support company is opening up a branch in Boise and hopes to become a long-term player in Idaho’s technology economy.
Northwest Computer Support plans a grand opening March 11 at the Microsoft offices in downtown Boise. Company employees will use the event as a chance to network with small businesses and possible [...]
Idaho looks to Utah for research expansion ideas 
POSTED: Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 10:46 AM PTBY: Zach Hagadone
Tags: Blackfin Technology, Boise State University, Idaho Innovation Council, Idaho Legislature, Idaho Technology Council, Jay Larsen, state of Idaho, University of Utah
Jay Larsen, president of the Idaho Technology Council, looks to Utah for an example of how the public and private sectors can partner for strong research outcomes.
He said R&D at the University of Utah last year spawned 20 new businesses, and since 2005 has spurred development of 83 - 78 of which are still in [...]
Knowledge/technology transfer key to growth
POSTED: Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 10:45 AM PTBY: Robb Hicken
Tags: Bob Kustra, Boise State University, Holland & Hart, Idaho Technology Council, Jack McIver, Mary Givens, University of Idaho
Speaking as one, representatives from universities in Idaho agreed there is a bottleneck in getting knowledge and technology out of the universities and into the hands of the private sector where it can be further researched, developed and commercialized.
“Research is an important part of not only knowledge discovery, but solutions to problems, and therefore, job [...]
State’s research future relies on best minds, equipment
POSTED: Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 04:36 PM PTBY: Zach Hagadone
Tags: Boise State University, Center for Advanced Energy Studies, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Technology Council, research, University of Idaho
When Harold Blackman, director of the Center for Advanced Energy Studies, thinks about the future direction of research, he thinks of a nighttime satellite photograph of earth.
The deep blue of the planet is shot through with tiny pinpoints of light - towns and cities stretched across the expanse, connected by the glowing strands of highways [...]
Moving beyond brick and mortar crucial to innovation
POSTED: Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 10:26 AM PTBY: Zach Hagadone
Idaho research and technology leaders agree that brick and mortar facilities are valuable to driving innovation, but if the equipment and minds that reside within them don’t have a clear focus, they can become “expensive boondoggles,” according to Jack McIver, VP of Research at the University of Idaho.
“You can find the money, you can usually [...]
Leaders gaze into crystal ball of Idaho’s tech future
POSTED: Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 09:46 AM PTBY: Zach Hagadone
Tags: Blackfin Technology, Bob Kustra, Boise State University, Education, Idaho Technology Council, Technology, University of Idaho
When Boise State University President Bob Kustra recently made his case for a new research park, he said expanding and sharing “ideas, patents and concepts” is essential to the growth not only of Boise State, but the state as a whole.
He didn’t specifically say “technology” - an omission that Blackfin Technology President/CEO Jefferson Jewell thinks [...]
Nampa eyes Google high-speed Internet project
POSTED: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 06:51 PM PTBY: Brad Carlson
Tags: broadband, City of Nampa, Google, Internet, Qwest Communications
The city of Nampa is exploring the possibility of working with Google to bring very high-speed Internet into the community, and at least one Internet competitor has already weighed in on the long-term demands that could come from the increased broadband access.
Google announced recently it is looking for a community or communities to partner with [...]
Hoku Scientific chief steps down
POSTED: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 11:52 AM PTBY: Zach Hagadone
Tags: alternate energy, Hoku Scientific, Technology
Dustin Shindo, co-founder and CEO of Hoku Scientific, will step down from the company he’s helmed since 2001, even as it continues to struggle with financing for a planned $390 million polysilicon production facility in Pocatello.
Effective April 1, Hoku Chief Operating Office Scott Paul will take Shindo’s place as president and CEO, and Wei Xia, [...]
Analysts give thumbs-up to Micron acquisition
POSTED: Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 02:11 PM PTBY: Zach Hagadone
Tags: Intel, Jim Handy, memory chips, Micron Technology, Numonyx, STMicroelectronics
Analysts cheered but investors demurred following Micron Technology’s announcement on Feb. 9 that it would acquire Swiss memory chip maker Numonyx Holdings BV.
News of the deal, an all-stock transaction valued at about $1.27 billion, sent Micron share values down 6.3 percent to close at $8.51 on Feb. 10. Feb. 11, however, saw a slight rebound [...]
