Urban redevelopment project

- 1 square mile in the center of Rock Hill

- 90+ acres & 750,000+ sq. ft. for redevelopment

Largest concentration of employment in York County (~5,500 jobs)

Employment focused: attraction, expansion and creation of businesses and talent

Knowledge economy focused: IT, communications, design, financial, science,

customer service, etc.

360º approach to knowledge

economy businesses & talent:

LOCAL TECHNOLOGY CULTURE

TAKING ROOT IN ROCK HILL

Social Design House

Revenflo

Insignia Group LLC

Span Enterprises

The Hive (educational IT incubator)

New World Media

MISSION STATEMENT

It is the mission of the Technology Incubator @ Knowledge Park to assist

entrepreneurs with the startup and launching of high-growth technology

companies that create knowledge economy jobs in the community.

ROLE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN START-UP

COMPANIES – OUR EXPERIENCE

TI Center experience is a likely microcosm of the local market

½ of our tech start-ups are either web-based or software

development firms

IT ASPECTS OF OUR TECH START-UPS

Some of our entrepreneurs:

Are high level IT professionals themselves

Need sophisticated IT support (ex., cloud data base management)

Have hired IT professionals while in incubation

Are in eventual need of an IT manager, director or CIO/CTO

BUILDING AN ENTREPRENEURIAL TECH CULTURE

THROUGH EVENTS

Educational Seminars

Entrepreneur Meet-Ups

Hackathon

PLANTING AN INNOVATION SEED: HACKATHON

24-hour programming event

10 individuals participated

A new mobile app was created, and a second one nearly

completed

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Technology focus will assist in attracting new

entrepreneurs and tech companies

Community interest in developing IT talent is

growing

Creating an innovation and talent pipeline

required for growing new jobs

QUESTIONS?

• First Gigabit Internet service available in the Upstate and Charlotte metro area

• Currently there are less than two dozen Gigabit communities in the country (more announced)

• 1 Gbps speeds are symmetric

• 85 times faster than standard broadband• $99.00 residential

• $299.00 business

• Great news for businesses who need to transmit very large data files (e.g., graphics, video, complex designs.)

• Will help draw high-tech and information technology jobs to our area.

What is Zipstream?

“It’s like they are building a 16-lane highway when there is a demand for only four at this point.”

Robert Atkinson, President Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

Highway Infrastructure

Ballantyne 1996 Ballantyne 2011

Kansas City

Chattanooga

Zipstream Service

• Initial deployment will be in downtown Rock Hill

• Dedicated fiber to each business• Electronics and optical splitters are located in main central

office

• GPON based• 1Gbps symmetric “best effort” data service• RF overlay for video, allowing removal of coax to businesses

• Start with a 1x32 split• Reduce split as bandwidth demands grow

Zipstream Area

• North side of Main Street

• End of May

• South Side of Main Street

• End of July?

• Bleachery property

• As it is developed

Zipstream – What’s Next?

• Introducing in select business parks in coming weeks

• Based upon fiber availability

• Designing a solution for all existing fiber-to-the-home neighborhoods

• 12,000 homes in York and Counties