March 31, 2011 12:00:00 am

Innovation center’s clients created 93 jobs

By Tommy Wood

BOULDER — Clients of the Boulder Innovation Center created 93 new jobs and reported revenue of $51.7 million in 2010, according to a report released Monday by the nonprofit business incubator based in Boulder.

The incubator surveyed more than 50 client companies it has worked with in the last five years to come up with the job and revenue information. Those companies are operating in six areas: clean technology/alternative energy, bioscience, general engineering, natural and organic, information technology software and aerospace, said Tim Bour, the incubator’s executive director.

Since 2006, those companies have created a total of 342 new jobs, paid $52.8 million in wages and raised $52.6 million in new capital, according to the report. New capital included money from so-called “angel” investors, venture capital investors, lines of credit and other funds, Bour said.

“We’re really proud of the job creation,” Bour said. “You can’t go a day without hearing about the need for jobs. We’re at ground zero for job creation in the area.”

Separately, the incubator has helped create six companies in the last three years that commercialize research from the University of Colorado and the Colorado School of Mines, Bour said. He declined to name the companies.

The incubator’s $250,000 annual budget pays for its three and a half staff. Funding comes from universities, the city of Boulder, the Boulder Chamber, other sponsors and the companies themselves. Some 900 volunteer advisers also work with the incubator and potential new companies. The incubator operates out of donated space at the Boulder offices of Ehrhardt, Keefe, Steiner & Hottman PC, or EKS&H, an accounting and business consulting firm.

“We have worked with companies like Justin’s (Nut Butter in Boulder) and others that have emerged as leaders in the industry,” Bour said. “Say a company wants to expand into Whole Foods — we surround them with people who have scaled up food companies.”

In addition, client companies and alumni companies leased almost 144,000 square feet of commercial space in Boulder County, according to the report.

For a list of the BIC’s client companies visit online at http://www.boulderinnovationcenter.com/BABPClients.html.