UND Center for Innovation Foundation
The North Dakota/Minnesota EB-5 Regional Center’s designation is held by the UND Center for Innovation Foundation (Foundation), which was among the first entrepreneur outreach centers in the nation when formed in 1984. The Foundation provides assistance to entrepreneurs, developers, and students to launch new ventures, expand operations, commercialize new technologies, and secure access to capital from private and public sources. Over the past 30 years, the Foundation has fostered over 770 startups, which employs more than 7,000 people and have attracted over $140 million in investment. The Foundation’s mission is to maintain national leadership in entrepreneur outreach and education, and become the leader in tech entrepreneurship in rural America. It is through the Foundation’s expertise that the North Dakota/Minnesota EB-5 Regional Center is able to confidently identify and develop EB-5 investments opportunities. The Foundation’s goals include:
Grow entrepreneur ventures
Secure access to entrepreneur capital
Economic development
The Foundation has received 15 national awards for excellence in innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development. Since 2006, the Foundation has received four National Business Incubator Association “Soft Landings International Incubator” designations, one of only 25 incubators worldwide continuously proving itself as a business incubator that helps companies expand internationally.
Recent Awards
The UND Center for Innovation Foundation won two awards for its innovative work in the Increasing Access to Capital category. In 2013, the Foundation was awarded the Excellence in Technology-Based Economic Development Award from the State Science and Technology Institute for its work in managing the North Dakota/Minnesota EB-5 Regional Center. One year later, in 2014, the Foundation was named recipient for the National Business Incubation Association’s 2014 Incubator Innovation Award. The Foundation was given the honor for developing a unique and varied menu of capital options for entrepreneurs, including EB-5 foreign direct investment. “We work daily to make it easier for ventures to secure the funding their progress requires. Our work is a reflection of the commitment of the North Dakota public and private sectors to entrepreneurship and innovation and more specifically, to increasing the flow of capital in the region. We are delighted to be a leader nationally and to be a model for others to follow.” Bruce Gjovig, CEO
World Renowned Board Members
Chairman: Phil Gisi was raised on a farm near New Rockford, ND and is a 1982 graduate of the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Major in Accounting. Phil first served as the CFO for an oil field service and construction company, then spent 10 years working for St. Joseph’s/UniMed Medical Center in Minot, ND, where he was the Vice President/CFO and later President/CEO. Gisi is currently the majority owner and CEO of the Edgewood Group of Companies, and the President/CEO of Edgewood Real Estate Investment Trust, a company specializing in the ownership of senior housing facilities under the REIT ownership structure. He is also the Chair/CEO of SBG Energy Services LLC, a North Dakota-based oil field services company. Gisi serves as a board director of Tulsa, OK-based Cypress Energy Partners LP (NYSE:“CELP”), a community board member and Secretary of Altru Health Systems of Grand Forks, a board member of the University of North Dakota Alumni Association Foundation, and a member of the Alumni Advisory Council of UND’s School of Business and Public Administration. Phil and his wife, Patricia, have two children and live in Grand Forks, ND.
Trustee: Kristin Heck JD, MBA, has more than 10 years of experience managing and directing technical teams in the development of digital solutions. Ms. Heck contributes her technical expertise to product development, coordinating the development of new technology solutions with IT engineers, developers, and cloud architects, and ensuring timely solution delivery. Heck plays a vital and dynamic role within the Digital and Data Services team, leveraging her expertise to drive innovation and success.
Trustee: Sally Miskavige Vice President of Opp Construction