Penn State's Innovation Park has partnered with local chambers of industry to give students an incentive to stay in Pennsylvania after graduation and to create new regional businesses.

Innovation Park has become part of the I-99 Innovation Corridor, a Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ) based in Centre, Blair and Bedford counties, that will promote state economic growth.

Trudy Mitchell, I-99 Innovation Corridor coordinator, said the largest grant given to technology-based developing business in a KIZ is $250,000, but each site has to match the grant money.

She said the grant lasts for four years, with the amount decreasing until the fifth year, when the site must be financially self-sufficient.

Neil Weaver, of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, said the KIZs are meant to stimulate the economy by creating a co-op of industries near Pennsylvania universities.

Mitchell said the I-99 Corridor's KIZ status was approved in December.

Weaver said Gov. Ed Rendell originally signed the bill approving the project last April.

There are no new businesses partnered with the KIZ at Innovation Park, but Innovation Park director Karen Dickinson said the program is becoming functional. The program would create companies to add regional jobs, and it would provide internship opportunities for students. She added that plans are being made for the specific technology-based industries that will define the I-99 Innovation Corridor KIZ.

Mitchell said Penn State's expertise in advanced material sciences, life sciences and information sciences and technology will be vital to the I-99 Corridor KIZ's success.

Henry Foley, assistant vice president for research, said that the state economy directly affects Penn State's economy, and that it is important to keep skilled college graduates in the state.

Some students said a KIZ might persuade them to stay past graduation.

"I haven't really thought as far ahead to say whether I would leave the state for a job, but the KIZs sure do present a great incentive to do so," Kyle Druckenmiller (junior-information sciences and technology) said.

Greg Reese (junior-information sciences and technology) said keeping graduates in Pennsylvania would attract more technology-based industries and bring students more employment opportunities.

Weaver said there are currently 12 approved zones in Pennsylvania and there will eventually be 25 total KIZs in place across the state.