Mediacom Communications has been selected as the new data service provider for the Missouri Innovation Center, a non-profit business incubator focused on leveraging research & development produced in conjunction with the University of Missouri.

Through the relationship, Mediacom will provide a dedicated fiber connection to the facility and Gigabit data speeds.

In a statement Mediacom Business senior vice president Dan Templin said the agreement with the center is due in part to Mediacom’s Project Open Road, a program to proactively connect more businesses to its network and provide the level of broadband capacity that is critical for commercial and research facilities like the MIC.

“The Missouri Innovation Center is currently sharing a University of Missouri fiber feed with other university users, limiting bandwidth to incubator residents who are in need of higher capacity to power their business applications,” Templin said in a statement. “Mediacom Business’ Gigabit+ Fiber Solutions will provide the 1-Gig internet speeds to power next-level technology like precision agriculture, live augmented reality and other cloud-based services. Our network will deliver the dedicated, fast and private connection to the public internet that is critical for incubator residents.”
One beneficiary of the high-speed data connection is StoryUP, an incubator company that uses virtual reality technology to immerse users in stories and experiences that can produce specific brainwave patterns.

Stacey Button, Director of Economic Development for the City of Columbia, Missouri, and President of Regional Economic Development Inc., said in a statement the partnership between Mediacom Business and the Missouri Innovation Center will help entrepreneurs translate their new business ideas into high-growth businesses. “Mediacom Business has the high-capacity broadband tools that the MIC needs to help businesses grow and be successful, all for the benefit of this region and the state,” she added.