To promote the economic well-being of its citizens, the general court finds it desirable to establish an innovation research center at the University of New Hampshire for the purpose of providing a mechanism to promote applied and basic scientific, engineering, and associated marketing research and technological transfer to support the New Hampshire industrial and business community. This center shall foster cooperative industry and university research partnerships to increase the pace of innovation technology developments that expand the New Hampshire economy, increase the number and quality of jobs in New Hampshire, and cause New Hampshire to be more competitive in the world economy. The center shall become the foremost advocate in the state for applied science and technology, bridging the gap between industry and academia by the judicious application of “innovation investment” competitive contract awards and other developmental support to the New Hampshire business community. The center shall seek to expand the available “innovation investment” funds by leveraging center talent and the available grant money provided by the legislature to pursue and capture federal and other appropriate funds to increase the pace of innovation and job creation in New Hampshire.