In the August 20, 2008 Issue:

Copyright State Science & Technology Institute 2008. Redistribution to all others interested in tech-based economic development is strongly encouraged. Please cite the State Science & Technology Institute whenever portions are reproduced or redirected.

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How Does TBED Make the Most Significant Difference for Our Regional Economies?
State, regional and university technology-based economic development (TBED) is at a crossroads. Many initiatives are celebrating major chronologic milestones at the same time new TBED elements – such as incubators, grant programs, research parks, and equity funds – are popping up almost daily in more and more communities and universities.
 
Still a rapidly growing field, TBED practitioners and stakeholders are asking, “Where do we go from here?” The economy is changing ­ so are the challenges facing scientists, technologists, innovators and entrepreneurs. To stay ahead, every element of a regional innovation support system must become smarter and more efficient.
 
But how? We will have answers at SSTI’s 12th Annual Conference this fall. Our most complete conference yet, the premiere professional development experience for the community of organizations promoting innovation and entrepreneurship keeps getting better! Just look:

All of the excitement takes place Oct. 14-16, 2008, at the InterContinental Hotel and Conference Center Cleveland, situated on the campus of the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
 
Few states can match the sustained commitment to technology-based economic development Ohio has, making the Buckeye State the perfect backdrop for SSTI’s 12th Annual Conference. We can go a step further and say Northeast Ohio’s continuing collaborative inventiveness and success capitalizing on its industrial capacity and knowledge assets lent us the theme for this year’s premiere event for TBED community, Encouraging Regional Innovation. For more than 25 years, Ohio has been leveraging its technology strengths to grow and increase future economic opportunities. Innovative policies and programs at the state and local levels have spurred research, development and commercialization activities, as well as business and job growth and creation.
 
More information, including a registration form, is available at http://www.ssticonference.org/.

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Unmatched Value in SSTI Conference Agenda
Each year, SSTI members assemble timely, relevant session topics offering practical information with lessons that can be directly applied to issues currently facing the TBED community. Rest assured that when you return from the conference, you will be equipped with fresh ideas to tackle your organization’s most pressing needs. SSTI uses a two-stage survey process during the summer months to develop the conference agenda, rather than having the agenda set by invitation or call for papers many months in advance. Given the breadth and diversity of interests and perspectives among SSTI’s membership, the slate of sessions is assured to offer more than one topic of interest for nearly every component of the TBED community. 
 
Back by popular demand this year, SSTI is offering two full- and two half-day pre-conference sessions. This is your opportunity to learn what is working across the country to transform regional economies through science, technology and innovation. A separate registration fee is required to attend the pre-conference sessions.
 
New to this year’s conference agenda are four highly interactive plenary and semi-plenary sessions dedicated to exploring the future look of TBED. We’ll use instant audience polling, a relaxed interview format and active audience participation to explore some of the biggest challenges facing the economic development field, the role of higher education in regional innovation, calls for action to develop and support a federal TBED agenda, and a perennial favorite, "Trends: What’s Next for TBED?".
 
Accompanying the pre-conference and interactive sessions are the more intimate breakout sessions. Led by seasoned professionals in the TBED community, these sessions will explore topics focusing on open innovation, building the high-tech workforce, fostering entrepreneurship, and alternative sources to financing TBED initiatives, to name a few. The following is a list of the sessions. Full descriptions and lists of speakers are available online at: http://www.ssticonference.org/Conf08/schedule.htm
 
Full-day Pre-conference Workshop Options:

Half-day Pre-conference Workshop Options: Main Conference Sessions:

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Keynote Speaker Addresses Successful VC Investments Made Anywhere
Keeping with the underlying theme of "Where Does TBED Go from Here?" for SSTI's 12th Annual Conference, David Wilhelm, founder and President of Woodland Venture Management, will provide the keynote address on the topic of making successful VC investments anywhere.

Woodland Venture Management is a company dedicated to the proposition that entrepreneurial vision and managerial talent may be found anywhere, including the hills of central Appalachia and the prairies of the Midwest. To this end, Mr. Wilhelm launched Adena Ventures and Hopewell Ventures, with a combined $140 million under management, bringing investment capital to high-growth companies situated in these underserved regions of the country. Today, these VC funds have invested millions of dollars in companies located in communities such as Marquette, Mich.; Nelsonville, Ohio; Charleston, W.Va.; and Lansing, Ill., creating hundreds of jobs for the people who live there and the prospect of strong returns for the investors that backed the basic Woodland premise: The flip side of a capital gap is a market opportunity!
 
Earlier in his career, Mr. Wilhelm led a number of enterprises that could easily be categorized as the ultimate start-ups: political campaigns. He was the national manager of the 1992 presidential campaign of then-Governor Bill Clinton and has served in similar capacities for Mayor Richard Daley, Senator Joe Biden, and the late Senator Paul Simon.

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Highlighting TBED Successes Through Poster Hall of Fame, Excellence in TBED Awards
SSTI will be holding its first poster session dedicated entirely to celebrating why states, regions, universities and related organizations engage in TBED. Our goal is to have the best achievements in the field on display as posters at the conference. Each poster will profile a real success story providing hard evidence of how TBED investments are sustaining the nation’s position as a global leader for innovation and competitiveness – one local or regional project at a time. Poster session information can be found at: http://www.ssticonference.org/Conf08/posters.htm
 
Join us for the Presentation of the 2008 Excellence in TBED Awards, Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 1:10 p.m. in The Founder’s Ballroom. The second annual awards ceremony promises an exhilarating showcase of best practices across six categories. The celebration continues post ceremony with dedicated breakout sessions during the conference when six innovative organizations will reveal their secrets to success in presentations sure to inspire. For more information on the Excellence in TBED Awards, visit: http://www.ssti.org/Awards/overview.htm
 
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Cleveland Rocks! Opening Reception Kicks Off at Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame
Join fellow SSTI conference attendees for an opening reception at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland. Just like the music it pays homage to, inside and out, the Rock Hall exudes coolness. In addition to celebrating the opening of SSTI’s annual conference, we will be joined by Ohio Lt. Governor Lee Fisher, director of the Ohio Department of Development to mark the 25th anniversary of Ohio’s Thomas Edison Program and the state’s sustained investment in a broader set of TBED strategies and programs.
 
The opening reception promises to be a wonderful pre-conference opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and network with conference attendees, speakers, and our local hosts over delicious cuisine, drinks, and light music. The opening reception is made possible by the support of more than a dozen Ohio TBED organizations.

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Experience the Beauty of Fall in Cleveland
Crisp, clean air, blue waters and autumn leaves are just a few reasons why fall is the best time to visit Northeast Ohio. Cleveland was ranked as the number one “Most Livable City” in the U.S. by the Economist in 2005, primarily because it has all the benefits of a major city without sacrificing quality of life. Cleveland+ is home to major research institutions and healthcare organizations; major league sports teams; world-class cultural institutions; and great museums and entertainment attractions. Also considered an up-and-coming food destination, Cleveland offers some of the best, elegant, unique and casual fare around. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to network and meet a few new friends over dinner. SSTI is organizing a dine-around Cleveland with small group reservations being held at several exclusive establishments around the city. Sign up at the conference registration desk. More information on Cleveland events is available at: http://www.ssticonference.org/Conf08/cleveland.htm

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What to Expect at an SSTI Annual Conference
SSTI conference “regulars” know that this event is the field’s most stimulating and rewarding professional development investment one can make. Each year’s agenda provides new perspectives and approaches to dealing with common problems, new issues and the latest trends and challenges facing your efforts to encourage regional innovation. You can expect:

This year, SSTI is adding even more elements, making it the most complete and complex conference yet. You won’t want to miss out on our new networking, entertainment and wellness events:

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Partnerships: The Key to Success
SSTI’s 12th Annual Conference is made possible by the support of our lead host sponsor, NorTech, a team of Ohio co-hosts, and the generous support of our national conference sponsors. SSTI extends its appreciation and thanks to the following exemplary organizations serving as our national sponsors:

Descriptions of all local and national partners, including links to their individual websites for more information, are available at: http://www.ssticonference.org/Conf08/partners.htm
 
Looking for More Information?
The 32-page full color conference brochure is available for download as a PDF here: http://www.ssticonference.org/Conf08/brochure.pdf

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SSTI Job Corner
Complete descriptions of these opportunities and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.

The KTEC Pipeline is seeking a program director to work with its president to help sustain the KTEC Pipeline fellowship program and related entrepreneurial programming. This position assists the president in many areas, including cirriculum development, finanicial organization, program tracking, sponsorships, publications, alumini programming and outreach, mentor programming, and presenter/speaker recruitment. A bachelor’s degree and three years of experience in one of the following fields is required: entrepreneurial ventures, finance, program management, or public policy related to entrepreneurship or economic development.

The University of Missouri System is seeking someone to serve as assistant vice president for research and economic development. This position is responsible for promoting the commercialization of intellectual property and products of faculty discovery, innovation and development and working closely with the vice president for research and economic development to identify research results that can promote innovation and entrepreneurship. A bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing or a closely related discipline is required; an advanced science degree closely related to research is preferred.

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