SSTI Digest

Voters in more than 30 states will go to the polls to choose a governor later this year. For TBED professionals, gubernatorial elections can mean uncertainty. Will the next administration put economic development and technology on the agenda? Will the new governor support existing agencies and programs, or will he/she introduce new initiatives? What will happen to the budget for TBED programs? We know you have questions. That's why SSTI's 14th Annual Conference will feature leaders who can speak with unparalleled authority about the view from the governor's mansion and what it takes to create and sustain successful statewide initiatives. SSTI is honored to have three of Pennsylvania's governors for a plenary session in which they can share their perspectives and experiences. They are: The Hon. Edward Rendell, Governor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania The Hon. Tom Ridge, President and CEO, Ridge Global LLC The Hon. Dick Thornburgh, Counsel, K&L Gates LLP Pennsylvania has long been a national model for state and regional economic efforts. Much of this success has been due to three decades of governors who have seen the connection between science, technology,…

What are the steps in building a successful regional alliance? How can my region benefit from the Obama Administration's vision for innovation? Where should I look for funding now with state budgets so tight? These questions are probably similar to questions that you are facing in this tough fiscal climate. SSTI's annual conference allows you to structure your conference experience around the most vital issues for accelerating your region's innovation successfully. A new addition to the 2010 conference allows you better tailor your conference experience to resolve your questions! At the 2010 conference, there will be six thematic "tracks" to cover the most pressing concerns of the TBED community. The tracks for the 2010 conference include: Federal: An understanding of where the federal government is heading on innovation and how you can tap into it Capital: Proven ideas for increasing tech companies' access to capital Commercialization & Entrepreneurship: New perspectives and approaches for commercializing technology and encouraging entrepreneurship Universities:…

Andre Pettigrew, the director of the Denver Office of Economic Development, will become the first executive director of Climate Prosperity Inc., a Washington, D.C., climate-change think tank. LaCharles Keesee, the city's deputy chief financial officer, will assume an interim role as head of the city's economic development department until a final replacement is named. The Ohio Development of Department has named Karen Shauri director of the Small Business Development Centers of Ohio. Terri Shelton, director of the University of North Carolina Greensboro Center for Youth, Family, and Community Partnerships has been named the vice chancellor for research and economic development. Leslie Wisner-Lynch has been named interim president and CEO of the Tennessee Technology Development Corp. The appointment, which is for a one-year period, follows the recent resignation of former TTDC president and CEO Eric Cromwell. Steve Zimmer has been appointed executive director of the United States Council for Automotive Research LLC. He succeeds retiring USCAR executive director Don Walkowicz.

Sponsorship opportunities are designed to help your organization build awareness and develop beneficial relationships with the nation's top state and regional tech-based economic development decisionmakers. You can join with our great sponsors already onboard to take advantage of this powerful networking and outreach opportunity by contacting Noelle Sheets, SSTI director of membership services, at sheets@ssti.org or 614.901.1690. Please contact SSTI as soon as possible to request the 2010 sponsorship benefit information, as all national sponsorship opportunities are on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline for inclusion in the conference brochure is June 30. SSTI's 14th Annual Conference, Accelerating Innovation: The Road Ahead for Tech-based Economic Development will be held Sept. 14-16 in Pittsburgh. SSTI would like to thank our current National Sponsors:   Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Innovation Works Greater Oklahoma City Chamber Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer Lytmos Group, Inc. NIST's Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program NIST's Technology Innovation Program United…

 JumpStart Inc. invites applications for the position of president, JumpStart Advisors. This is an exciting opportunity for a business leader who has significant experience in providing direct consulting services, as well as managing multiple consulting project teams, and would like to lead a nationally significant effort that has the promise to transform the way regions think about their innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

A nationally recognized nonprofit organization creating economic transformation in Northeast Ohio, JumpStart Inc. provides resources to entrepreneurs leading high potential, early-stage companies. JumpStart CEO Ray Leach discusses how the organization has successfully partnered with regional organizations and philanthropic institutions to achieve its tremendous success. Download the interview ...

"It is just as important to tell the community and your stakeholders what you are doing as it is doing it." - Ray Leach Click here to listen to SSTI's Interview with Ray Leach of JumpStart SSTI has an effective new learning tool for TBED policymakers and practitioners seeking guidance in approaches to building and sustaining tech-based economies. Through exclusive interviews with Excellence in TBED Award recipients, find out first-hand how these award-winning initiatives successfully responded to a critical need by applying innovative approaches to generate substantial economic gains for their region. 2009 Winner for the Increasing Access to Capital category Established in 2004, JumpStart is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization creating economic transformation in Northeast Ohio by securing and providing resources to entrepreneurs leading high potential, early-stage companies. JumpStart's primary service is providing entrepreneurs with intensive entrepreneurial assistance in order to help them rapidly achieve the key milestones of growth, such as raising capital and creating globally-sustainable jobs.…

On Tuesday, voters approved a four-year, $700 million bond to extend funding for the Ohio Third Frontier initiative through 2016. Established in 2002, the initiative offers programs for emerging and established high-tech companies, including grants for pre-seed funding, research initiatives, product development and commercialization.  Read more about the program ...

CEOs and directors of some of the nation's most successful TBED organizations agree... SSTI's Excellence in TBED Award is great way to distinguish your initiative as a best practice and inform key stakeholders of your success. In today's economic climate, we know the importance of effectively communicating the value of your program, and having national recognition to back it up can give you a competitive edge. SSTI now is accepting applications for the 2010 Excellence in TBED Awards, and we want to hear your story. Deadline to apply is June 1. For more information, visit: www.ssti.org/Awards. Read what they're saying: "Innovation Works has won two SSTI best practice awards. Having a respected third-party organization like SSTI recognize our programs as industry best-practices has been an invaluable tool in helping Innovation Works demonstrate the quality of our initiatives to key stakeholders. It has also proved helpful in our efforts to raise funds for our organization. I encourage other technology-based economic development organizations to consider applying to SSTI for a best practice award." - Rich Lunak, President & CEO, Innovation Works…

The TechColumbus TechStart Program supports and develops viable entrepreneurial companies from their earliest phase through their launch as significant economic contributors. SSTI's exclusive interview with Will Indest of TechColumbus digs deeper into the mechanics of the program to find out how the organization's impressive pipeline for entrepreneurs has led to the creation of high-wage jobs throughout the region. Download the interview ...

Now is the time to highlight your organization's impact and gain high-profile exposure as a recipient of SSTI's national award for excellence in technology-based economic development (TBED). Recipients of this coveted award are showcased as best practices throughout the TBED community and promoted for their exceptional achievements in approaches to building tech-based economies and demonstration of outstanding results. SSTI invites applications for the 2010 Excellence in TBED Awards in the following categories: Expanding the Research Capacity Commercializing Research Building Entrepreneurial Capacity Increasing Access to Capital Enhancing the Science & Technology Workforce Improving Competitiveness of Existing Industries   Award Selection Criteria The initiative must: Have specific and measurable outcomes; Serve as a model that can be replicated; Demonstrate effective partnerships and leadership; and, Illustrate effective approaches and stand out among others in its field.   Winners will be recognized during SSTI's 14th Annual Conference, Sept. 14-16…

Bryan Allinson has joined Ohio University as director of technology transfer. Martha Connolly, director of the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute Maryland Industrial Partnership program (MIPS) at the University of Maryland, was given the President's Award at the Greater Baltimore Committee's fifth annual Bioscience Awards ceremony. In 2007, the MIPS program received an SSTI Excellence in TBED Award in the Improving Competitiveness of Existing Industries Category. Stephen Cross has been selected as Georgia Tech's executive vice president for research. Cross has served as vice president and director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute since 2003. Tony Jeff has been selected as the Mississippi Technology Alliance's new president and CEO. Jeff previously served as vice president and chief operating officer and director of MTA's Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell tapped State Rep. Samuel Nixon to become Virginia's CIO. Nixon, who will take over April 5, becomes the third person to serve as state CIO in the past nine months, following George Coulter and Lem Stewart. OCTANe and the Orange County Venture Group…