SSTI Digest

The amount of time a technology-based economic development (TBED) professional can spend out of the office for professional development is limited. So are travel funds. That's why SSTI packs so much into its annual conference — already the largest event in the country dedicated to improving state, local and regional TBED efforts. And the premier conference for the field keeps growing. Since the agenda was printed, one session and additional speakers have been added to the October 2-3 event in Dearborn, Michigan (see below). Building Tech-based Economies: From Policy to Practice is two full days with more than 30 breakout and plenary sessions specifically tailored to meet the professional development needs of those interested in TBED. The updated conference agenda and speaker bios are available on SSTI's website: http://www.ssti.org/conference02.htm [expired] How Did They Do It? Few new TBED initiatives have generated as much discussion and surprise across the country as New York's July announcement regarding the $400-million Sematech North (see the July 19 issue of the SSTI…

Gary Woodbury, president and CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan for the past 15 years, has announced he will retire in June 2003.

Recognizing the potential economic impact of biotech, nearly every state, most colleges and dozens of communities are developing programs to build bio-based economies. Everyone wants a piece of what may be the guiding field for industrial transformation over the next several decades. Is there enough bio for everyone? What strategies work for building bio-based economies? What approaches are states and localities taking, and what's working? The answers to these key questions can't be covered in an hour. As a result, SSTI's first one-day educational workshop, Growing Your Own: Building Blocks for Bio-based Economies, will focus on how to support and nurture a strong life science industry. The event will be held October 1 in Dearborn, Michigan, immediately preceding SSTI's 6th Annual Conference. Registration at the full conference is not required to attend Growing Your Own: Building Blocks for Bio-based Economies. SSTI has assembled a crack team for the day, giving participants intensive preparation for how their state, community, university, incubator, or program can better position…

A review of recent grant announcements from across the country reveals the growing importance the Economic Development Administration (EDA) places on supporting technology-based economic development projects. EDA's emphasis on technology-led economic development is expected to be the focus of  a keynote address delivered by Dr. David Sampson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development and EDA head, at SSTI's Sixth Annual Conference this October 2-3. EDA — which since 1965 has provided assistance to generate jobs, help retain existing jobs, and stimulate industrial and commercial growth in economically-distressed areas — has historically concentrated funding on traditional economic development projects focused on public works and infrastructure. EDA has been working to shift more resources toward tech-based approaches to building wealth and securing higher-wage jobs for rural and urban areas. A sampling from the latest rounds of grants reflects this shift: $1.5 million for construction of a 40,000 sq. ft. information technology business incubator in the…

With more than 30 sessions and keynote addresses by Michigan Governor John Engler and U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development David Sampson, SSTI's Sixth Annual Conference promises to be the year's best and most comprehensive conference on tech-based economic development. Building Tech-Based Economies: From Policy to Practice will be held October 2-3, 2002 in Dearborn, Michigan, with pre-conference activities on October 1. Sessions focus on a variety of topics, including: universities roles' in building tech-based economies, including the spin-off of companies and commercialization of technology, strategies to involve all areas in a tech-based economy, including rural areas, changing approaches to making capital available for tech companies, evaluating the success of tech-based economic development programs, and building support for investing in science and technology. The conference will have a unique blend of three types of sessions: best practices, policy, and roundtable discussion. For the first time, four roundtable discussions will permit a free…

Earlier this week, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the Michigan Business Roundtable released a benchmarking study that used 140 indicators across seven areas to compare the state's competitiveness with 17 other states. Entitled Benchmarks for the Next Michigan: Measuring Our Competitiveness, the study reveals Michigan ranks 2nd among Midwest/northern states and 9th in terms of overall competitiveness. Colorado, Texas, Minnesota, Virginia and California are the top five states overall. Using a Competitiveness Foundations Web Model developed by SRI International, the study reveals that high business costs continue to be Michigan's greatest competitive weakness, ranking 42nd of all 50 states. According to the report, the states included in the analysis were selected by the following criteria: States where innovative economic development organizations operate state-of-the-art business attraction and assistance initiatives; States with high growth in innovative, technology-based New Economy industries; States strong in the industry clusters that Michigan is…

Bob Filka, vice president of strategic initiatives for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, is leaving to become chief operating officer of the Michigan Broadband Authority Board. William Rosenberg will become the new board's first director.

Michigan Governor John Engler on Thursday unveiled NextEnergy— a comprehensive economic development plan to make Michigan a leader in the research, development, commercialization and manufacture of alternative energy technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells. Gov. Engler's energy blueprint proposes the creation of a 700-acre, tax-free NextEnergyZone in York Township near Ann Arbor, building the NextEnergy Center there and attracting alternative energy companies from around the world to the zone, making it a cluster of energy innovation. Surrounded by fuel cell vehicles at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Gov. Engler announced his plan would help reduce America's dependence on foreign oil, improve the environment and strengthen the economy. He said he would work with the Michigan Legislature and Congress to fund the plan and would establish a Michigan NextEnergy Development Fund to leverage additional capital for industry expansion. The market for fuel cell products alone is expected to grow to an estimated $95 billion by 2010…

Michigan Governor John Engler recently signed Senate Bills 880, 881 and 999 to help make high-speed Internet connections available and affordable to consumers across the state. Almost unanimously approved in the Michigan House and Senate, the Governor’s broadband initiative was supported by a coalition of more than 50 statewide associations, local groups and companies. The bills are as follows: SB 880 creates a statewide right-of-way authority, eliminating excessive fees and permit delays and leveling the field for all service providers. The bills also shield phone customers from rate increases. SB 881 creates a broadband finance authority that will provide low interest loans to expand broadband access in areas across the state that are underserved. SB 999 provides tax credits to telecommunications providers who invest in new broadband infrastructure and provides, upon certification of the state Public Service Commission, for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for right-of-way fees paid under SB 880. The broadband initiative should have a significant impact on the Michigan economy, according to…

With one of the country's largest concentration of industrial and academic scientists and engineers, it is only fitting that Michigan hosts SSTI's Sixth Annual Conference, October 2-3, 2002. Led by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC), Michigan has consistently been among the leading states for implementing innovative programs and policies to create tech-based economies: the life sciences corridor and billion biotech investment, automation alley, fuel cell commercialization, broadband deployment, university tech transfer, and the list goes on. MEDC, the host sponsor for SSTI's 2002 conference, is itself a product of innovative thinking in 1999 that privatized most of the state's economic development and worker training programs. More information about MEDC's tech initiatives can be learned by visiting its website: http://www.michigan.org About SSTI's 6th Annual Conference SSTI's annual conference has become the premier event nationally for the tech-based economic development community. Focusing on practical tools and policies for fostering economic…

Lincoln, Nebraska Mayor Don Wesely's Technology Council has proposed to end the competition between Lincoln and Omaha for educational and economic resources, favoring a collaboration geared toward economic development, the Associated Press recently reported. The collaboration is expected to create new technology industries and help lessen the struggle for development in territory in and among the cities. Lincoln's strength, the presence of the University of  Nebraska-Lincoln, traditionally has been pitted against that of Omaha — venture capital and telecommunication infrastructure. Pontiac, Michigan Mayor Willie Payne recently announced the sale of $33 million in Tax Increment Financing Authority bonds to finance development at the former site of a state hospital, according to the Associated Press. The bonds, which include $10.2 million to purchase the former Clinton Valley Center, will make way for the Pontiac Oakland Tech Center technology park. Expected to yield millions of tax dollars, new residents and jobs, the $350 million project includes…

A new report showing that Michigan is performing at the level of the national average in tech transfer recently was released by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan. An Assessment of Technology Transfer at Michigan’s Public Universities holds that Michigan is an improving top-tier commercialization state, using statistics and measurements to create benchmarks in the areas of tech transfer and entrepreneurial activity. The benchmarks are used to compare the performance of Michigan universities with other universities nationwide. As a state, Michigan fares well in the amount of sponsored research funding, with the University of Michigan ranking fourth nationally, according to the report. Overall, Michigan universities in 1999 were below average in new start-up companies created from university research, but preliminary data for 2000 shows improvement in the number of start-ups. In addition to the above findings, the report identifies four areas in university research where improvements could…