SSTI Digest

While Silicon Valley lost jobs last year — the first decline since 1992 — value added per employee, a measure of productivity, increased 4.6 percent to $170,000 compared to $56,000 nationally, according to the Index of Silicon Valley 2002 released in January by Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network.



The above figures and other economic data contained in the Index measure annual progress toward the long-term goals of an innovative economy, livable environment, inclusive society and regional stewardship established by Joint Venture in Silicon Valley 2010.



The Index suggests that while the Valley faces short-term economic challenges, its long-term prospects remain strong, given continuing innovation and productivity gains. Important progress also is being made on long-term goals.

Last week, Governor Gray Davis announced the award of three grants to support the creation of new Regional Technology Alliances (RTA) for the Inland Empire, San Joaquin Valley, and Sacramento/Capital regions. The three new non-profit organizations join existing RTAs in Los Angeles, San Diego and the San Francisco Bay area to provide decentralized business support services for innovative, California-based technology firms.



Because the RTAs are designed by the tech community within the particular service area, each RTA offers regionally-customized approaches to technical assistance, securing financing, and other business support.



The three new RTAs, expected to open by May, will receive $200,000 in state matching grants from the California Technology Investment Partnership (CalTIP). The RTA and CalTIP programs are administered by the California Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency's Division of Science, Technology and Innovation.

The San Diego Work Force Partnership recently released four strategic plans as a blueprint to prepare San Diego's workforce to compete in the changing global economy. Initiated as part of a broader Regional Workforce Development Strategic Planning Initiative, the plans reflect the concerns of area businesses for developing and maintaining skilled workers.



San Diego Regional Technology Alliance, a nonprofit organization, and San Diego State University completed the plans, which evaluated workforce development trends in four local industry clusters — biosciences, computer and electronics, software and computer services, and visitor services.



To study and formulate recommendations for the clusters, the plans' focus was to identify cluster employers' current training needs, data needs for educators and employers, and strategies to improve ongoing communication between educators and employers.

The third part in a series, "Tech-talkin Govs" highlights programs, policies and issues in tech-based economic development that were considered in the following governors' State of the State and Budget addresses.



California

Gray Davis, 2002-2003 Budget proposal, January 2002

http://www.dof.ca.gov/HTML/Budget02-03/00_toc.htm

Community Science Workshops (CSW) are spreading nationwide, due to a second $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that will enable San Francisco State University (SFSU) and its partners to create CSWs across the U.S.

CSWs, or informal drop-in science centers, were first given life four years ago when SFSU received its initial $3 million grant from NSF. Being self-supported through community partnerships, CSWs spread in 10 underserved California communities in Fresno, San Jose, Los Angeles, Watsonville and Oakland and led to satellite workshops in neighboring communities.

Eight of 15 new sites will be launched in cities including Tucson, Miami, Houston, New Orleans, Detroit, Seattle, New York, and Washington, D.C., with at least one workshop located on or near a Native American reservation. These sites will serve as hubs for developing spinoff sites.

Innovation indices or S&T report cards can be useful tools for assessing the health and direction of a region or state's economy. The results can be helpful for determining appropriate policies and programs to affect change and measuring progress. Evolving over the past five years, many states, localities and national organizations have prepared indices. Links to past Digest articles covering these reports are massed on the following web page: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Indices/indices.htm

Fresno, California 

The Valley Angels Investment Network soon will be administered by San Joaquin Venture Partners, a venture capital fund created in June, and California State University, Fresno, according to a recent article published in the Fresno Bee. Already, the network has nearly 20 prospective angels and 20 service providers and is set to help IQ Biometrix, a computer software company. Next to the Sierra Angels, the Sacramento Angels, the North Bay Angels, and the Tech Coast Angels, the network stands to be one of several such groups in California. Investors interested in becoming angels must have a net worth of $1 million or more or have earned at least $200,000 in each of the past two years. More information is available at: http://www.sjvp.org 

Atlanta, Georgia 

A task force for the biotech industry is underway in the metro Atlanta region. The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce announced the task force would be co-chaired by Dr. Michael Johns, executive vice president for health affairs and director of the health sciences center at Emory University, and Parker Petit, chairman, president and CEO of Matria Healthcare. With business and academic leaders, public health organizations and researchers, the task force is meeting monthly to develop a long-range strategy and five-year business plan to position the region as a center for biotech innovation, capital, talent and business. Implementation of the Atlanta region strategy is expected to begin later in 2002.