SSTI Digest

By a narrow margin, Ohio voters on Tuesday rejected a constitutional amendment that would have permitted the state to issue up to $500 million in bonds over 10 years to fund technology-based economic development projects. Defeated 51 percent to 49 percent, Issue 1 would have made up the final component of Gov. Bob Taft's proposed 10-year, $1.6 billion Third Frontier project. The remaining $1.1 billion is unaffected by Tuesday's vote. Bond proceeds could have been used for research and development purposes, new product development and commercialization, capital formation, operating costs, and support for public and private institutions of higher education, research organizations and private companies. It would have permitted direct investment in companies by state government. In a state that has rejected only three bond issues in the last 26 years, Governor Taft speculated that the weak economy did the measure in. Political analysts cite other reasons why the measure was rejected, some of which may be helpful to others pursuing public votes for similar projects: The perception the measure…

Looking to launch a biotech initiative? Getting into commercializing university research? Are tight budgets leading to more rigorous program evaluation? Even if you are simply wanting to help your community understand the importance of technology, any of these efforts should get easier with the 12 new titles added to Resources for Building Tech-based Economies, SSTI's publications catalog. A three-page supplement of the new titles is now available on the SSTI website and, combined with the full catalog, more than 125 great resources can help make your programs more effective and your job more rewarding. As always, SSTI sponsors and affiliates receive a 10 percent discount on all purchases. Both the new titles supplement and complete catalog are available online as PDF documents at: http://www.ssti.org/Publications/publications.htm

Julian Manly Earls is the new director of the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.

Team Northeast Ohio has picked Texan Robert Farley for its first executive director.

Dan Lohymeyer has stepped down as president of Ohio's IT Alliance.

The new executive director of the Center for Regional Economic Issues is Edward Morrison.

The SSTI Weekly Digest will be taking a brief summer break and will resume publication on Friday, August 22.

Ohio Governor Bob Taft today signed into law Am. Sub. House Bill 1, putting into place the newest components of his Third Frontier Project to foster tech-based economic development (TBED) and growth in Ohio. The law creates incentives for businesses to invest in Ohio companies as they commercialize research coming out of private, public and university labs. Among its key provisions, the act: Establishes the Research and Development Investment Fund to help Ohio attract and construct research and development facilities. This revolving loan fund, capitalized with $50 million beginning in FY 2005, will provide low-interest loans to companies that relocate to or expand in Ohio. The act also grants tax credits equal to a recipient's loan payments for the research and development project. Creates the Ohio Research Commercialization Grant Program to help finance commercialization and pilot production of technologies resulting from the federal SBIR, STTR, ATP and other federal cooperative technology programs. And, Expands the Technology Investment Tax Credit Program by…

With preparations for SSTI's 7th Annual Conference on October 20-22 well underway, we have received many questions from local, regional and state organizations wanting to host the premier event for the tech-based economic development profession in 2004. Because of the increased interest, SSTI has bumped up its schedule for selecting the 2004 site. We are accepting nominations of host organizations and locations for SSTI's 8th Annual Conference until July 11, 2003. Held in late September or October each year, SSTI’s annual two-and-a-half day event attracts approximately 300 participants from more than 40 states and several countries. The conference is especially designed for those engaged in tech-based economic development on the local, regional, state or national level. To be the host organization or location for SSTI's conference is to showcase nationally and internationally the success of your state, region or community tech-based economic development efforts. Specific benefits include: Minimal or no travel expenses incurred for conference attendees from your selected state.…

SSTI is declaring its independence from publishing an issue of the SSTI Weekly Digest on July 4. The Digest will resume on July 11.

With the state's current fiscal year winding down and a $1 billion deficit looming for the next one, Ohio has re-emphasized its commitment to building a stronger economic future through research and technology with a series of multi-million grant announcement over the past three weeks. Part of Governor Bob Taft's Third Frontier Project, the state has competitively awarded nearly $20 million to each of the first three Wright Centers of Innovation. The centers program represents a $500 million, 10-year capital fund to support the construction and furbishing of an unspecified number of research and commercialization facilities associated with the state's academic research community. The first project designated a Wright Center for Innovation received a $9.1 million grant for research and development toward creation of an ultra-high field MRI scanner. Research partners include Ohio State University and Case Western Reserve University; commercial partners are two Cleveland-area companies. The state is investing an additional $8 million into the project through the Biomedical Research and…

Kenneth Alfred will become the first executive director for the new Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition.