SSTI Digest

Several common themes surrounding higher education have emerged as governors across the country unveil investment priorities for the upcoming fiscal year or biennium. In many states, governors have proposed more funding to increase affordability by freezing tuition or creating new scholarship funds. Support for expanding research capacity, technology-related infrastructure and job training in high-demand industries are some of the proposed measures aimed at competitiveness.   College Affordability Governors in several states are requesting additional funds for higher education in exchange for holding tuition steady. The FY15 budget outlined by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal proposes new funding streams to encourage more students to attend technical schools. For example, $5 million in new lottery funds would provide additional financial assistance above what is covered by the state’s HOPE scholarship for students pursuing in-demand certificates or training programs. A new Zell Miller grant also would be established to provide full tuition for students in technical schools who maintain a 3.5 grade point average, and the state’s traditional HOPE…

The second installment of SSTI’s Tech Talkin’ Govs series includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and Virginia. The first installment is available here. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley, State of the State Address, Jan. 14, 2014 “We must create greater opportunity for Alabamians to acquire the skills needed for higher-paying jobs. Companies are looking for and jobs are waiting for skilled workers. ... “... We will present legislation creating a Statewide Workforce Council of business and industry leaders who will advise educators and colleges on the workforce needs on the types of jobs needed in each region. “We will expand the number of Career Coaches. We will expand Dual Enrollment Programs, so that students may attend high school and a 2-year college at the same time. ... Once implemented, this program will improve high school graduation rates and increase the number of higher-skilled workers.” Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, State of the State Address, Jan. 13, 2014 "This year I am calling on the legislature…

Eager to attract investment and spur startup activity, city and state officials launched entrepreneurship programs, high-tech R&D centers, and sector-specific facilities as part of the innovation hub trend in 2013. Research suggests that cities and regions with strong, established tech sectors tend to produce more startups. For example, a white paper from the Kauffman Foundation found the recent adoption of entrepreneurship programs in many cities is more an indication of the underlying strength of the region and its base of talent on which those programs can build rather than a cause of startup activity. Using an appendix of the top metro areas by startup density in high-tech and ICT sectors for 1990 and 2010, the study examines the relative performance of the areas over the past 20 years in terms of high-tech entrepreneurship. Specifically, the author wanted to find out what areas saw the biggest increases or decreases in high-tech startup density, compare relative performance by different size MSAs, and discover whether or not the top metro areas identified for 2010 were the same as in 1990. Findings indicate many areas currently considered new startup…

On the heels of their big win last week in Portland, OR, SSTI’s 2013 Excellence in TBED award winners have announced more exciting news surrounding their programs’ impact and new initiatives to support regional growth strategies. This year’s winner for Most Promising TBED Initiative, ASU Entrepreneurship & Innovation Group (EIG), has attracted a new partner to expand on their model for entrepreneurial support by repurposing existing library space. The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center announced nearly $200,000 in grants for STEM education as they continue to improve the competitiveness of the life sciences sector, and in Utah, two impact reports have been released by partners of USTAR detailing progress made to expand research capacity. Gordon McConnell, Assistant Vice President for Innovationand Entrepreneurship at ASU The city of Phoenix soon may partner with the Alexandria Co-working Network, a program of ASU EIG, to turn another library into space for entrepreneurs. Called EUREKA spaces, these areas provide access to experienced mentors from ASU’s network alongside physical and digital access from the libraries. Classes taught…

Over the last week, several states have announced/passed new programs focused on increasing the capital available to spur small business growth and innovation. Officials from New Jersey announced the state's new angel tax credit will take effect July 1. In Arizona and Wisconsin two bills await gubernatorial approval that would rework the Arizona R&D tax credit program and establish a $75 million venture capital fund in Wisconsin. Meanwhile, the Minnesota state legislature did not approve an additional $5 million for its popular Small Business Investment Tax Credit. ArizonaIn Arizona, a bill (House Bill 2342) seeking to expand the state's research and development (R&D) tax credit awaits the signature of Gov. Jan Brewer. Administered by the Arizona Commerce Authority, the reform is intended to help small, innovative companies with little to no cash flow by providing a refund for R&D activities. To be eligible for the R&D credit, the company would have 150 or less employees and perform research and development in one of several target industries. In exchange for the refund, the state gets to discount its research and tax obligation by…

Sean Greene has joined the Case Foundation as entrepreneur in residence. Greene most recently served as associate administrator for Investment and special advisor for Innovation at the U.S. Small Business Administration. Jane Oates, assistant secretary for the Employment and Training Administration, which oversees the Job Corps program for the U.S. Department of Labor, has announced her resignation effective at the end of the month. Euan Robertson has been appointed president and COO of MaRS Discovery District. Robertson joins MaRS from the New York City Economic Development Corporation Doug Hockstad has been named the director of Tech Launch Arizona, the revitalized Office of Technology Transfer at the University of Arizona. Sudarsanam Suresh Babu has been named the 11th University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge National Laboratory Governor's Chair. Babu will serve as Governor's Chair for Advanced Manufacturing. He begins on July 1. Kalliat Vasaraj has been selected as Louisiana State University's vice chancellor of research and economic development.

NIST MEP has finalized cooperative agreements to create new MEP Centers in Arizona and Rhode Island. NIST is awarding $1 million to the Arizona Commerce Authority and $750,000 to the University of Rhode Island Research Foundation to serve small- and mid-sized manufacturers in their states. Read the release...

Two universities, the University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM) and the University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), are expanding or restructuring their economic development operations to improve commercialization of technology stemming from faculty research and the coordination and business development in their communities. The University of New Mexico's Science and Technology Corporation (STC) will assume economic development responsibilities for the university. The STC is a nonprofit organization that has managed the university's technology commercialization since 1994. In its new role, the STC will coordinate all university-related economic development operations. The STC will function as the innovation door between the academic community and the general public, including businesses, national laboratories like the Sandia National Laboratory and the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and public entities. The new scope of the STC is modeled on the Innovation Square in Gainesville, FL, which includes the Florida Innovation Hub, and will bring together university research and technology with private business. STC will interact with local businesses to determine the…

Measuring impact is critical to the success and sustainability of any economic development initiative, and as the national debate over fiscal austerity and taxpayer spending continues, TBED organizations can expect increased scrutiny and accountability for their investments. Amid growing skepticism from the public, lawmakers increasingly struggle with finding a balance for funding new efforts that may take awhile to pay off with more pressing state needs. This year, measures to encourage the creation or expansion of high-growth companies through the use of tax incentives have been unveiled in several states. At the same time, lawmakers in some states are pushing for greater disclosure requirements through transparency measures. SSTI has compiled pending and recently approved legislation below. Angel Tax CreditsTwo states, Kentucky and Missouri, will try again to pass angel investor tax credits that failed to garner enough support during last year's legislative sessions. Lawmakers in Kentucky want to extend an angel investor tax to individuals for investment in high-tech startups currently available only to companies (HB 280). The tax credit is capped at…

While election night's main focus was on the presidential race, the importance of ballot measures for states and metros is growing as public services and budgets are being severely trimmed. A recent article in The New Republic reports on a new trend where states are embracing ballot measures as a potential source of dedicated funds for targeted investments in regional economic growth and development. Aside from California Gov. Jerry Brown's victory in raising taxes on top earners to help fund education and balance the budget, most state measures to increase taxes were defeated by voters. This includes extending a one-cent sales tax increase in Arizona, a cigarette tax increase in Missouri and implementing a 1 percent sales tax increase in South Dakota — all of which were slated to fund education. Voters were more supportive of borrowing to invest in higher education infrastructure, but rejected measures to improve teacher standards and build new revenue streams for universities. The only energy issue on the ballot appeared in Michigan and failed to garner enough voter support. Measures to provide more state authority for providing economic…

As evidenced in the recent presidential debates and on the campaign trails, STEM teaching and learning is a national priority for maintaining global competiveness. Several universities and foundations have taken the lead, working with partners to design innovative learning tools and create research-based, professional development support for new math and science teachers. Recent examples of these initiatives include a partnership between Arizona State University and Battelle to develop new technologies to educate students, a $2 million grant to the University of Florida to establish better teaching methods, and an education initiative from the Verizon Foundation to accelerate the use of mobile technology in the classroom. ASU and Battelle Collaborate on New TechnologiesAs many educators have pointed out, STEM teaching and learning is maximized with a hands-on approach and state-of-the-art technology. Drawing on established resources and programming, Arizona State University (ASU) and Battelle will design, build and implement innovative learning tools such as video libraries and mobile apps that allow students and teachers to share knowledge using interactive…

The Obama administration announced winners of the Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge on Tuesday. The challenge — publicized earlier this year — is one of the key initiatives of the interagency Taskforce for the Advancement of Regional Innovation Clusters and is sponsored by a partnership between the U.S. Department of Commerce, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Departments of Energy and Labor, and the Small Business Administration. Winners include programs in AZ, CA, MI, OK, TN, NY, PA, and a WA and OR bi-state partnership, each receiving approximately $2 million in grants. See the complete list of challenge winners and their reward amounts here. This is the third in a series of multiagency Jobs and Innovation Accelerator challenges administered since 2011. Learn more...