SSTI Digest

On March 12 from 1:00-5:00 p.m. in San Francisco, SSTI is co-hosting a meeting with officials from the Technology Innovation Program (TIP) and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) that we would encourage you or one of your colleagues to attend. TIP and MEP are two of the most market-driven programs operated by the federal government. Both programs have launched new investments and innovative services in the last year.

Registration and additional information is available at: http://www.ssti.org/tipreg/tipreg.htm.

As instructed by the White House Office of Management and Budget on Feb. 17, at least 25 of the federal agencies that received funding through the Recovery Act have created recovery webpages to allow easier access for potential grantees to the funding opportunities available through the act. In addition, OMB believes the sites will help keep the distribution process as transparent and trackable as possible. OMB also is maintaining a master recovery site, http://www.recovery.gov/ to monitor overall progress of the stimulus bill.

Links to 25 agency recovery websites are available at: http://www.recovery.gov/?q=content/agencies

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. Recently released podcasts include:

• Mike Cassidy of the Georgia Research Alliance discusses their Eminent Scholars program. The podcast is available at: http://www.ssti.org/media/cassidy.html.
• Sheryl Bryan of the Virginia Council on Advanced Technology Skills (VCATS) provides details on replicating the program in other states and regions. The podcast is available at: http://www.ssti.org/media/bryan.html

State governments are poised to play a vital role in the economic recovery through their use of federally-appropriated funds and through their internal policy responses to the global crisis. Several states are focusing on innovation as a means of recovery. Massachusetts and Maine both recently released the latest editions of their annual innovation indices. These annual publications have long helped to clarify trends in the innovation economy and provided assessment of their performance relative to other states. This year these indices take on new significance as state governments search for potential paths out of the economic crisis.

More than 50 research funding opportunities totaling more than $100 million were sent to SSTI Members this week in SSTI's Funding Supplement. This members-only electronic publication provides readers with application information, eligibility criteria and submission deadlines for hundreds of research and economic development funding opportunities offered by the federal government and others. Additional information about SSTI Membership is available at:  http://www.ssti.org/benefits.htm

By streamlining what has been perceived as a lengthy review process for university technology licensing deals, Oregon Attorney General John Kroger hopes to eliminate barriers between Oregon universities and entrepreneurs, thereby accelerating private sector job creation.

Unlike most other states, Oregon law mandates the state Department of Justice conduct a separate legal review for its larger technology transfer deals. Tony Green, spokesman for Attorney General John Kroger, said the perception that the process moves more slowly in Oregon was impeding the state's ability to make deals. The attorney general's office reviewed how other states handled their review process and met with representatives in the venture capital community and attorneys who represent private clients in technology transfer negotiations.

A recent Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) report ranks the U.S. last among 40 countries in progress toward creating an innovation-based economy over the past decade. The findings contradict several other studies that continue to depict the U.S. as the global leader in economic competitiveness. E-government, broadband, trade balance and corporate R&D were particularly weak areas for U.S. progress relative to other countries. ITIF warns that the U.S. economy will continue its decline in innovation unless federal policymakers recognize the need for a national innovation strategy.

First budgets for new presidential administrations are often delayed from their regular February release as new staff within the agencies and White House get settled. The first Bush budget proposal in 2001, for instance, was not released until the 2nd week of April. That contrasts sharply with the Obama Administration's initiation by fire into the federal budget process with introduction and passage of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act two weeks ago and the budget for the balance of the current fiscal year just passing the House last week and under consideration in the Senate this week. The Continuing Resolution presently keeping the federal government in business expires this Friday so some action must be taken by then. [Note: SSTI will release a special issue of the Digest when a 2009 budget becomes law.]

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.

Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholars® 2007 Winner for the Expanding the Research Infrastructure category

Listen to a six-minute clip of SSTI's interview with Mike Cassidy.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) signed by President Obama last week boosts the spending demands for several federal departments and agencies by a significant amount. For example, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be receiving $10.4 billion to spend on research activities, scientific instrumentation, and facility improvements. This compares to a FY2008 budget of almost $30 billion for NIH. Similarly, the National Science Foundation is set to distribute $3 billion from the stimulus, while the NSF's budget was just over $6 billion in FY08.

Gov. Jim Doyle unveiled last week several proposals to boost university-based research and commercialization efforts in emerging fields and encourage private industry R&D and job growth through the creation of several new tax credits.

The governor's 2009-11 biennial budget dedicates $8.2 million in FY11 to the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery for research in biotechnology, nanotechnology and information technology. First proposed by Gov. Doyle in 2004 as part of the Grow Wisconsin plan, the Institute was established to strengthen the state's position in science and technology (see the Nov. 22, 2004 issue of the Digest). A private donation of $50 million in 2006 launched the project, which was followed by a $50 million donation from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and matched by $50 million from the state. Construction is estimated to be completed in 2010.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm's FY10 budget includes increased funding to support programs aimed at job creation in emerging fields and maintains level funding for year three of an initiative to train displaced workers for in-demand careers.

The executive budget unveiled last week provides $1.4 billion in total funds for the newly reorganized Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth, with nearly half dedicated for workforce training. Gov. Granholm signed Executive Order 2008-20 in October, consolidating all activities related to the energy sector into the Department of Labor and Economic Growth. Energy programs and regulation are funded at $123 million in the FY10 budget proposal, which includes funding for an initiative to train workers for green jobs.