• As the most comprehensive resource available for those involved in technology-based economic development, SSTI offers the services that are needed to help build tech-based economies.  Learn more about membership...

SSTI Digest

Feeling out of the loop? Here's how to get in the loop...

Membership in SSTI allows access to the most extensive network of current and past practitioners, academics and policymakers who are attempting to speed commercialization and encourage innovation.

Joining SSTI places your organization with today’s TBED leaders. SSTI connects you to active members in 46 states, Puerto Rico and Canada, enabling you to share experiences and best practices with your peers from across the continent.

People

Thomas Drury has been named CEO of the South Jersey Technology Park at Rowan University.

Chris Engle, former vice president of Angelou Economics, has joined New Economy Strategies as chief project officer and principal.

BioStrategy Partners (BioSP) selected Dr. Karen Hanson as its new executive director, replacing Carolyn D'Arville, who stepped down to devote more time to young BioSP companies.

Dean Lewis was named interim president and CEO of the Science Center. Lewis replaces Pradip Banerjee, who left in January.

People

Thomas Drury has been named CEO of the South Jersey Technology Park at Rowan University.

People

Chris Engle, former vice president of Angelou Economics, has joined New Economy Strategies as chief project officer and principal.

People

BioStrategy Partners (BioSP) selected Dr. Karen Hanson as its new executive director, replacing Carolyn D'Arville, who stepped down to devote more time to young BioSP companies.

People

Dean Lewis was named interim president and CEO of the Science Center. Lewis replaces Pradip Banerjee, who left in January.

People

Aris Melissaratos is the new special adviser to the president for enterprise development at the Johns Hopkins University. The position was created for Melissaratos following his departure as secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development.

People

The Maryland Technology Development Corp. has appointed Renée Winsky as its new executive director.

Editor's Note: Special Digest Edition as Part of Entrepreneurship Week

It is the nation’s first Entrepreneurship Week, with many events, workshops and contests taking place across the country to encourage more people to consider becoming entrepreneurs. A complete list of activities is available at www.entrepreneurshipweekusa.com. With this issue, SSTI honors America’s tech entrepreneurs – and the state and local TBED efforts designed to ensure more of these firms succeed!

Council on Competitiveness Reviews Status of U.S. Entrepreneurship

America’s laurels for its record of innovation and entrepreneurship are great but there is no time to rest on those past accomplishments given the changing global economy, a recent paper by the Council on Competitiveness concludes. Where America Stands: Entrepreneurship draws from dozens of other research papers, studies and articles to provide an overview of the current entrepreneurial climate in the U.S.

 

In addition to pointing out some of the challenges presented by globalization, the paper cites others’ findings of many missed opportunities for even greater returns:

Entrepreneurs Need Access to Capital: U.S. Slips to Fifth in New Milken Index

In the global competition to create the best markets for entrepreneurs, Hong Kong moved up from second place in 2005 to reclaim the top spot, according to the Milken Institute's 2006 Capital Access Index. Hong Kong was first in the 2004 edition of the index. 

 

In 2006, Singapore rose from third to second place. The United Kingdom, ranking first in 2005, slipped back to third for the 2006 rankings, while the U.S. dropped from fourth to fifth because of an increase in the lending rate.

 

The big story is Canada, which rose from 10th place in 2005 to fourth on the latest index and shows the most improvement in scores for alternative sources of capital (moving from 30th place to 15th) and access to international capital (from 40th place to 18th).

 

New ATP Solicitation Forthcoming

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently announced the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) will conduct a new competition in fiscal year 2007 for cost-shared awards to support high-risk industrial R&D.



The ATP provides brief support to single companies or to industry-led joint ventures to accelerate the development of innovative technologies for broad national benefit through partnership with the private sector. ATP projects are selected in a competitive, peer-reviewed process.



Further details will be available when the competition is formally announced in the Federal Register this spring. Proposals will not be accepted before that time. Notices containing specific information, such as anticipated funding, eligibility criteria and proposal deadlines, also will be posted to www.atp.nist.gov and www.grants.gov.