SSTI Digest

The Texas Legislature recently approved $100 million of the original $300 million requested by Gov. Rick Perry for the Emerging Technologies Fund (ETF). Another $100 million is expected to be available from the state's rainy day fund if revenues exceed forecasts.

The ETF aims to foster emerging technologies, enhance university-industry collaboration, and promote technology commercialization (see the Dec. 20, 2004 issue of the Digest). Much of the fund activity will be distributed through regional economic development efforts.

Catering to high-tech companies built on innovation, the nonprofit regional collaboration dubbed SPARK, hopes to transform Ann Arbor, Mich., into more of an entrepreneurial hub and triple the number of technology jobs within five years.

University, business, government and community leaders are partnering to provide services to new and emerging high-tech businesses and organizations within biotechnology, information technology, energy, advanced manufacturing, and security. Five primary services to be offered include business acceleration, business outreach, talent development, early-stage funding, and regional marketing and events.

While the U.S. wrests its way to remain the global leader in nanotechnology (see the May 30 issue of the Digest), some states and regions are wasting no time to secure their own world-class cluster in the field. Officials in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia agreed earlier this month to form the Chesapeake Nanotechnology Initiative (CNI), a collaborative effort to strengthen the region’s capabilities in nanotech research, development and commercialization.

California leads the world in biotech research today and likely will continue to dominate in the years to come according to The Dynamics of California's Biotechnology Industry, a new report from the Public Policy Institute of California. The report concludes that California retains a sharp biotech edge, despite reports of firms leaving the state or establishing plants elsewhere.

Authors Junfu Zhang and Nikesh Patel note that the state generates more than half of U.S. biotech revenues and accounts for nearly half of national R&D spending. California biotech garnered 46 percent of the venture capital invested in biotech between 1992 and 2001 and accounts for 40 percent of the nation’s biotech jobs, according to the authors.

A study suggests policies enacted in 1999 to encourage cooperative research, establish tech transfer structures and provide venture capital contributed to a dramatic shift in the biotech topography in France. In “Start-ups, firm growth and the consolidation of the French biotech industry,” authors Eric Avenel, Frederic Corolleur, Caroline Gauthier, and Carole Rieu compiled an original dataset on biotech firms to test several growth models on the French landscape.

The study from the Grenoble Applied Economics Laboratory examines the biotech landscape from three location types: administrative regions, science genopoles, and clusters with more than 10 biotech firms within 20 kilometers. Administrative regions are comparable to states, while genopoles would be comparable to Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the U.S. with government established science parks.

As rural America undergoes economic restructuring and communities strive to make the transition from traditional to knowledge-based economies, nurturing innovation is an important strategy that is helping rural areas create an environment for business growth and job creation. On July 17–19, 2005, the Appalachian Regional Commission will hold Incubating Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Supporting Business Incubation and Knowledge-Based Enterprise in Appalachia to help tech-based economic development professionals in the region to better address the issue.

The conference will provide an in-depth look at business incubation, best-practice technology commercialization efforts, and entrepreneurial support initiatives that have proven effective in rural communities.

Last week, Kevin Carr, the director of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, announced that he would be leaving his position and NIST effective June 30. Kevin has led the program since 1994, and under his leadership, MEP became the exemplary federal program for working in partnership with the states. Since Kevin became director, MEP has worked closely with the states, actively seeking their input on program design and operation. While SSTI is the product of the work of many, Kevin's support and encouragement were critical to our start-up and continued existence. As an advocate for state-federal partnership and as a friend, he will be sorely missed.

The Illinois Technology Development Alliance (ITDA) is looking for a Venture Development Director for its Chicago office. Duties include management/operations consulting; client’s screening/selection; coordination entrepreneurship mentoring; consulting/technical assistance; technical review of commercial potential of technologies. Qualified applicants must posses an MBA/B.S. in Engineering with at least five years of experience in the fields of business development/consulting. Resumes may be sent to info@itda.biz.

MdBio, Inc., a nonprofit organization servicing Maryland's bioscience industry, announced it will be renamed the MdBio Foundation under restructuring and expansion efforts. The 501(c)3 organization will be overseen by a new 501(c)6 nonprofit membership trade association, MdBio, Inc.

Elyse Golob is the new director of the University of Arizona Office of Economic and Policy Analysis. Beginning July 1, Leslie Tolbert will be the university's vice president for research, graduate studies and economic development, replacing Richard Powell upon his June 30 retirement.

John Hanak is the new director of the Purdue Technology Center of Northwest Indiana.

MdBio, Inc., a nonprofit organization servicing Maryland's bioscience industry, announced it will be renamed the MdBio Foundation under restructuring and expansion efforts. The 501(c)3 organization will be overseen by a new 501(c)6 nonprofit membership trade association, MdBio, Inc.

Elyse Golob is the new director of the University of Arizona Office of Economic and Policy Analysis. Beginning July 1, Leslie Tolbert will be the university's vice president for research, graduate studies and economic development, replacing Richard Powell upon his June 30 retirement.

John Hanak is the new director of the Purdue Technology Center of Northwest Indiana.