SSTI Digest

The board of directors of Mid-America Manufacturing Technology Center (MAMTC) has appointed Lavon Winkler as its new president and CEO.

Includes $24M for Biomedical Research, $50M for Wright Centers

Ohio has a biennial budget process so the fiscal year 2005 budget for technology-based economic development (TBED) activities could have been set in stone back in June 2003. With the passage of three bills this spring, however, the state legislature has committed an additional $103 million for its Third Frontier Project for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2004. The new funds are a staple to the FY 2005 appropriations for other TBED programs such as Ohio's Thomas Edison Program, its SBIR efforts and coal research office.

The state's Third Frontier portfolio includes the Biomedical Research and Technology Transfer, the Wright Centers of Innovation, Wright Projects, and the Third Frontier Action Fund.

When Florida Gov. Jeb Bush surprised the world last October by announcing the state had landed an East Coast campus for the Scripps Research Institute, the draw from the public coffers cost was pegged at $510 million. The state was contributing $310 million and the county's share was up to $200 million for land acquisition and building construction.

Scripps promised to create 545 jobs within the first eight years on its new 100-acre campus. That works out to $935,780 of public investment per job. Pricey, yes, but civic leaders are counting on Scripps to serve as a strong magnet to attract even more high wage, high tech businesses at no or lower cost to the state. Gov. Bush projected an additional 50,000 jobs resulting from the research center's presence in the West Palm Beach area within 15 years.

Michigan small businesses receiving state and federal grants for research and development will be able to put more of those funds into their work, with legislation unanimously passing the state Senate last week.

A key component of the Senate Republicans' JOBS II action plan, Senate Bill 1116 now moves to Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm. A recent Associated Press article reports Gov. Granholm has not decided whether or not to sign the bill.

SB 1116 amends the Single Business Tax Act (SBT) to allow SBT payers to deduct state and federal research grants from their tax base income. The bill's proponents suggest the measure will be a lure to attract high tech businesses to the state and will aid emerging tech firms, many of whom receive much of their start up revenues through federal grants such as the Small Business Innovation Research program.

The House Appropriations Committee passed on June 9 its version of the fiscal year 2005 Homeland Security bill, approving $70 million for university programs in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The funding level is $40 million above the President's FY 2005 request. The additional $40 million is allocated specifically for university-based centers of excellence.

A new report assessing 2002 federal research and development (R&D) funding in U.S. universities and colleges finds 45 percent of all federal R&D funds went directly to the nation’s 126 medical schools. This striking discovery, the authors contend, raises the question of whether other areas having substantial R&D funding needs such as environment, energy, homeland security and education are receiving the attention they require.

Although a significant gap still exists between women-led companies and their male counterparts, in terms of venture funding, some promising news may suggest a change in fortune for the former, a study released today by Growthink Research of Los Angeles and Chicago-based re:invention Inc. shows.

The 400-page study, Venture Funding for Women Entrepreneurs, provides a detailed profile of women-led, venture capital (VC)-funded, privately-held business enterprises and companies with women executives. The report is based on a comprehensive analysis of 1,860 companies that raised more than $19 billion of venture capital in 2003.

Most states recognize the importance university research plays in building a strong knowledge economy; it is a prominent component of the strongest regional technology clusters. Many states are increasingly focused on expanding their university research capacity and increasing the number of students in key science and engineering fields.

To help policymakers assess their relative position regarding university R&D, SSTI has through its Useful Stats column in the SSTI Weekly Digest produced or reproduced several tables standardizing relevant data across states using other commonly available data. An example includes federal research obligations or industrial R&D expenditures at institutions of higher education.

Joe James, director of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness, has resigned his position with the S.C. Department of Commerce.

The new deputy undersecretary for the Technology Administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce is Michelle O'Neill. O'Neill formerly served as deputy assistant secretary for the International Trade Agency.

SSTI congratulates Tom Persons, president and CEO of the South Carolina Technology Alliance, for receiving the Individual Achievement Award from the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce.

Joe James, director of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness, has resigned his position with the S.C. Department of Commerce.

The new deputy undersecretary for the Technology Administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce is Michelle O'Neill. O'Neill formerly served as deputy assistant secretary for the International Trade Agency.

SSTI congratulates Tom Persons, president and CEO of the South Carolina Technology Alliance, for receiving the Individual Achievement Award from the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce.