SSTI Digest

November 17, 1998 The National Association of Seed Venture Funds is sponsoring a seminar entitled "Seed Investing as a Team Sport" to be held in Des Moines. The purpose of the seminar is to expand the attendees' understanding of business investing, help locate a team of like-minded investors in the region, and provide new tools to help optimize investment dollars. For more information, visit NASVF's website at http://www.nasvf.org November 18-19, 1998 The Progressive Policy Institute is sponsoring a two-day conference "Understanding America's Transformation To a New Economy" in Washington, DC. Scheduled speakers include Vice President Al Gore and Sen. Tom Daschle. For more information, contact PPI at 202/608-1235.

The Department of Energy has been unable to demonstrate that it can effectively manage the reform of its national laboratory system, the General Accounting Office (GAO) says in a new report. Consequently, GAO recommends that Congress consider alternatives to the present relationship between DOE and the laboratories. In response to on-going congressional concerns about DOE’s progress in making systemic changes, GAO evaluators were asked to: identify the recommendations by various advisory groups for addressing management weaknesses at DOE and the laboratories, and evaluate how DOE and its laboratories have responded to the recommendations. The GAO study, "Department of Energy: Uncertain Progress in Implementing National Laboratory Reforms," identified nearly 30 reports by a wide variety of advisory groups on various aspects of the national laboratories’ management and missions. GAO asserts that the more recent advisory groups have reported similar weaknesses the laboratories’ missions are unfocused; DOE micromanages the laboratories; and, the laboratories are not operating as an integrated system.…

California is considering expanding its network of Regional Technology Alliances (RTA), which is a component of the Goldstrike Partnership. The Goldstrike Partnership, a program of the California Trade and Commerce Agency's Office of Strategic Technology (OST), supports the development, application, and commercialization of technology to create jobs, respond to industry changes, and foster competitiveness. The program’s goal is to leverage existing regional, state, and federal resources to maximize assistance in the formation and growth of technology-based firms. The RTA model is an industry driven, non-profit private/public partnership. There are currently three RTAs, located in the San Francisco Bay area, Los Angeles, and San Diego. OST is looking to establish a statewide network of RTAs that develop and manage technology based industry-driven initiatives. The RTA expansion process has two phases, a study phase and an implementation phase. To determine if the expansion is warranted, the California Trade and Commerce Agency is inviting entities to submit proposals to OST for matching grant…

Nearly 70,000 manufacturers received services from the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) from July 1995 through December 1997, according to a new report released by MEP. Client reported impacts for projects closed from June 1996 to May 1997 increased for the short-term competitiveness indicators compiled by the program. These indicators include: sales ($187 million); labor savings ($8.9 million), material savings ($7.3 million), inventory savings ($25 million), client investment in modernization ($135 million); jobs created (2,095); and jobs retained (3,011). The most recent data, covering the period of July-December 1997, shows that the top four industries served by the MEP are: industrial machinery (16%); fabricated metals (15%); electronics (9%); and rubber and plastics (8%). Technical assistance continues to be the primary activity offered by the program (61%); however, the training and education component has increased significantly (25%). The other major activity is conducting assessments (14%). Centers are continuing to make progress to the MEP target of resources split…

Two of the state-wide issues Oklahomans will decide on November 3 would allow major changes in the way the state conducts technology transfer activities. The purpose of the initiatives is to promote the commercialization of university research and support university innovation. Under current Oklahoma law, public property can only be used for public purposes. Passage of State Question 680 would make an exception for use of public property for certain projects that involve research and development of a technology. A state college or university would be able to let a business use its property to work on technology projects, especially those linked to the institution. State Question 681 would allow state colleges and universities, as well as their employees, to own technology and equity in private businesses. The companies would have to make a product or invent a process or other idea using help from the institutions or their employers. No appropriated tax dollars could be used to invest in the business venture. Both issues are part of a legislative package that was signed into law in May,…

A new report issued by the Council on Competitiveness maintains that the U.S. must have a strong, sustained commitment to investment in science and technology to maintain its global competitiveness. In Going Global: The New Shape of American Innovation, the Council focuses on support for basic research, the need for a skilled talent pool, and favorable legal, regulatory and accounting rules to promote U.S. innovation as three key factors for innovation. The Council looked at several major changes in the global market that have a significant impact on the way companies do business. Those changes include: A new wave of competition from developing economies. The rapid pace of technology churn and development cycle times. Globalization of investment choices. Global availability of talented workers. Globalization of markets and consumer demand. Globalization of research, and A shift of focus away from basic, frontier research and advanced technology with the end of the Cold War. The Council looked at the impact these changes are having on the innovation capacity of five industry sectors:…

Mainers will vote on Election Day on a research and development bond issue that if passed would allocate $20 million to improve the Maine economy by supporting innovative research and development in the fields of biotechnology, computers and other information technology, aquiculture and marine technology, forestry and agriculture, and advanced materials. If passed, funding from the bond issue would be allocated to the following: The University of Maine System would receive $13.5 million for capital improvements and equipment purchases; The Maine Science and Technology Foundation would receive $4.5 million to enhance research and education capability among public and private educational institutions conducting marine research and nonprofit marine research institutions, and to provide funds for a Research Challenge Grants Program to enhance research and development capacity and productivity; and The Department of Economic and Community Development would receive $2 million to leverage $2 million in matching private contributions to build the Gulf of Maine Aquarium Research…

Eisenhower Exchange Fellowships announces a competition for U.S. citizens in leadership positions with significant professional experience (10-20 years) for Fellowships to: Hungary: Technology in education, economy, and communications; and,  Malaysia: Computer technology and systems in education; science and technology policy; and, telecommunications policy. Fellows will meet with top level authorities in government and business throughout the country for a period of 4-10 weeks.  Benefits include all travel costs and living allowance for Fellow and spouse. Applications are due November 30, 1998. Applications may be requested from: J. Hartl, Eisenhower Exchange Fellowships, 256 S 16th St, Philadelphia, PA 19102; e-mail: jhartl@eef.org; and, fax 215/546-4567.

"State-based organizations have considerable advantages over the federal government in assisting in the commercial development of new technologies including their proximity to the firms that will actually employ new technologies, their close relationships with local university systems, and their ability to focus their efforts," says an extensive policy study recently completed by the U.S. House Science Committee. "Unlocking Our Future: Toward A New National Science Policy," which was released last week, is the culmination of a year and a half of work undertaken by a special Congressional Committee created to develop a long-range science and technology policy for the nation. Chaired by Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI), the report states that the need to maintain economic strength, which has been driven by continued technological innovation, has taken on primary importance. "The United States of America must maintain and improve its pre-eminent position in science and technology in order to advance human understanding of the universe and all it contains, and to improve the lives, health, and freedom…

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Advanced Technology Program (ATP) has issued a request for public comment on several changes to ATP rules. The most important change would simplify the project selection criteria. Although the new selection criteria will retain the major elements required under the old system, the five project selection criteria, each with different "weights" and lists of subcriteria, will be replaced by a two-part system: (1) projects will be evaluated for their scientific and technological merit, and (2) for their potential for broad-based economic benefits, with both parts weighted equally. Under the first criterion, ATP projects are expected to propose highly innovative technological advances, involve a significant technological risk, and have a well-conceived R&D approach. Under the second criterion, projects are expected to have the potential for broad economic benefits that go well beyond the sponsoring company, lay out a clear path from the lab to the marketplace, and require ATP support to proceed because funding is not…

The State Science and Technology Institute 1998 Annual Conference, "Science & Technology Programs: Catalysts for Economic Growth," was a success with over 100 S&T professionals from 30 states and the District of Columbia attending. The conference, which was held in Columbus, Ohio on September 24 and 25, provided practitioners an opportunity to discuss best practices, trends and new developments in technology-based economic development programs. We would like to extend a special thank you to all who attended the conference and those who participated in the pre-conference workshop and tour. We look forward to another successful conference in 1999.

States spent more than $3 billion on research and development in fiscal year 1995, according to a new National Science Foundation-funded report. The report, the most thorough study ever undertaken of state government R&D expenditures, was conducted by Battelle and the State Science and Technology Institute. "This report underscores the importance the states have in the nation’s science and technology system," said Richard L. Thornburgh, former governor of Pennsylvania and chairman of the State Science and Technology Institute Board of Trustees. "To put the figure in context, consider that the state amount is greater than the amount the National Science Foundation spent on R&D and more than the Departments of Agriculture and Commerce combined." According to the report, more than 88 percent of the total state spending came from state funds, which includes general revenue, lottery proceeds, revenue bonds, and specially designated tax funds. Of the total investment, 92 percent was spent on research and 8 percent was invested in facilities.…