SSTI Co-sponsoring Two Conferences of Note
SSTI is partnering with other organizations to sponsor two conferences that will be of interest to the TBED community: the Regional Workforce Education & Training Best Practices Conference put on by the ASME Center for Engineering Entrepreneurship & Innovation and the Internationalization of Regional Innovation organized by the European-based Technopolicy Network.
Index, White Paper Offer Foray into Silicon Valley
While Silicon Valley lost jobs last year — the first decline since 1992 — value added per employee, a measure of productivity, increased 4.6 percent to $170,000 compared to $56,000 nationally, according to the Index of Silicon Valley 2002 released in January by Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network.
California Doubles Number of RTAs
Last week, Governor Gray Davis announced the award of three grants to support the creation of new Regional Technology Alliances (RTA) for the Inland Empire, San Joaquin Valley, and Sacramento/Capital regions. The three new non-profit organizations join existing RTAs in Los Angeles, San Diego and the San Francisco Bay area to provide decentralized business support services for innovative, California-based technology firms.
Strategic Plans Target Workforce in San Diego Region
The San Diego Work Force Partnership recently released four strategic plans as a blueprint to prepare San Diego's workforce to compete in the changing global economy. Initiated as part of a broader Regional Workforce Development Strategic Planning Initiative, the plans reflect the concerns of area businesses for developing and maintaining skilled workers.
NET Entertains National Business Plan Competition
To give environmental technology entrepreneurs the chance to have their business plans analyzed by experts and win money for it, the National Environmental Technology (NET) Incubator in Wilberforce, Ohio, is hosting the first annual National Business Plan Competition.
SSTI Publication Catalog Hits the Web
With more than 110 great titles to aid the policy, practice and study of tech-based economic development, the SSTI Publication Catalog, Resources for Building Tech-based Economies officially is online.
Tech-talkin' Govs: State of the State Addresses and Budget Requests
The third part in a series, "Tech-talkin Govs" highlights programs, policies and issues in tech-based economic development that were considered in the following governors' State of the State and Budget addresses.
California
Gray Davis, 2002-2003 Budget proposal, January 2002
http://www.dof.ca.gov/HTML/Budget02-03/00_toc.htm
SSTI Moves Office
While visions of sugarplums will be dancing in the heads of most Americans, SSTI's staff will be boxing up its files and moving to new offices on Dec. 20-21.
Due to the move and because SSTI will be closed during the week of December 24-28, the next issue of the SSTI Weekly Digest and the funding supplement will be published January 4, 2002.
People
SSTI welcomes Anulet Jones to our team as a Research Assistant. Ms. Jones has an engineering degree from Georgia Tech and is working on her MBA at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.
People
SSTI welcomes Mark Kish to the staff as our new Writer/PR Assistant. Mark will assist with the SSTI Weekly Digest, updating and expanding our website, and planning for our September 19-21 annual conference.
R&D Remains Concentrated in Few States, but Intensity Changes
The latest Issue Brief from the National Science Foundation (NSF) shows research and development (R&D) expenditures remain heavily concentrated in a few states. Ten states -- California, New York, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Maryland -- account for nearly two-thirds of national R&D investments.
Ag-based Economic Development for the New Economy
Few economic sectors have experienced the combined economic, technological, social, biological, and – now with threats of mad cow and foot-and-mouth diseases – medical pressures that confront American agriculture. Adding the challenges of competing in the knowledge-based economy presents a formidable task for rural regions.
Additional California Funding Offered for Rural Telecom Efforts
Complementing California’s support for New Valley Connexion, described above, is the state’s $2 million Rural E-Commerce program. Administered by the Division of Science, Technology and Innovation within the California Technology, Trade & Commerce Agency, Rural E-Commerce provides grants to non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and local governments for innovative, community-driven solutions to the telecommunications challenges faced by rural residents.
SSTI Weekly Digest Takes Spring Break
The SSTI Weekly Digest will be taking a brief spring break and will resume publication on Friday, April 6.
Transferring University Technologies: Challenging Bayh-Dole
Does patenting encourage or speed the transfer of technology from universities? Does the prospect of receiving royalties and licensing fees increase motivation among university researchers to work with businesses to commercialize technology? A recent paper suggests the answers to both questions is "no," but that more empirical and statistical research is needed to determine whether or not increased emphasis on intellectual property rights is achieving the desired results.
For the “Oh, Yeah?” Department: More on Local Technology Incubators
Editor’s Note: For the skeptical Digest reader that viewed our assertion in last week’s issue that there is an average of at least one incubator-related article published somewhere in the country each day. Since we have several clippings on hand, it is easy to provide more examples of the continuing explosion of communities and states using non-profit incubators as tools for developing and expanding tech-based economies.
SSTI Board Approves New Mission Statement
The field of tech-based economic development has changed dramatically since the creation of SSTI in 1996 and continues to change almost daily. With these changes in mind, SSTI is releasing a new mission statement that better defines the organization's current direction.
SSTI's new mission is to lead, support, and strengthen efforts to improve state and regional economies through science, technology, and innovation.
People
Steve Gage announced he will retire as president of MAGNET, the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network, effective July 13. Fatima Weathers will serve as acting president for the manufacturing advocate in Northeast Ohio, beginning July 16.
People
Victor Hwang, the immediate past president of Larta Institute, has co-founded T2 Venture Capital.
Time to Apply for 2007 Excellence in TBED Awards
With the deadline less than two weeks away, we hope you are putting the finishing touches on your Excellence in TBED Award application.
People
J.D. Stack replaces Oleg Kaganovich as the new CEO of the Sacramento Area Regional Technology Alliance.
TBED People
William Archey, CEO of AeA, announced he will retire in 2008.
TBED People
John Griffin has been named acting director of the Ohio Department of Development's Technology Division.
Ohio Enacts TBED Components of Third Frontier Project
Ohio Governor Bob Taft today signed into law Am. Sub. House Bill 1, putting into place the newest components of his Third Frontier Project to foster tech-based economic development (TBED) and growth in Ohio.
SSTI Accepting Bids for Site of 2004 Annual Conference
With preparations for SSTI's 7th Annual Conference on October 20-22 well underway, we have received many questions from local, regional and state organizations wanting to host the premier event for the tech-based economic development profession in 2004. Because of the increased interest, SSTI has bumped up its schedule for selecting the 2004 site. We are accepting nominations of host organizations and locations for SSTI's 8th Annual Conference until July 11, 2003.