People
Tiffany McVeety stepped down from her post as director of the Northwest Women's Business Center to become a business banker for Shoreline Bank. Rebecca Villareal replaces McVeety.
Understanding Renewable Energy's Role in Rural ED
An increasing number of states are realizing the potential role renewable energy can play in their tech-based economic development strategies (TBED) and future growth.
Washington Creates $350M Life Science Fund
Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire last week signed a bill creating the Life Sciences Discovery Fund (see the Feb. 7 issue of the Digest).
The Up and Down of CAPCO Programs
One starts up. Another bites the dust. The Certified Capital Company (CAPCO) Program, a complicated and controversial tool used by some states to encourage venture capital investments, finds its beginnings in one region while seeing its demise in yet another.
SBA Releases Regional Entrepreneurship Index
Glenwood Springs, Colo., is the nation’s most entrepreneurial region, according to a study recently released by the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy and the Edward Lowe Foundation. The region's ranking is based on the Regional Entrepreneurship Index, a measure intended to standardize assessment of entrepreneurship within and across regions.
Useful Stats: Change in Per Capita Income by State: 1999-2004
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) recently released its preliminary 2004 figures for per capita income, revealing average income received by persons grew by 4.7 percent between 2003 and 2004. The change in income was not evenly distributed across the country.
People
Jack Faris is the new president of the Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association.
Position Available
The Alliance for Manufacturing Excellence (AME), a non-profit start-up organization, seeks an Executive Director to build and operate a successful manufacturing services organization. The Executive Director will guide AME in its mission of assisting smaller manufacturers to adopt more advanced manufacturing technologies and management techniques.
CATI Receives 1996 Morrill Award
The Technology Transfer Society presented its 1996 Justin Morrill Award to the Colorado Advanced Technology Institute (CATI). The Justin Morrill Award is presented to organizations that have an exemplary record in technology transfer and have made outstanding contributions to technology transfer theory and practice.
Legislative Actions & Tech Talkin' Govs 2006, Part IV
EDA Seeds $3M Growth Fund in Washington
A $1.46 million grant from the Economic Development Administration to the Sirti Foundation is making possible a $3 million loan fund to technology companies within a 10-county region of Eastern Washington. The program provides another example of the non-traditional use of EDA funds to support tech-based economic development strategies. In addition, the deal structure may serve as a model to help other public agencies encourage TBED activities typically outside the scope or possibility of many public entities.
People
Mark Wdowik was named vice president of technology transfer for the Colorado State University Research Foundation.
Innovation Index Reveals Steady Growth in Washington
Although technology sector employment is down slightly from previous years, Washington firms received twice the aggregate amount of venture capital (VC) funding compared to last year, and the state remains above the national average in educational attainment, according to the sixth annual Washington State Index of Innovation and Technology.
Colorado Advanced Technology Institute Abolished
The Colorado Advanced Technology Institute (CATI) has been abolished effective June 30, 1999. CATI was the state's lead organization on technology-based economic development since its creation in 1983.
Global Venture Forum Applications Due
The Global Venture Forum is a business development event sponsored by the Osaka Chamber of Commerce to help Japanese and foreign firms find Japanese partners for investment, trade, distribution, and global business.
Since the Global Venture Forum started in 1995, 44 percent of the participants have found business partners.
New Washington Laws to Promote Rural High Tech
Washington's technology boom hasn't been enjoyed equally by most communities outside of the Seattle or Spokane urban areas. Two laws recently passed by the Washington legislature are intended to provide tax credits, infrastructure financing, and other incentives to spread the economic benefits of technology into the state's most rural counties.
People
Chris Hedrick has announced his resignation as the Executive Science & Technology Policy Advisor in the Washington Governor’s Office to join an Internet education company.
GOV. GREGOIRE APPLAUDS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION STRATEGIC PLAN
DATELINE: OLYMPIA, Wash.
Gov. Christine Gregoire, D-Wash., issued the following press release:
Gov. Chris Gregoire today praised the state's Economic Development Commission, which just released its strategic plan to help guide Washington as it develops a stronger, 21st century economy.
Sponsor: Bill will create jobs
Doug Johnson of UniverCity Connections believes a bill providing tax credits to angel investors putting their money into start-up companies will create hundreds of new jobs in Colorado and help stimulate the lagging state economy.
Superclusters push CSU inventions
Superclusters can be explosive.
Colorado State University this week announced that its researchers have more than doubled the number of inventions, a phenomenal effort in two years. University officials attribute the success to the supercluster concept, which unites researchers with those in the private sector who can take their ideas and run, such as business experts, patent attorneys, marketers, etc. While the superclusters don't create new research, they foster it by speeding the transfer of technology from research to implementation.
TBED People and Organizations
Lonnie Emard has been named interim director of the Consortium for Enterprise Systems Management, a recently formed collaboration of business, academic and economic development organizations intended to build information technology (IT) opportunities in South Carolina.
Treasury announces five more states’ plans approved for SSBCI
Tech Talkin’ Govs 2023: Governors’ innovation vision from their annual addresses
After a busy election season that saw gubernatorial elections in 36 states, newly elected and re-elected governors delivered their annual State of the State addresses, kicking off new programs and reviewing the conditions of their states. SSTI reviews the speeches every year and covers news of new developments and initiatives the governors have highlighted as they relate to the innovation economy. New programs are laid out here in the governors own words as excerpts from their State of the State or budget addresses.
Universities, Public-Private Partners Launch Commercialization Funds in IN, LA, PA, WA
Purdue University, the University City Science Center, and Washington State University announced the creation of new investment funds to support the growth of university-affiliated startups in their respective communities. These three recently announced commercialization funds all share a common trend – they will be managed or assisted in the management process via public-private partnerships.
Ballot Preview: Voters to Decide on Taxes, GMOs, Higher Ed
On November 4, 42 states will vote on 146 ballot issues across a wide array of issues. In addition to initiatives on gun control, bear baiting, and the minimum wage, several initiatives relevant to the TBED community are also up for decision. SSTI has gathered information on many of these and will discuss their results after next week’s elections.