MTC Index Produces Mixed Results for State's Economy
The challenge for industry, academic leaders and policymakers in Massachusetts over the next few years is to translate the competitive strengths of the state's economy into new companies and new jobs, the ninth annual Index of the Massachusetts Innovation Economy indicates.
Massachusetts Gov. Returns Stem Cell Bill to Legislature
As expected, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney rejected last week Senate Bill 2039, the bill supporting stem cell research. Exercising a power not enjoyed by all governors, Gov. Romney sent the measure back to the legislature with four amendments for consideration, rather than vetoing the measure.
$120M Investment Fund Fails in Hawaii Legislature
Efforts to capitalize Hawaii's $120 million State Private Investment Fund (SPIF) collapsed Friday as a joint conference committee of the state legislature could not reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of the measure. Passage of Senate Bill 1695 was one of Gov. Linda Lingle's top economic development priorities for this legislative session.
Hawaii Lawmakers Pass Two Bills to Encourage VC Investment
To encourage investment in high tech companies, the Hawaii Senate recently passed Senate Bill 1695, authorizing $120 million for the State Private Investment Fund (SPIF) and Senate Bill 1696 to allow fiduciaries to make equity investments.
TBED Organizations & People Update
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney promoted Renee Fry to serve as director of the Department of Business and Technology, the state agency tasked with retaining and attracting jobs and steering economic policy throughout the Commonwealth.
TBED Organizations & People Update
Robert Rosner, chief scientist for the Argonne National Laboratory, will be the lab's new director.
Massachusetts Launches Tech Commercialization Awards
Sometimes a little money is all that may be required to discover that an innovation in the lab is worth millions in the marketplace. At least that's the goal of a small grant program launched this afternoon by the Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center (MTTC). The MTTC Tech Commercialization Awards will provide $5,000 mini-grants for technology assessments and investigations by academic and industrial researchers within the Commonwealth.
People
Jeff Brancato has been named Associate Vice President for Economic Development of University of Massachusetts.
Study Examines Economic Impact of MIT-Related Companies
In what is touted as the first major national study of the economic impact of a research university, BankBoston recently reported on the economic impact of companies founded by graduates of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The report, MIT: The Impact of Innovation, "is a case study of the significant effect that research universities have on the economies of the nation and its 50 states."
People & Organizations
Yuka Nagashima was named executive director of Hawaii's High Technology Development Corporation.
People & Organizations
The Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation at Massachusetts Institute of Technology named Leon Sandler as its new executive director.
People & Organizations
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney named Deborah Shufrin as director of the state's Department of Business and Technology. Shufrin replaces Renee Fry, who stepped down to serve as the governor's duputy chief of staff.
Legislative Actions & Tech Talkin' Govs 2006, Part V
"Most Wired" Colleges and Universities Named
Yahoo! Internet Life magazine has named its 1999 list of the "100 most wired" colleges and universities. This is the third year in which the magazine has published the list. Listed in the top five are: Case Western Reserve University (OH); Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Wake Forest University (NC); the New Jersey Institute of Technology; and, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY).
NCIIA Supporting Higher Education Entrepreneurship
The National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA) seeks proposals that support innovation, invention, and entrepreneurship programs in U.S. colleges and universities. Through December 1999, NCIIA will award $400,000 in grants to faculty and students of member institutions. The next deadline is December 15, 1999.
People
Joe Blanco has been appointed the Hawaii Technology Advisor.
Federal R&D Funding Out of Sync with Economy, MTC Finds
There is potential trouble ahead for R&D and those states with relatively low levels of federal support will be impacted most severely, according to the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative's Analysis of the Impact of FY 2000 Federal R&D Investment Scenarios on Economic Growth.
Hawaii Consolidates Technology Programs, Adds Worker Training and Offers Tax Breaks
In a move to increase Hawaii's technology standing, Governor Ben Cayetano signed legislation last week that will create several new initiatives. Most significant for S&T policy is the planned consolidation of the state's technology-related programs under a new special advisor for technology development. The specific state agencies affected by the legislation were not identified in the Technology Omnibus bill.
Massachusetts, Maine Innovation Indices Assess States' Readiness for the Economic Downturn
State governments are poised to play a vital role in the economic recovery through their use of federally-appropriated funds and through their internal policy responses to the global crisis. Several states are focusing on innovation as a means of recovery. Massachusetts and Maine both recently released the latest editions of their annual innovation indices. These annual publications have long helped to clarify trends in the innovation economy and provided assessment of their performance relative to other states.
TBED People and Organizations
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick's secretary of Housing and Economic Development, Daniel O'Connell, resigned for personal reasons and was replaced by Greg Bialecki, an undersecretary who has been responsible for business development
MA life sciences workforce grows 131 percent, recommendations outlined to continue momentum
Moving away from four-year degree programs and toward apprenticeships is one of the recommendations to help ease the workforce shortage experience in the life sciences industry. This and other recommendations are part of a recently released report from the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, also known as MassBio, on workforce trends in the life sciences industry in Massachusetts.
First five states approved for SSBCI funds
The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced today that five states — Hawaii, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan and West Virginia — have had their State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) capital programs approved by the agency.
Massachusetts governor proposes $3.5B economic development package, including $750M for clean energy
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov.
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito are urging Massachusetts legislators to act on their proposed legislation that includes $3.5 billion in clean energy and economic development initiatives. The bill includes $2.3 billion in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and over $1.256 billion in capital bond authorizations to support projects to strengthen state infrastructure, create jobs and invest in all 351 cities and towns in the state. The legislation, called An Act Investing in Future Opportunities for Resiliency, Workforce, and Revitalized Downtowns (FORWARD), includes $1.2 billion in ARPA funds for climate resiliency and preservation efforts, with more than half of that designated for the commonwealth’s clean energy industry.
More than $1B in new state and local initiatives for clean energy announced
New York City and the state of Illinois have both made moves recently to shift more of their economies to clean energy.
New York City and the state of Illinois have both made moves recently to shift more of their economies to clean energy. Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) announced a 15-year, $191 million Offshore Wind Vision (OSW) plan to make New York City a leading destination for the offshore wind industry. Last month, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed sweeping legislation offering new incentives for the adoption of clean energy and aim to move it to 100 percent clean energy by 2050. And Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is looking to use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money to establish a clean energy investment fund.