Massachusetts Governor Wants to Borrow $1B for Life Science Strategy
Against the backdrop of BIO’s annual meeting, held this week in Boston, Gov. Deval Patrick unveiled a comprehensive, collaborative Massachusetts Life Science Strategy. The plan includes a 10-year, $1 billion investment package to support biomedical and stem cell research.
Mississippi Governor Wants $4M More for TBED Initiatives
Momentum Mississippi, the state’s public-private economic development strategy first funded with $28 million last summer, could see an additional $4 million for new TBED initiatives if the state legislature passes Gov. Haley Barbour’s recommendation during its next session. Gov. Barbour announced his plans during the annual board meeting of Momentum Mississippi, which was attended by more than 75 industrial, academic and civic leaders.
People
Gov. Haley Barbour has named Gray Swoope as the new executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority. Swoope replaces outgoing executive director Leland Speed, who will serve through the end of December.
People
Mark Robinson resigned as chief operating officer of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council to join the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
People & TBED Organizations
David Rooney will replace Tyler Fairbank as president of the Berkshire Economic Development Corp., effective next month. Rooney leaves the Empire State Development Corp. as its regional director.
Mississippi Rolls Out Five New Capital-attracting Funds
One of the most vexing problems facing states, outside of a few well known success stories, is a persistent lack of attention from the venture capital industry. In 2006, almost 60 percent of venture capital investment was concentrated in California and Massachusetts. The other 48 states have had to devise their own strategies to compete with Silicon Valley, Route 128 and each other to gain the attention of potential investors.
Planning Well Underway for SSTI's 11th Annual Conference
Please plan on joining us in Baltimore on October 18-19. You can learn firsthand how the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund successfully secured the increase in funding and how the initiatives are progressing, all while enjoying the view of the gorgeous Inner Harbor (see related story in this Digest).
Legislative Actions & Tech Talkin' Govs 2006, Part V
People
Randy Goldsmith, is the new president and CEO of the Mississippi Technology Alliance. Goldsmith formerly was Assistant Vice President for Technology Transfer and Economic Development at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio.
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.
MTA Launches Tech Network for Post-Katrina Mississippi
Information, telecommunications and electricity provide the basic building blocks for all tech-based economic development - regardless of industry sector, research field or location. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the technology infrastructure for many of the state's emerging tech-firms has been dismantled. How do you restore efforts to build a tech-based economy when the fundamentals are destroyed overnight?
People
Former Massachusetts State Senator Peter Larkin is the senior vice president and chief operating officer for the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council.
Third Try's the Charm for $28M Momentum Mississippi
In its third special session of the year, Mississippi legislators passed House Bill 3, an economic development package of grants and loans for high-tech and existing industry, including Gov. Barbour’s Momentum Mississippi Initiative.
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.
SSTI Job Corner: University Seeks Assistant Professor in Regional Economic and Workforce Development
The Department of Economic and Workforce Development at the University of Southern Mississippi is seeking someone to fill a tenure-track assistant professor position. Specialization in regional workforce development is preferred; however, other areas of specialization, such as disaster recovery, entrepreneurship, rural development, technology transfer, or low-income communities, will be strongly considered.
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.
People
The new Vice President for Business Ventures at the Mississippi Technology Alliance is Jim Lowery.
People
Dr. Angeline Dvorak has been named as the first full-time president of Mississippi Technology, Inc. She will also serve as chief executive office of the Institute for Technology Development.
Mississippi S&T Policies Taking Shape
Unprecedented Goals, Unparalleled Progress, a report released in early August by Mississippi Governor Ronnie Musgrove, calls for the state to address several issues to better position the state to compete in the New Economy. Elements of the plan affecting the state’s science and technology base include:
Recent Reports & Studies: Kortum & Lerner: The Relationship of VC to Innovation
Using patent filing and quality as a measure of innovation, “a dollar of venture capital appears to be about three times more potent in stimulating patenting than a dollar of traditional corporate R&D,” according to a July 2000 paper by Samuel Korton (Boston University) and Josh Lerner (Harvard University).
Massachusetts Innovation Index Reports Shrinking High-Tech Labor Pool in Leading Technology States
The gradual aging of the American workforce and the domestic migration of young workers may be at fault for slow economic growth in many states that have historically been successful in promoting high-tech business, according to this year’s Index of the Massachusetts Innovation Economy.
Innovation Economy Strong, But State Lags in High Tech Job Creation, MTC Index Finds
Massachusetts' innovation indicators may be strong, but the conversion of innovation into new high tech jobs is lagging and the state’s median household income continues to dip, according to the latest Index of the Massachusetts Innovation Economy.
People
Angie Dvorak, vice president of research and economic development for the University of Southern Mississippi, is becoming president of the university's research foundation.
Job Postings
Chief Executive Officer
Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology