Incubators and accelerators. Angel, seed and venture capital. Research parks. University and industry research. Technology licensing and commercialization. Entrepreneurship assistance. R&D tax credits. Technology workforce development. Regional technology councils. Manufacturing extension. Science and technology advisers.

Once again, SSTI's members have assembled one of our finest slates of sessions yet to anchor the 11th annual conference, Oct. 18-19, in Baltimore. Providing the core of the conference, the 19 sessions are structured to allow ample discussion time among participants, something we're told sets SSTI's conferences apart from the rest.

Attendees at SSTI's 11th annual conference will be fortunate to participate in plenary sessions led off by keynote addresses highlighting two of the most critical elements of TBED — successful entrepreneurship and engaged institutions of higher learning. 

SSTI's annual conference is as much a community homecoming as it a unique professional development opportunity. With our latest addition to the schedule, SSTI is making it even more of both! By attending SSTI's annual conference this year, you have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be present for the inaugural-year announcement of SSTI's Excellence in TBED Award winners.

It isn't every conference you consider attending that offers so much content in such a dynamic and fun location - so much that this one warrants extending your stay in Baltimore to play over the weekend. Our conference site is strategically located at the center of the Baltimore's exciting Inner Harbor. The active waterfront is beautiful, offering dozens of options to satisfy all of your cravings — dining, tourist attractions, arts, nightlife, shopping and convenient walking tours.

A fun-filled evening of music, drinks and scrumptious hor d'oeurves awaits participants of SSTI's conference with the opening reception at the Marine Mammal Pavilion of the world-famous National Aquarium in Baltimore. This festive event is possible due to the generosity of Team Maryland, a group of 21 Maryland organizations supporting technology-based economic development in their state and region:

SSTI's annual conference is the field's most stimulating and rewarding professional development event of the year. We hope you are planning on joining us in Baltimore, Oct. 18-19. You can expect:

In addition to the 21-member Team Maryland, led by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) and the University System of Maryland, SSTI's 11th annual conference is made possible by the support of its national partners. SSTI extends its appreciation and thanks to the generous support received by the following exemplary organizations:

What factors will enable regions with a historical strong industrial heritage to become attractive to creative individuals? According to Richard Florida in his 2002 book, The Rise of the Creative Class, creative people are most drawn to places that have an abundance of existing creative talent, a tolerance for diversity, and the ability to produce technology.

Register today to be sure you receive this special rate. On Wednesday, Sept. 26, registration fees will increase by $100. Hosted by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, and the University System of Maryland, the 2007 SSTI Annual Conference will be held at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel Oct. 18-19.

Complete descriptions of these opportunities and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.

Early registration is nearly over and the conference hotel is full, but you still have the opportunity to join representatives from 47 states and Canadian provinces at SSTI's 11th Annual Conference in Baltimore, Oct. 18-19, 2007 -- the nation's premier gathering for the tech-based economic development field.

Only a dozen seats remain available for new registrations to attend SSTI's 11th Annual Conference, which will be held Oct. 18-19 in Baltimore's fun-packed Inner Harbor. That's 12 seats, not a baker's dozen of 13. Given the two-week lead time before the event, SSTI strongly anticipates we will not be able to accommodate walk-in registrations the day of the conference. We encourage those of you making arrangements or planning to attend to register as soon as possible.

Socially-responsible entrepreneurs at the University of Maryland now have a new financial resource available to help them get new businesses off the ground. The university's Impact Pre-Seed Fund program will offer grants to students with business plans that could offer potential benefits to global society.

James Roberson, president of the Research Triangle Foundation for the past 16 years, is retiring at the end of May.

A new plan to grow North Carolina's biotech industry to 48,000 jobs by 2013 and 125,000 by 2023 was released earlier this month by the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, a state-supported nonprofit organization. If implemented, the 108-page plan would cost up to $650 million over five years. That figure does not include the "to be determined" cost for 15 of the plan's 54 recommendations.

The 54 action steps span a variety of objectives:

Robert Geolas, director of the Centennial Campus at North Carolina State, is resigning to become director of the new International Center for Automotive Research at the Clemson University.

William Tew has resigned as director of the Office of Licensing and Technology Development for Johns Hopkins University.

Despite a sluggish national economy, North Carolina held its own over the last three years, according to a measure of 25 broad indicators of innovation, technology and economic growth released earlier this week. In all, Tracking Innovation: North Carolina Innovation Index 2003 considers more than 50 performance measures across five general categories, highlighting the state’s strengths and weaknesses.

Three I's neatly sum up the 22 recommendations recently released by Maryland Governor Robert Erlich's Commission on Development of Advanced Technology Business — Investment, Innovation, and Image. The year-long study looked at the state's existing physical, financial and intellectual infrastructures to support the state's research and technology sectors, making specific recommendations in three groupings to foster continued growth.

Dr. Catherine Renault is the new program manager for the Center for Technology Applications at RTI International, Inc.

Ann Quinn was recently named managing director of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development Venture Capital Fund.