SSTI Welcomes Newest Members; Alaska Brings State Tally to 47
It's no wonder SSTI's Annual Conference presents such a broad range of perspectives and approaches to TBED each year, when our organization draws in active membership from organizations from all across the continent! For example, with the involvement of the Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership, SSTI now has active members in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada.
People & TBED Organizations
The Aerospace, Manufacturing and Information Technology (AMIT) Cluster of Southern Arizona has consolidated its operations with the Arizona Technology Council.
Cities Take Action to Support Early-stage Companies
New York City officials recently announced the launch of a $2 million seed fund to boost entrepreneurship and the local venture capital market. NYC Seed will provide up to $200,000 for seed-stage New York-based businesses and will offer mentoring and other support for client companies.
SEMATECH, New York to Invest $600 million in Nanoelectronics
Deal’s Impact on Texas Operations Remains Unclear
If you follow college sports, you know all how strong rivalries can be between certain schools. Bragging rights after a football game spill over into competitions over everything. Those that cross neighboring state borders seem to have even more edge sometimes.
TBED People
- Tony Armstrong, Indiana University executive director for engagement, has been chosen as the Indiana University Research and Technology Corporations new president and CEO.
- Jeff Costantine will retire this fiscal year as president of the Nashville Technology Council. The board of directors has begun the search for a new president.
People
Gov. Eliot Spitzer has named Daniel Gundersen co-chairman of the Empire State Development Corp. in New York.
People
Chris Roybal announced he is stepping down as senior economic development advisor of the Utah Governor's Office to become president and chief operating officer of the Northwest Research Corp., effective Feb. 2.
People
Dr. James Weyhenmeyer will become senior vice president for the State University of New York (SUNY) Research Foundation and SUNY senior vice provost for research, effective March 3, 2008.
New York Unveils $1B Upstate Revitalization Fund
Last week, Gov. Eliot Spitzer gave New York’s first ever “State of the Upstate” address in Buffalo, outlining his administration’s $1 billion Upstate Revitalization Fund. Among the components intended to encourage economic growth in the northern part of the state are:
People
New York Gov. Elliot Spitzer nominated Edward Reinfurt to serve as executive director of the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation. Reinfurt has been vice president of the Business Council of New York State, a statewide 4,000-member chamber of commerce, since its founding in 1980.
People
Jim Denn was named deputy executive director of the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR).
People
Michael Tentnowski is the new director of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Incubator.
Utah's Centers of Excellence: A 20-year Review
Since the creation of its Centers of Excellence (COE) program 20 years ago, the state of Utah has invested in aggregate $49.4 million, resulting in the development of 185 spin-off companies throughout the years, according to a recent review of the COE program, authored by the Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Utah.
Utah Governor Outlines Funding for TBED in FY07 Budget Request
Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. released last week his fiscal year 2007 budget request, providing a substantial boost in funding for the Utah Science, Technology and Research (USTAR) Initiative. In FY 2005, the legislature appropriated $4 million to fund the initial phase of the initiative. This year, the governor is recommending $62 million for infrastructure and programs.
People
Robert Chernow was appointed to the newly created position of vice provost for entrepreneurship at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
NY S&T Office to Become Public Foundation
New York's lead agency for promoting tech-based economic development (TBED) in the state soon will have a new name, if not a complete makeover. Under enacted budget legislation, the New York Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR) will become the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation by Jan. 1, 2006.
New York Budget Calls for New Oversight of Empire Zones
New York's Empire Zones Program dodged a veto from Gov. George Pataki as an agreement was met with the legislature to restructure the program. The state budget, signed into law last week, extends the program and allows for an additional 12 zones to be created throughout the state.
TBED Organizations & People Update
Craig Watters is serving as interim director of the Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship at Syracuse University. Past director Nola Miyasaki has relocated to Hawaii to join a biotech company.
People
George "Mick" Stadler is the new CEO for the incubator at the Rochester Institute of Technology.
People
Ladd Christensen and Martin Frey are the new co-directors of the Utah Department of Community and Economic Development.
New York Science & Technology Program Funding Restored
New York Governor George Pataki amended his proposed FY 1997-98 budget to restore funding for the state's technology programs. Pataki's revised budget calls for more than $20 million for technology programs, almost twice what was originally submitted to the legislature in January.
People
Ned Weinshenker has been appointed to a restructured position as vice president for strategic ventures and economic development at Utah State University.
People
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute named Nag Patibandla as director of the Center for Future Energy Systems, a New York State Center for Advanced Technology.
Markle Foundation to Donate $100 Million for Public Use of Internet
The Markle Foundation has announced plans to give away $100 million -- more than half of the Foundation's current endowment -- over the next five years for projects and programs to improve public benefit from the Internet. Recipients will include non-profit organizations as well as for-profit companies.
Awards are concentrated in four areas: