Last week, the House of Representatives passed the largest overhaul of U.S. patent law in 60 years. Under the new legislation, patent decisions would favor inventors who file for patents first, rather the the current "first-to-invent" system. The change would bring U.S. patent law more in line with the patent systems of Europe and Japan. A similar bill was passed by the Senate in March, which will be reconciled with the House bill in the near future.

Europe needs increased and "smarter" investments in both public and private research and development (R&D) to address the European Union's (EU) "Innovation Emergency," according to the European Commission's 2011 Innovation Union Competitiveness Report. The commission contends it is necessary to accelerate investments into R&D to achieve the EU's target of 3 percent of GDP being spent on R&D. EU members currently invest approximately 2 percent of GDP on R&D spending.

Whether you are new to the tech-based economic development (TBED) field or a seasoned practitioner, SSTI's podcast interviews with experts in all areas of TBED serves as a useful learning tool. These short and "to the point" interviews delve into questions such as:

Job Corner

Lawmakers approved Gov. Tom Corbett's proposal to restructure the state's economic development efforts by consolidating several programs within the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). Total general fund spending for DCED in FY12 is $212.8 million, down from $327.5 million last year or a 35 percent reduction. Much of this is achieved through consolidating programs.

This week, President Barack Obama announced a new interagency pilot initiative to bolster regional economic strategies in select towns and cities. The Strong Cities, Strong Communities (SC2) initiative will offer federal resources to support ongoing efforts in six pilot communities, including Chester, PA; Cleveland, OH; Detroit, MI; Fresno, CA; Memphis, TN; and New Orleans, LA. Cross-agency teams will assist with mayoral initiatives in the participating cities, while a fellowship program will recruit and train local policy specialists.

The 2012-13 biennial budget signed into law last month by Gov. John Kasich authorizes the state to transfer the liquor distribution system to JobsOhio, a private nonprofit partnership created to assume the business-incentive and job-creating functions of the Ohio Department of Development. With the transfer, the state expects to generate $1.2 billion in a lump-sum payment, with $500 million deposited into the general fund in FY12 and $700 million used to pay off outstanding bonds supported by liquor profits, according to an analysis by the Ohio Legislative Service Commission.

New research suggests that the current jobs crisis may have its roots in factors that predate the 2007-2009 recession. In Starting Small; Staying Smaller; America's Slow Leak in Jobs Creation, the Kauffman Foundation's E.J. Reedy and Robert Litan find that over the past few years new businesses are starting off smaller and growing less than in previous years. For example, the cohort of firms that started in 2009 are now predicted to contribute one million fewer jobs over the next decade than historical averages would suggest.

During the Clinton Global Initiative's (CGI) America meeting, CGI announced 51 new projects that will create jobs and spur economic growth in the U.S.. On the final day of the conference, former President Clinton discussed the impact that these commitments will have when fully funded and implemented.

The clean economy employs over 2.6 million workers spread across a diverse group of industries, according to a new report from the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Instition in partnership with Battelle's Technology Partnership. In Sizing the Clean Economy: A National and Regional Green Jobs Assessment, the researcher developed, analyzed and commented on a detailed database of establishment-level employment statistics related to clean economy industries at the national, state and regional levels.

The Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology is seeking applications for the director, Technology Innovation Program. This position is perfect for you if you are ready for a challenge and are committed to making significant improvements in the operations of one of the world's premier research and science organizations. NIST is located in Gaithersburg, Montgomery County, MD.

Pamela Goldberg has been appointed as the executive director of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. Currently, Goldberg serves as director of entrepreneurial leadership at Tufts University.

Lawmakers in several states wrapped up their 2011 sessions in time for the new fiscal year, which begins on July 1 for most states, allocating funds and passing bills in support of tech-based economic development. Read more...

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad signed Iowa House File 590 into law, establishing a new economic development public-private partnership. The Iowa Partnership for Economic Progress (IPEP) will be comprised of two separate entities — the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Innovation Corporation. IPEP replaces the embattled Iowa Department of Economic Development.

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) has issued a request for public comments on the structure of Economic Visioning Challenge, part of the recently announced Strong Cities, Strong Communities (SC2) initiative (see the

In a Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Core Ideas, an 18-member committee comprised of experts in education and scientists proposes a foundation for new national K-12 science education standards. The report identifies core ideas in four areas that students should understand by the time they finish high school. The four areas include:

In an update of their 2009 The Atlantic Century report, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation reports that the U.S. continues to rank fourth in innovation-based competitiveness and second-to-last in innovative progress. Among the 43 nations included in the study, only Italy ranked lower than the U.S. in improving their innovative competitiveness. Certain U.S. regions performed much better than the country as a whole. For example, Massachusetts, if taken as an independent economy, would rank as the most innovative economy in the world.

The District of Columbia leads the country in per capita academic R&D expenditures, spending about $543.19 per resident, according to new data released by the National Science Foundation. Maryland follows closely behind with $530.06 per resident, while Massachusetts ranks a distant third with $373.60. While California, New York and Texas lead in total expenditures, smaller states, such as North Dakota, Rhode Island and Hawaii place in the top 10 for per capita spending.

As state and federal funding for higher education dwindles and the workforce needs of the new economy continue to shift, state and university officials are reevaluating how higher education is funded, its return on investment for the state, and how universities can better drive economic growth. Recent examples in New York, Ohio and Texas demonstrate how states are implementing new policies to adapt to the changing times.

Speaking during a Rural Economic Forum at Northeast Iowa Community College in Peosta, IA, President Obama announced several new initiatives to promote economic growth in rural areas, including two new capital programs. The Small Business Administration (SBA) will partner with USDA to double its current rate of investment in rural small businesses to $350 million over the next five years. This will be accomplished through SBA's Impact Investment Fund.

Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe and the state's Workforce Cabinet announced a $2.7 million pilot program — STEM Works — focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education in high schools. STEM Works will be made up of two components. The first component will focus on overhauling the state's STEM curriculum at the high school level to better prepare high school graduates to pursue college degrees in STEM disciplines. The second component — UTeach — will attempt to attract qualified college graduates to become STEM educators.

The U.S. Department of Treasury has released details on its latest funding approvals from the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). Eleven states, and Washington, D.C., are slated to receive a portion of the $360 million that will be used to expand state small business lending and capital programs. In order to qualify, states must demonstrate that their relevant programs will generate at least $10 in new private lending for every $1 in federal funding.

The Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy and the Navy will invest up to $510 million during the next three years to produce advanced drop-in biofuels to power military and commercial transportation. To accelerate the production of these advanced bio-based jet and diesel fuels, the federal agencies in partnership with the private sector will work to jointly construct or retrofit several drop-in biofuel plants and refineries.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced that it will award $74 million total for the creation of four interdisciplinary research and education centers as part of the third generation of NSF Engineering Research Centers. In addition to their primary focus on commercialization and education, these centers will emphasize innovation, entrepreneurship, small business collaboration, and international partnerships. For the first time, two of the ERCs will be co-funded by the Department of Energy.

E. William (Bill) Colglazier, recently retired executive officer of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council, has been selected the Science and Technology Advisor to Secretary of State Hilary Clinton.